This is an archived USAID document retained on this web site as a matter of public record.
Ambassador Harriet Babbitt, Deputy Administrator
Opening Remarks for Global Forum of PVOs at the Common Agenda
Tokyo, Japan, March 12, 1998
U.S. Agency for International Development
It is an honor to be at the fifth Common Agenda and to
share the stage with these distinguished leaders for this first
Global Forum of private voluntary organizations (PVOs).
[Foreign Minister, Obuchi; Deputy Foreign Minister, Haraguchi;
Mr. Hiraiwa; President Carter; Ambassador Foley; Ambassador
Sherman.]
Your presence here today demonstrates just how much the
Common Agenda has accomplished in five short years and how
much potential remains for future collaboration.
President Carter, you are already very familiar with many of
the issues that will be discussed today. Your leadership in the
areas of health, democracy, environmental protection and
sustainable development is well known and has made a
tremendous difference to people around the world. I know
USAID has benefited from your expertise and guidance, so it is a
particular honor for me to be with you here today.
Under the dynamic leadership of Ambassador Sherman,
Deputy Foreign Minister Haraguchi and Vice Minister Nakagawa,
we have made great strides in our coordination on many
activities. The working groups on population and health,
environment and food security have laid out clear actions for us
to take in the next year.
It is clear from our deliberations this week that the United
States and Japan, together with all of the partner organizations --
and particularly the private and voluntary organization community
-- are tackling some of the most complex problems affecting the
developing world today.
We are extremely fortunate that the Government of Japan
has embraced the Common Agenda and used this unique
partnership to its fullest. With the steady commitment of the
Government of Japan, we have built a unique framework through
which we can effectively address the challenges of the developing
world.
One major goal of this year's Common Agenda is to further
strengthen our umbrella alliance -- and that very much includes
the PVO community. We have seen the miracles that PVOs
work in the field. In many ways, you are the heart and soul of
efforts to promote sustainable development, and we salute your
dedication, inspiration, perspiration and unflagging ability to
achieve what few thought possible.
I have had the pleasure to work with PVOs for many years
and have come to recognize and appreciate the qualities you
possess. No one is better than the PVO community at working at
the grassroots level. On a recent trip to Africa, I saw first hand
the impressive work that PVOs are doing to improve health and
support democratic transitions in Ethiopia, Eritrea and
Mozambique.
As you have heard, over the last three days the United States
and Japan have identified several areas in which the PVO
community can become more involved. Let me highlight a few:
-- USAID is particularly excited about the success and
promise of Japan's new Child Survival Grant program which will
result in more PVOs mounting child survival programs.
-- We also are pleased with the decision to expand our
United States-Japan collaboration in the conservation of natural
resources and biodiversity, whose success is due in large part to
PVOs.
-- We are particularly pleased about our decision to
collaborate on global climate change activities.
-- The recent civil society workshop hosted by the Asia
Foundation in Washington, brought together many members of
the government and non-government sector. We all agreed on
several specific actions that will push our democratization work
forward.
In addition to these specific actions, USAID has identified
several general actions that will require PVO assistance. A recent
ODA stocktaking recommended that the Common Agenda
consider three basic things:
-- Increasing the number of joint implementation missions.
-- Better use of the synergy that can exist in our joint United
States - Japan projects in developing countries.
-- And, expand our grassroots programs into larger programs that have greater national and global impact.
Both the United States and Japanese governments
understand only too well that we cannot be totally effective
without help from the non-government sector. Furthermore,
PVOs are often the most creative and flexible at hitting-the-ground-running with innovative programs. This is an absolute
necessity for effectively implementing a wide variety of complex
programs, often under enormous constraints.
Despite our own downward budget pressures, USAID has
increasingly tapped into the rich PVO reservoir. I am also glad
that as a development community, despite budget pressures, we
have spoken with one voice about the need to increase overall aid
levels.
In closing, I both applaud and thank you for your hard work
and contributions to the Common Agenda. Today, I am
convinced that we will have a productive session and I look
forward to hearing your ideas and opinions.
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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