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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Maybe we need to rethink how we go about foreign aid.

U.S. foreign assistance is primarily in the form of grants focusing on public health, economic development, and democratic governance in a multitude of countries.

And so much of US aid is stolen. Here is one article from AP "Millions of Ethiopians go hungry again as international aid is paused after massive theft". The US has given Ethiopia 1.8 billion dollars since 2022

China is more selective which countries in Africa and provides loans and aid for infrastructure and mining. Then these projects are required to use Chinese construction firms and companies to build. China has financed a major railroad line from Ethiopia to Djibouti so Ethiopia can export products easier to China[/quote]

China has the right idea here IMO. We can help others in a way that helps America. And definitely in ways that have a lot more accountability and less prone to theft.[/quote]

The US relies heavily on NGOs and foreign partnerships, and that's where all the money goes. China does more direct work. They directly build and staff the hospitals, for example.  This is extremely effective, that is the tactic that Hamas and Hezbollah have used as well.  Directly build and support schools and hospitals and the people will be far more aligned with you than some random NGO or local org.[/quote]

The US doesn't want to look like we are directly involved in foreign governments. We prefer NGOs or providing aid funding that is quickly comsumed by the graft and corruption of the local government. Of course, you can't see the CIA attempting to topple the local government until they fail, like all of our heavy handed attempts it also ruins our reputation with the populace. [/quote]

This.

China uses NGOs and foreign aid is given to help themselves.  This key concept is because of its communist government in that China believes in helping China.

The prob with the US and I say this as not a Trump fan, is that the US doesn't operate as a whole - it's not all about the US and that's a prob.  So while we have a whole NGO industry supplying compassion and helping the down and outs in foreign countries, we've got the US gov via CIA and other govt entities working for the US govt.  China works as a communist would - as a collective.  But in this context, it's effective and the right approach philosophically.  Everyone's together.

What Trump is doing in effect is ridding the separation of orgs doing one thing and the govt doing another.  Is that right to do in the context of the American way?  Prob not.  It uproots a lot if history and it stops a lot if good being done prob by OP and NGOs as a while.  However, long term and as a model of effectiveness, what Trump would succeed in doing is taking a collective approach.  Not agreeing with his approach necessarily but it doesn't separate and make things more complex for the US from a foreign policy perspective.  I get it.  I get why he's doing it.  There are things that other countries do that are better than what we do.  China does foreign policy better even if you don't want to admit it. [/quote]

The way China does “aid” is very different as you point out. My NGO doesn’t think of American power as our objective. Our objective is health care for the poorest people on earth. The US used to think the poorest people having health care (so they don’t spread contagious disease to us, or migrate) as in the US interest and so worth the investment. China doesn’t do that sort of aid. Their aid is “do you need a road or port to get your good to us and our goods to you? We’ll build you one.” It is transactional and keeps the power clearly with China.

Rubio was crystal clear that the kind of aid I do - partnerships with other, local NGOs, sharing power, building skills so health systems don’t need our support, working with communities to advocate for their local governments to fund their clinics and hospitals, etc. is unwanted.

Since the NGOs that currently implement most of USAID’s work don’t have the mission to do the transactional work that a foreign aid approach like China’s uses our NGO sector will shrivel. Which is the point. But I hope anyone who cares about Americans and about public health can spare a moment to have some compassion for the thousands of people now losing their jobs.

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