Role of voluntary agencies in international assistance : a look to the future

GOVERNMENT AND U.S. VOLUNTARY AGENCIES ENGAGED IN FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES. DURING THOSE YEARS, VOLUNTARY AGENCIES HAVE RECORDED A REMARKABLE RECORD OF SERVICE IN THEIR EFFORTS TO ALLEVIATE HUMAN SUFFERING. IN THIS "LOOK TO THE FUTURE," THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS ATTEMPTED TO EXAMINE THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH VOLUNTARY AGENCIES CAN EXPECT TO PERFORM THEIR FUTURE MISSION, AND TO IDENTIFY THE WAYS IN WHICH THEIR IMPORTANT WORK CAN BE FACILITATED AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO SERVE BE ENHANCED. TWELVE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE. CHAPTERS IN THIS REPORT DISCUSS AND ELABORATE UPON THE REASONING BEHIND THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. EXCERPTS FROM THE RECOMMENDATORY STATEMENTS: 1) THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT SHOULD BE AMENDED TO ENABLE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES REGISTERED WITH AND APPROVED BY THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO APPLY FOR THE USE OF U.S. GOVERNMENT RESOURCES OR FACILITIES TO ASSIST THEIR PROGRAMS OVERSEAS. 2) EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES SHOULD INCLUDE GREATER PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAM INITIATION AND DEVELOPMENT, AND NOT JUST PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION. 3) A PROGRAM INITIATION FUND SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED TO FACILITATE INNOVATIVE PRE-PROJECT FIELD RESEARCH BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES. 4) THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AND GOVERNMENT SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT THE STRENGTHENING OF INDIGENOUS VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS CAN BE AN ACT OF DEVELOPMENT IN ITSELF. 5) A CONFERENCE SHOULD BE CALLED TO BRING TOGETHER REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, TO PROMOTE CLOSER COLLABORATION. 6) NEW CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATION SHOULD BE ENACTED TO ASSURE THE AVAILABILITY OF U.S. FOOD FOR OVERSEAS EMERGENCY NEEDS AND DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IN THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. 7) VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AND THE U.S. GOVERNMENT SHOULD JOINTLY GIVE ATTENTION TO REVISING THE REGULATORY AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES GOVERNING FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS. 8) A TASK FORCE ON REFUGEE AND DISASTER SERVICES SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 9) THE PROVISION OF SERVICES IN FOREIGN DISASTERS, BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, AND THE UN, SHOULD BE BETTER COORDINATED. 10) VOLUNTARY AGENCIES SHOULD EMPHASIZE LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT IN THE DESIGN AND CONDUCT OF THEIR OVERSEAS