Modernizing Foreign Assistance Essential to Protect our National Security

Washington, DC — The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition today released the following statement from Executive Director Liz Schrayer on Secretary Clinton’s announcement of a Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review:

“The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition commends Secretary Clinton’s call for a Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR) as an important step toward elevating and strengthening the civilian-led tools of diplomacy and development. The QDDR, along with President Obama’s strong FY10 International Affairs Budget request, demonstrates the Administration’s commitment to a smart power foreign policy approach to address the global challenges of the 21st century.”

“As part of the USGLC’s Impact ’08 education initiative, we called on the Presidential candidates to meet our global challenges by making greater investments in our diplomatic and development programs, modernizing our foreign assistance institutions, and improving the effectiveness of our foreign assistance programs. We welcome today’s announcement as a step toward achieving these goals.”

“The USGLC looks forward to an open and participatory process for the QDDR, and we stand ready to work with Deputy Secretary Jack Lew, Policy, Planning Director Anne-Marie Slaughter and the USAID Administrator in this critical effort.”

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The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (www.usglc.org) is a broad-based influential network of 400 businesses and NGOs; national security and foreign policy experts; and business, faith-based, academic and community leaders in all 50 states who support a smart power approach of elevating diplomacy and development alongside defense in order to build a better, safer world.