Socio-economic performance criteria for development : a report on the assessment of commitment and progress submitted by the U.S. Agency for International Development pursuant to section 102(d) of the Foreign assistance act

HAS TAKEN TO IMPROVE AND REFINE THE CRITERIA FOR ASSESSING BOTH COMMITMENT AND PROGRESS. THERE IS INCREASED EMPHASIS ON DISTRIBUTIVE ASPECTS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY FOCUSING SOCIOECONOMIC ANALYSES ON TARGET GROUPS SUCH AS THE SMALL FARMER AND THE RURAL POOR IN PREPARING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, SECTOR ASSESSMENTS AND ANALYSES, AND PROJECT PAPERS. SECTION 102 (D) ADDED TO THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT IN 1975 REQUIRES THAT "THE PRESIDENT SHALL ESTABLISH APPROPRIATE CRITERIA TO ASSESS THE COMMITMENT AND PROGRESS OF COUNTRIES" TOWARDS THE OBJECTIVES FOR DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE. THESE OBJECTIVES EMPHASIZE PARTICIPATION BY THE POOR AND INCREASED ACCESS FOR THEM TO EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME OPPORTUNITIES. THESE CRITERIA ARE TO BE SELECTED ACCORDING TO THEIR VALUE IN ASSESSING THE EFFORTS OF COUNTRIES TO: INCREASE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY PER UNIT OF LAND; REDUCE INFANT MORTALITY; CONTROL POPULATION GROWTH; PROMOTE GREATER EQUALITY OF INCOME DISTRIBUTION; AND REDUCE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT. THE MOST IMPORTANT CRITERIA NOW USED FOR ALLOCATING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IS THE OVERALL POVERTY LEVEL. THE HOST COUNTRY"S COMMITMENT AND PROGRESS ALSO PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART. COMMITMENT AND PROGRESS ARE TWIN ASPECTS OF A COUNTRY"S PERFORMANCE; DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS PROVIDES A MEASURE OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMITMENT. COMMITMENT IS REFLECTED BY THE POLICY AND PROGRAM ACTIONS A COUNTRY TAKES. FIELD MISSIONS WILL BE ASKED TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON HOST COUNTRY COMMITMENT AND PROGRESS AS PART OF A.I.D."S ANNUAL PLANNING, PROGRAMMING AND BUDGETING PROCEDURES. THE LAST HALF OF THE REPORT IS DEVOTED TO THE ANNEXES INCLUDING A LIST OF BILATERAL PROJECTS WITH PROGRESS MEASUREMENT ASPECTS, A PROPOSED PROGRAM FOR DEVELOPING CRITERIA AND STATISTICS, ISSUES IN MEASURING DEVELOPMENT PERFORMANCE, AND AN INVENTORY OF SELECTED CENTRALLY-MANAGED ACTIVITIES CONTRIBUTING TO DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRESS CRITERIA.