One Mission, One USAID: Ending Extreme Poverty and Promoting Resilient, Democratic Societies

The agency's mission statement highlights two complementary and intrinsically linked goals: ending extreme poverty and promoting the development of resilient, democratic societies that are able to realize their potential. USAID fundamentally believes that ending extreme poverty requires enabling inclusive, sustainable growth; promoting free, peaceful, and self-reliant societies with effective, legitimate governments; building human capital and creating social safety nets that reach the poorest and most vulnerable. USAID's focus on poverty does not end when someone crosses the official threshold for extreme poverty to earn $1.26/day. Poverty alleviation also extends to those with higher incomes who nonetheless remain severely poor. Poverty is multi-dimensional, requiring an approach to address hunger and food insecurity, illiteracy and innumeracy, ill-health, dis-empowerment, marginalization, and vulnerability. USAID's initiatives, such as Feed the Future, Global Health, Global Climate Change, and Power Africa, target symptoms of and pathways out of poverty. Resilient, democratic societies are essential to sustaining development progress. They feature broad-based economic growth; healthy, well-nourished, and educated populations; and environmental sustainability. These societies are equipped to ensure that pathways out of poverty are sustained. At the core of USAID's mission is a deep commitment to work as partners in fostering sustainable development. Rather than impose, USAID seeks to empower and support through collaboration. The agency works hand-in-hand with those it seeks to assist as well as others striving to support the most vulnerable. USAID's efforts directly enhance American and global security and prosperity. The United States is safer and stronger when fewer people face destitution, when trading partners are flourishing, when nations around the world can withstand crisis, and when societies are freer, more democratic, and more inclusive, protecting the basic rights and human dignity of all citizens. By focusing on these two goals, together, USAID positions itself to meet the challenges of today while mitigating the risks of tomorrow. USAID's policy framework emphasizes several key themes, including increasing food security, promoting global health and strong health systems, reducing climate change impacts, protecting the environment, and promoting low emissions growth. The agency recognizes that poverty, hunger, and undernutrition are often correlated, and that promoting inclusive, country-led agriculture sector growth is among the most effective poverty-reducing tactics. USAID's Feed the Future initiative targets symptoms of and pathways out of poverty, and aims to improve smallholder farmer access and capacity to manage inputs that ultimately increase yields, market conditions, and incomes. USAID also recognizes the importance of promoting global health and strong health systems. People living in extreme poverty suffer from malnutrition and poor health, hindering economic advancement and perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Simple interventions like family planning, malaria prevention, affordable immunizations, and access to lifesaving drugs, as well as clean water and nutritious food, lead to healthy families that can contribute to and advance their communities and countries. In addition, USAID aims to reduce climate change impacts, protect the environment, and promote low emissions growth. The effects of climate change are likely to affect the extreme poor the most, and high biodiversity areas provide over half of the ecosystem services, such as food, water, energy, and shelter. USAID recognizes that low emissions development strategies are key to promoting sustainable growth environments that enable opportunities to lift people out of extreme poverty. Finally, USAID aims to promote sustainable, broad-based economic growth and expand and sustain the ranks of stable, prosperous, and democratic states that elevate human rights. Inclusive economic growth is the only force that has reduced extreme poverty sustainably and at scale. Without a growing, equitable economy, countries cannot raise incomes to lift individuals, families, and communities out of poverty. Cleaner energy is recognized as a key opportunity to drive economic growth, and broad-based economic growth is necessary for long-term prosperity and stability, creating the space to raise living standards.