Final report : U.S. foreign aid and development assistance in the post-cold war world -- business and labor perspectives : USAID cooperative agreement # FAO-0230-A-00-3065-00, September 20,1993-September 19,1997

business and labor executives on the role of the United States in providing humanitarian aid and development assistance to Third World countries. The project has been very successful, directly reaching 1,506 people in 27 states and, through its publications, many more. All stated goals and objectives were achieved and in many cases far surpassed. Achievements include regional symposia for local business leaders and labor officials; working breakfasts for Washington D.C. business, labor, and public policy representatives; panel discussions/guest speakers on foreign aid and development at NPA"s policy meetings; annual lectures on economic development in the Third World; a cost-benefit study of U.S. foreign assistance programs and a synthesis of research conclusions and recommendations; and a series of NPA and media publications on U.S. foreign aid. Project impact was notable. Attendance at meetings was often so large that registration had to be closed and a waiting list established. As the project progressed, the number of unions and businesses willing to co-sponsor the meetings increased. NPA was even able to bring together groups normally opposed to one another. The project also led to many changes at NPA, including the establishment of a Trade and Development Subcommittee in NPA"s Food and Agriculture Committee, and the creation of contacts for NPA development projects in South Africa and Latin America. The project also helped increase the membership of NPA"s own committees and expand its networks with other aid and development agencies. All in all, the project made significant contributions to the field of development education. It has brought two important groups -- business executives and labor leaders -- to the center of the discussion concerning the future of international development and let their unique perspectives be heard. NPA"s publications, especially "U.S. Foreign Assistance: the Rationale, the Record and the Challenges in the Post-Cold War Era", have been hailed for their timeliness, thoroughness, and clarity. Several lessons were learned. (1) Most people enthusiastically support the constructive involvement of the United States in world affairs, but many are misinformed about the purpose, size, and activities involved in international development projects. The message of development assistance needs to be carried around the country to a population whose opinion on the subject, many USAID officials have already found, often differs from that popularly held in Washington. (2) Contrary to what is commonly assumed, organizations such as corporations and unions do share the same internationalist values and goals as traditional supporters of foreign assistance. At the same time, however, they place a large emphasis on efficiency, effectiveness, and the implications for U.S. domestic policies of foreign assistance programs. (3) Involving others in the planning and delivery of programs not only leveraged their skills and resources, but also ensured the relevance of the programs to the regions in which they were implemented. Incorporating different perspectives in the discussions also gave the meeting legitimacy, inspired engaging dialogue, and allowed participants to gain insight into the very complex issues which surround U.S. foreign assistance programs. (4) At the meetings, NPA made a concerted effort to bring all project participants -- speakers and audiences -- into the discussions. The importance of interactive sessions was so clearly demonstrated that NPA has included this model in some of its policy committee sessions.