What does 2020 mean for foreign aid? Lester Munson Principal, BGR Government Affairs Twenty years ago, Walter Russell Mead seventh president near his desk in the Oval described a political tradition in the United Office. States known as “Jacksonianism.”1 This Jacksonians are skeptical of “do-gooding” tradition describes an American foreign and thus, foreign aid. This is the base logic policy that is a combination of populism, of the administration’s recent budget isolationism, big defense budgets, requests, which have called for cuts in the religious faith, skepticism of international International Affairs budget of nearly one- agreements, and the belief in a pre-eminent third. American destiny. The Congress strongly rejected these The current administration may be the proposed cuts, with even Senate Majority most Jacksonian since President Andrew Leader Mitch McConnell expressing Jackson himself. It is no accident that skepticism.2 This bulwark of support is due President Trump hung a painting of the to successful and longstanding efforts to Prepared for the 2019 Brookings Blum Roundtable build bipartisan congressional support for Beyond that, several large trends merit a robust foreign assistance program based close attention among those working on on business interests, national security, and foreign assistance. humanitarian concerns. FLEXIBILITY AT RISK Even with the Jacksonian in the White House, there have been modest advances Effective execution of American foreign in America’s approach to international assistance requires that the administration development. The BUILD Act, which was be given enough flexibility to push strongly supported by the administration resources where they are needed and can be and both parties in Congress, will most effective in a quick, seamless fashion transform the Overseas Private Investment to achieve results and advance American Corporation into a much larger and more interests and values. agile, yet still development-focused agency President Trump, however, has taken the that can better meet the unique challenges broad flexibility given to the chief executive of the early 21st century. on several fronts to new extremes. Three Fears in 2017 that the Trump sets of actions are of particular concern: administration would subsume USAID 1. The drastically increased use of tariffs into the State Department or otherwise to address non-trade issues. While pop- successfully denigrate foreign assistance ular in the short-term with both Repub- agencies were ultimately unfounded. licans and Democrats, these actions are Members of Congress in both parties urged provoking bipartisan concerns, partic- continued independence for USAID and, ularly in the Senate, about the inappro- somewhat surprisingly, Trump appointees priate use of the tariffs. at USAID developed an employee-led transformation effort to modernize the 2. The end-run by the administration agency. around congressional approval process- es for international arms sales provoked concerns (mainly from Democrats), but Where does this mixed certain Republicans are pushing back record leave us for 2020? to defend their role in national security decisionmaking. If reelected, President Trump will no doubt continue to emphasize border security 3. The president’s emergency declaration over assistance to refugee and immigrant to redirect funding to the border wall populations and continue the highly will only inspire appropriators to fur- skeptical approach to climate change. A ther limit the flexibility of the executive victory by a Democrat in 2020 will likely branch on all spending matters, includ- mean an end to the border wall, an increase ing foreign assistance. in aid to affected groups near the border, In the International Affairs budget, the and a return to robust programs to advance executive branch’s reach is already limited climate action. by congressional earmarks and directives. The three actions listed above could exacerbate existing concerns regarding 2 | What does 2020 mean for foreign aid? implementation of U.S. soft power tools. the most significant global development Indeed, many in Congress have begun that could impact Washington’s decisions calling for reforms that would further limit on foreign assistance. The BUILD Act the president’s flexibility to execute foreign gained much of its support because it was policy. This may produce unintended framed as a response to China’s Belt and consequences that could undermine efforts Road Initiative. USAID’s “Clear Choice” by the U.S. government and civil society framework describes collaboration in the organizations to promote democracy, energy, digital, and infrastructure sectors.5 prosperity, and good policy outcomes in The framework emphasizes programs that health and education. are directly responsive to host country needs and policy choices, providing Nearly all Democratic candidates for a contrast to China’s authoritarian president are highly critical of President model that produces strategic debt and Trump and are calling for the restoration dependence. of support for allies and a renewed broad international engagement, while at the This positive but realistic approach to the same time trying to keep a focus on China challenge is still nascent at USAID domestic issues. and not even that far along at the State Department and other critical national As an example, presidential candidate security agencies. It has yet to have an Elizabeth Warren positions herself on impact on either presidential budget foreign policy in a way that appeals to requests or congressional appropriations. lower- and middle-class voters: “From With both parties in Congress growing endless wars that strain military families to increasingly skeptical of China’s trade policies that crush our middle class, policies and plans, “Clear Choice” or an Washington’s foreign policy today serves analogous approach will likely emerge as a the wealthy and well-connected at the substantive, bipartisan legislative initiative expense of everyone else.”3 regardless of who wins the Executive Of all the Democrats, former Vice President Branch in 2020. Joe Biden makes the most robust appeal for engagement: “The next president must GLOBAL PROSPERITY repair our relationships with our allies There is a terrific success story emerging and stand up to strongmen and thugs on around the globe. The percentage of people the global stage to rally the world to meet living in extreme poverty (less than $1.90 these challenges. We can reclaim our per day) sunk below 10 percent in 2015 for longstanding position as the moral and the first time in history6 (although the rate economic leader of the world.”4 of poverty’s decline is slowing).7 HIV/AIDS is no longer the leading cause of death in Policy drivers Africa. New malaria cases—and malaria mortality rates—are falling dramatically. CHINA Over half of the world population has internet access. More than 2.5 billion The rise of China and its challenge to additional people have access to clean the Western-led, liberal world order is drinking water.8 According to a Brookings 3 Brookings Blum Roundtable | Institution paper, the amount of official civil society groups and identify local needs foreign assistance now exceeds the cost of and address them efficiently and with closing the extreme poverty gap.9 sensitivity to local political exigencies. This leads directly back to the first driver—the While steady levels of development rise of China—and that country’s Belt and assistance offer hope that we can end Road Initiative, which prioritizes Beijing’s extreme poverty within this generation, needs over local concerns. This tremendous we cannot assume that better tailoring the difference in approach is a potential source use of such funds to target the poorest of of strategic advantage to the West that will the poor offers a panacea. Today’s focus on require great stewardship. micro-targeting also has a downside, since it can be treated as license to further direct aid toward narrow economic or national The way forward security interests. Can the foreign assistance community— FRAGILITY particularly in Washington—use the opportunities presented by these challenges When it comes to fragility, prevention to articulate a more effective approach is far cheaper than an ex-post cure. The to international aid and the assertion persistence of certain fragile states, of soft power? Nimbleness and a bit of mostly in Africa and the Near East, and opportunism, from both administration the consequent instability, poverty, and critics and supporters of international violence—even leading to international engagement within the administration, terrorism—cries out for a global solution. will be helpful. The more that partisan Sensible, pragmatic, and well-funded rock-throwing and name-calling can be programs are required that can prevent avoided on foreign aid issues, the more instability and extremism. Such efforts likely it is that new initiatives, analogous must be coordinated across the U.S. to the BUILD Act, can be pursued and government and with other donors. The implemented. last Congress mandated a study,10 carried out by the U.S. Institute of Peace under the Bipartisan concern about the rise of China leadership of Lee Hamilton and Tom Kean may constitute the biggest opportunity. The (who also authored the seminal report policy discussion about the institutions and on the 9/11 attacks that led to significant policies that will be required for the U.S. to changes in American government counterbalance China’s