This is an archived USAID document retained on this web site as a matter of public record.
Administrator J. Brian Atwood
CDIE Conference on Transitions
Washington, D.C., October, 30 1997
U.S. Agency for International Development
Good morning. It is a pleasure to see such a good turnout
today. I must say that we have been somewhat overwhelmed
with the response to this conference. Clearly, there is
tremendous interest in the subject of how best to assist nations
making the transition from conflict to peace. I would also like to
take a moment to thank both Krishna Kumar and Larry Garber of
USAID, and all the others, who put so much work into making
this event a reality.
In the last several years we have learned a great many
lessons about working in the difficult and politically charged
environment of transition countries. Not all of these lessons have
been easy ones. In places like Angola and Liberia we have seen
how easy it is for nations in transition to suffer major setbacks.
But as Franklin Delano Roosevelt said: "It is common sense to
take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it and try another. But
above all, try something."
During the last several years we have heeded President
Roosevelt's advice. We have tried to learn from our mistakes,
develop new methods and better link our diplomacy and our
assistance. Sharing these lessons is the goal of this conference.
We certainly do not claim to have all the answers, but we are
eager to work with all of you to continue to explore new ways we
the international community can innovate and make our limited
resources more effective.
It is my pleasure today to introduce Secretary of State
Madeline Albright, someone who is not only my boss, but a good
friend as well. We are indeed fortunate to have a Secretary of
State who has brought such energy and vision to the foreign
policy challenges facing the United States. The Secretary has
ushered in a new era at Foggy Bottom, and her leadership has
reinvigorated all those who care about our engagement with the
rest of the world. In the long view of history, I believe this
Secretary will not be remembered as the first women to hold the
position, but as a Secretary whose accomplishments continue the
proud tradition of Alan Dulles, George Marshall and Dean Rusk.
I can't tell you Madam Secretary, how often I am
approached by people, both at home and abroad, who are
heartened to see you speaking -- in plain English -- about why
America needs to be involved and why America's leadership can
make a world of difference. You have taken the case for a strong
foreign policy not only to the Congress, but also to the heart of
our democracy: high school auditoriums, chambers of commerce,
state assemblies and the neighborhood diner. And from what I've
seen, your message of optimism and engagement is sinking in.
We are also fortunate to have a Secretary of State committed
to the issue that brings us together today: helping nations leave
conflict behind. The Secretary has a unique understanding of
both the importance and often daunting challenges of transition
work. Her views of America's leadership role in foreign policy
were profoundly shaped by her own experiences growing up in a
Europe torn by war. The Secretary has reminded us that while
we cannot forget the lessons of Vietnam, we must also not forget
the lessons of Munich.
It was an unjust peace at the end of the First World War,
worsened by the ravages of global depression, that provided the
fuel that fed the fanaticism that triggered the Second World War.
It was also the relative inaction of the great powers in a rogue
Germany that hastened the path toward conflict. The Secretary
has wisely noted these pernicious cycles of bloodshed, reprisals
and repression have often replicated themselves around the globe,
and that often the international community has been hard pressed
to deal with these situations effectively. Breaking the cycle of
violence and aggression is the single greatest challenge of post-conflict reconstruction and it requires all of us working together.
As the U.S. representative to the United Nations, Secretary
Albright had a full plate of transition countries to deal with on a
daily basis: Haiti, Rwanda, Bosnia, Angola and others. In every
case, it was clear that these challenging settings demanded better
collaboration between our national security apparatus,
humanitarian relief operations, diplomacy and development
programs than we had ever seen before. We all welcomed the
strong backbone the Secretary brought to the UN and -- having
watched the Secretary chew out a Croation Foreign Minister over
that nation's treatment of Serbs in the Krajina -- we can all rest
assured that that same resolve accompanied the Secretary back
from New York to Foggy Bottom.
From her experience at the United Nations the Secretary saw
that our international responses to conflict and its aftermath must
be robust and that we must not disengage when the shooting
stops. We have all come to recognize that failed states pose a
serious threat to the international community and that
international leadership is indispensable in addressing these crises.
Most importantly, there is a greater understanding than ever
before that we must stand up to tyranny and its voices of violence
to be a force for peace.
The Secretary has been one of the strongest voices for peace
during our time. Please welcome her here today. Ladies and
gentlemen, Secretary of State Madeline Albright.
This is an archived USAID document retained on this web site as a matter of public record.
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Last Updated on: July 18, 2001
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