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Adolfo A. Franco
Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Latin
America and the Caribbean
U.S. Agency for International Development
Summary of Testimony
before the Committee on Foreign Relations
United States Senate
Washington , D.C.
March 2, 2005
Adolfo Franco, USAID assistant
administrator for the Latin America and Caribbean Bureau,
addressed the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on March
2, 2005 relative to activities of USAID in the Southern Hemisphere.
Excerpts from the briefing are included below: (A link for
the full text of written testimony is included at the end
of the story.)
- The essence of President Bush’s policy for the LAC
region is that long-term economic growth and political stability
are only possible if governments consciously extend political
power and economic opportunity to everyone, especially the
poor and disadvantaged. By promoting prosperity throughout
the LAC region, the United States provides expanded economic
opportunities that support a peaceful and democratic hemisphere.
- The LAC Bureau remains committed to consolidate democracy,
improve regional political stability, advance market-based
development, and increase human well being for the fulfillment
of human potential. With the exception of Haiti, the LAC
region has seen a healthy turn around in its economy, which
averaged a robust 5.5 percent in 2004.
- The huge income disparity in the LAC region compared to
the rest of the world and its inability to remain competitive
with other developing regions, however, reinforce the developmental
challenges in our Hemisphere.
- Corruption is leading to a crisis for democracy in this
region. Corruption is not only a consequence of weak governance,
but it is a real threat to economic development and the
growth of democratic and strong societies.
- I would like to state that our two Presidential priority
countries in the LAC region – Colombia and Haiti –
continue to feature prominently in our decisions regarding
allocation of resources for meeting our overall foreign
policy and development assistance objectives. In the case
of Haiti, we are requesting additional resources….
- Judicial sector reforms are a major focus of USAID governance
programs in the region. Corruption strategies emphasize
its prevention and are embedded in broader programs that
address underlying weaknesses in effective governance. The
impact of USAID-supported criminal justice system reforms
is evident in wider and improved access to courts as evidenced
by more open and participatory processes, faster resolution
of cases, and increased citizen confidence.
- USAID provided critical technical assistance to Central
America and the Dominican Republic during negotiations leading
up to the U.S. – Central America Free Trade Agreement
(CAFTA) in 2004. CAFTA implementation will continue to be
a major priority in 2006…
- Narcotics trafficking leads to violence, crime and corruption,
and weakens governance in the coca-growing areas in the
Andes. To address this threat to democracy, the Andean Counter
Narcotics Initiative has three primary goals:
1) disrupt the production of illicit drugs;
2) strengthen law enforcement; and
3) develop licit income alternatives to illegal drug production.
- USAID assistance in the health sector has helped to advance
cure rates for tuberculosis, expand vaccination coverage,
reduce major childhood illnesses and deaths, lower maternal
mortality rates, and developed cost-effective methods for
combating malaria and other contagious diseases. Still infection
rates remain high, particularly in rural areas and among
minority groups.
- The LAC region’s competitiveness with other developing
regions is constrained by poor quality basic education,
low secondary enrollment rates, and an unprepared workforce.
USAID education and training programs continue to develop
innovative and effective service delivery models. Our programs
support public-private partnerships and community participation
in school reforms as well as improved monitoring of student
performance, information systems to help ministries of education,
and special training of young adults to compete in the workforce.
Full-text: Testimony
before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate,
March 2, 2005.
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