The Journey to Sustainable Development has a two-fold vision for humanitarian and development assistance: 1) to build a country’s capacity to plan, finance, and implement solutions to local development challenges, and 2) to ensure that there is a commitment to see these solutions through effectiveness, inclusivity, and with accountability. One tool for seeing these metrics are Country Roadmaps, which is USAID’s standardized analytical tool for visualizing overall national progress across the dimensions of commitment and capacity based on a set of third-party, publicly available metrics. Metrics for commitment include open and accountable governance, inclusive development, and economic policy. Capacity indicators measure the capacity of the government, civil society, citizens, and the economy.
In the context of trade, trade indicators feature prominently in this framework. Under commitment, trade freedom is a commitment indicator which is derived from the Heritage Foundation’s Larger Economic Freedom Index. It is an index derived from tariff and non-tariff factors affecting trade. Under capacity, the metric used is Harvard University’s Center for Economic Development Economic Complexity Index, which measures among other things, export diversity.
The background and methodology of both indicators can be found under quick links as well as links to both data sources. Using these indicators can help you develop the strategy and contextual underpinnings of your CDCS.
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For more information, please contact Paul Fekete.