Foreign Aid: An Introductory Overview of U.S. Programs and Policy

Abstract

Foreign assistance is a fundamental component of the international affairs budget and is viewed by many as an essential instrument of U.S. foreign policy. Since the end of the Cold War, many have proposed significant changes in the size, composition, and purpose of the program, several of which have been adopted. The focus of U.S. foreign aid policy has also been transformed since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. This report provides an overview of the U.S. foreign aid program, by addressing a number of the more frequently asked questions regarding the subject. There are five major categories of foreign assistance: bilateral development aid, economic assistance supporting U.S. political and security goals, humanitarian aid, multilateral economic contributions, and military aid. Due largely to the implementation two new foreign aid initiatives the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the Global AIDS Initiative bilateral development assistance has become the largest category of U.S. aid.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 19, 2005
Accession Number
ADA457380

Entities

People

  • Curt Tarnoff

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Climate Change
  • Congress
  • Department Of State
  • Environmental Protection
  • Federal Budgets
  • Foreign Aid
  • Foreign Relations
  • Humanitarian Assistance
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Law
  • International Organizations
  • International Relations
  • Law
  • Management Personnel
  • Market Economy
  • National Security
  • Treaties

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • Business Analytics
  • Economics
  • International Relations, focusing on Korea-Africa and North Korea-South Korea relations, and Nigeria-Latin American Relations.