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This is an archived USAID document retained on this web site as a matter of public record.
Thank you, Mr. President, and good morning, Kiwanians.
Let me say that I am delighted to be here today with Mr. Hugh Downs and Walter Becky, the President of Morton Salt Company-both of whom have done so much to help children in developing countries.
It is truly a pleasure to be here.
In this new era of globalization, it seems the world gets smaller and faster, people from Detroit to Dakar are asking themselves-what does all this change mean for me, my family, and my community?
Well, even in this era of constant transformation, some things, I hope, will never change: the importance of family and community, our optimism for the future, and the conviction that we are at our best when we are helping others.
Kiwanis International is the embodiment of these values.
My own experience with Kiwanis goes back many years: when I was about 11 years old, the Kiwanis Club of Helena, Arkansas, sponsored my Little League team.
I can still remember my uniform that summer-the white jersey with 'Kiwanis' written in blue, and the blue baseball cap with the big white K ironed on it.
Years later, when I became the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, I learned that Kiwanians and I were again on the same team.
USAID has been working with Kiwanis International for many years to overcome one of the most insidious threats to children worldwide: iodine deficiency disorder, or IDD.
As late as 1990-just ten years ago-about 750 million people around the world were affected by goiter; 43 million had brain damage, and about 100,000 children were born with severe mental and physical disabilities-all because of IDD.
Thanks to Kiwanis, organizations like UNICEF, and salt producers around the world-like Morton's Salt-we have made a lot of progress:
Today, 90 percent of the people in 28 developing countries use iodized salt, which means that 85 million newborns are protected against IDD every year.
In 1999 alone, the contribution that Kiwanis made to this effort helped save some eight million newborns from the threat of mental and physical retardation.
That's a remarkable achievement; congratulations.
But we still have a long way to go. There are still 36 developing countries around the world where less than half the population uses iodized salt.
And that's why I'm proud to announce that this year USAID will again contribute over $2 million to UNICEF to work with Kiwanians to fight IDD in some of the most vulnerable countries: Cambodia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Tanzania, and the former Soviet republics of Armenia, Georgia, and the Baltic states.
As I travel around the country I meet hardworking Americans who wonder why their tax dollars are used for foreign assistance-to help people in far-off countries-when there are so many issues that need attention here at home.
That's a fair question.
And my answer is that foreign assistance is an investment.
For less than one-half of one percent of the federal budget-let me repeat that, less than one-half of one percent-America's foreign assistance programs help shape the future and lay the foundation of a more stable, peaceful, and healthy world.
I know that a lot of people think that foreign assistance means we just give money to foreign governments, so it may surprise you to learn that, with a few exceptions, the only thing we transfer is knowledge and experience.
For example, I recently met a hog farmer from Iowa who went to Albania through a USAID program to teach farmers there better ways to raise hogs.
It turns out that Albanian farmers were losing up to half of their litter because they were giving their sows too much room to move around.
The Iowan told me that when sows have too much room, they sit down too fast, crushing some of their piglets.
Today, thanks to USAID and a farmer from Iowa, Albanian farmers have learned to restrict their sows' movements-and they are losing far fewer piglets.
This is the kind of work we do. This is foreign assistance.
But it is important to remember that none of these individual successes-from iodine deficiency to better hog farming-can take root and last without the other work USAID does: specifically, our work to build strong democracies and free-market economies.
Near the end of the 20th century, the world experienced a new wave of democracy and freedom.
With the end of Communism in Eastern Europe and Eurasia and the fall of the Latin American dictatorships, millions of people all over the world are choosing their own leaders-some for the very first time.
This is good news for all of us.
But democracy means more than elections: it requires a strong rule of law and an independent media, and an honest judiciary.
These things, in turn, encourage trade and investment-creating new opportunities and markets for American businesses.
Last year, the United States exported over $690 billion worth of goods and services.
Four out of five consumers around the world live in developing countries, and developing countries are the fastest growing markets for American exports.
So it makes good sense for the United States to help these countries develop their economies and political systems.
For example, between 1947 and 1999-over 50 years-the United States contributed about $32 billion in assistance to the countries of Latin America. In 1999 alone, our exports there totaled over $141 billion.
I'll say it again: this is your foreign assistance dollar at work.
Another way USAID helps Americans is by fighting the spread of infectious diseases-like AIDS, TB and polio. Infectious diseases, of course, do not respect national borders, so if there is an epidemic in Africa or Russia, it could affect us here at home.
I know I am preaching to the choir. Kiwanians understand the importance of foreign assistance-you've been helping people for almost a hundred years.
But we need to spread this message beyond this room:
Today, the United States ranks dead last among the industrialized nations in spending on foreign assistance as a percentage of GNP.
In a time of unprecedented economic growth and prosperity, we can do more, should do more, and must do more to help the developing world meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Last week Congress continued its consideration of the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, which includes funding for USAID.
This year, as in the past, getting full funding for the President's budget request will be a challenge-especially for those programs that help strengthen the rule of law, promote democracy, and market economies.
If we want to continue to fight poverty and disease and instability, this must change.
As I travel around the world, over and over I meet determined, hard-working people making a difference in their communities by overcoming some pretty impressive obstacles, with maybe just a little help from us.
I have found that people don't want a handout-they want a hand up.
And you know, people from Africa to Latin America all want pretty much the same things as you and I:
They want enough food to eat, and clean water to drink.
They want good health care when we get sick.
They want a good education for their children.
They want to be able to choose their leaders, and to be able to criticize those leaders without fear.
They want the freedom to worship according to their consciences.
They want to live free of fear.
And, like us, they all want peace.
Americans can be proud that for less than one-half of one penny of every tax dollar, USAID is helping make these things happen, all over the world.
As we enter the new century and the new millennium, USAID looks forward to forging an even closer partnership with Kiwanis to continue this very important work.
Again, thank you for inviting me here today.
This is an archived USAID document retained on this web site as a matter of public record.
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