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3 U.S. Government STI Policies and Strategies
Pages 49-74

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From page 49...
... for global needs. Countries receiving development assistance from the United States often graduate to major influence in the world of STI: for example, in agriculture, Brazil; in technology, Taiwan and Korea; and in software engineering, India.
From page 50...
... can draw from a wealth of STI capabilities in other government agencies, repurposed for international development. Before turning to USAID's role in accessing these capabilities, it is useful to review the role of the White House, Department of State (DOS)
From page 51...
... In addition to conceiving and launching ambitious STI initiatives, the White House, through the Office of Science and Technology Policy, plays an ongoing role in coordinating STI initiatives across the executive agencies. Both Presidents Bush and Obama have harnessed White House leadership to meet international development objectives.
From page 52...
... In 2009, soon after taking office, President Obama signed a Presidential Policy Directive on Global Development (known as PPD-6) , which elevated development as a core pillar of American power globally.
From page 53...
... has created a working partnership with the Bureau for Food Security within USAID, as well as with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) , American Red Cross, Asian Development Bank, Esri, Google, Inter-American Development Bank, Skoll Global Threats Fund, and the UK government, to improve resilience of key sectors to changing trends in weather and climate.
From page 54...
... While the argument is made that international development supports our global agenda for peace and security, another motivation to involve domestic agencies is the mutual scientific benefit that results from transboundary collaborations. As the public places higher priority on such transboundary issues as climate, health, and food security, offering U.S.-based expertise through foreign assistance enhances our own science programs.
From page 55...
... In 1999, then Secretary of State Madeline Albright commissioned the National Academies' report The Pervasive Role of Science, Technology, and Health in Foreign Policy: Imperatives for the Department of State, 11 which offered recommendations for how the DOS could more effectively leverage the strength of U.S. S&T to advance U.S.
From page 56...
... scientific community; promoting science engagement with countries and regions viewed as foreign policy priorities; and building a coordinated S&T innovation strategy so the DOS can connect private-sector research, development, and discovery to foreign policy priorities. 13 The 2015 Academies' report recognized that the DOS has taken steps to incorporating more S&T into its operations, but also found embassies less inclined to embrace S&T as a key component of diplomacy.
From page 57...
... The State Department has also partnered with USAID and the Treasury Department to raise international funding for the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) , part of the presidential commitments to food security made at the G8 and G20 Summits in 2009.
From page 58...
... 14 In addition, appropriations bills have included endorsement and minimum funding levels for the development of many different technologies, from smokeless cookstoves to heat-stable vaccines. Members of Congress reflect the views of their constituents on many issues, including foreign policy in general and development assistance in particular.
From page 59...
... Policy and Budget Framework In addition to the umbrella of the PPD-6 and the QDDR, the USAID Policy Framework 2011–2015 provides a set of operational principles designed to help the agency "focus relentlessly on achieving and measuring results." Two framework principles facilitate the deployment of science, technology, and innovation: (1) applying science, technology, and innovation strategically, and (2)
From page 60...
... A 2016 report providing metrics for the accomplishments of USAID Forward notes: "USAID has fostered over 420 development innovations through the U.S. Global Development Lab, improving the lives of over 24.5 million people.
From page 61...
... . The STI Key Issue attributions are disaggregated into "focused" and "indirect" STI funding levels, defined as follows: 20 USAID Congressional Presentation, FY 2017, p.
From page 62...
... It is the process of generating knowledge based on evidence, as well as the fields of knowledge generated by such collection of evidence." • Technology is a "product of scientific knowledge and engineering and their application to practical problems, including the tools, processes, and techniques used in that process." • Innovation is "novel business or organizational models, operational or production processes, technologies or products or services that lead to substantial (but not incremental) improvements in executing against foreign policy objectives, including development or humani tarian challenges." The categorization of STI programs is very inclusive; the stated purposes of recorded activities should include one or more of the following: • Advance the application of science, technology, and innovation to de liver more effective, cost-efficient results for USAID and the Depart ment of State.
From page 63...
... Of that, "focused STI" is set at $488,534,000, and "indirect STI" at $215,644,000. The largest components in focused STI are the core request for the Global Development Lab ($170 million)
From page 64...
... Key Issues." It is not clear from the data whether the staff are able to give the leadership a full picture of the overlap. Lastly, a fourth approach to accounting for USAID STI+P support exists in the long-standing requirements of Title XII of the Foreign Assistance Act, put in place in the 1970s to create long-term partnerships between U.S.
From page 65...
... Finding 3.1: STI+P development plays a vital role in 21st century foreign policy, and the White House and State Department have championed the development of new policies and initiatives to capitalize on this potential. However, a confusing set of overlapping reporting sys 22 Communication from the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development, September 20, 2016.
From page 66...
... Appendix A depicts the entire organization beyond the units briefly summarized below. USAID Missions: On the Ground USAID missions range in size and complexity, and the mission director is a member of an embassy's Country Team leadership.
From page 67...
... Missions can also act as brokers with other bilateral, multilateral, and international or local NGO institutions. Pillar Bureaus: Technical Expertise USAID/Washington's "pillar bureaus," also known as technical or functional bureaus, provide depth of knowledge by sector (Food Security; Economic Growth, Education, and Environment; Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance; Global Health)
From page 68...
... The resulting Global Development Lab was seen as a bridge to the rapidly changing world of research and innovation in the rest of American society to harvest fresh ideas and develop 21st-century partnerships. Its 2014 launch by the secretary of state underscored the importance of partnerships, when the agency announced 32 "cornerstone partners," including companies, universities, NGOs, foundations and one country (Sweden)
From page 69...
... government on STI development, including federal science agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health 26 Carol Dahl, "Strengthening the U.S. Global Development Lab: Lab Advisory Group Recommendations to Enhance the Use of STIP for Greater Development Impact," October 30, 2015.
From page 70...
... government agencies to work with USAID, based on shared goals, complementary expertise, and leveraged resources, but operationalizing these partnerships has proven difficult, in part due to differing authorizations, funding cycles, 27 USAID, Federal Science Agencies, https://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/scie nce-technolog-and-innovation/international-research-science-programs/federalscience. 28 Paul Weisenfeld, Successes and challenges of the Haiti earthquake response: The experience of USAID, Emory International Law Review, 25(3)
From page 71...
... The committee noted USAID might also play a role in agencies' Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant-making by bringing in a global perspective for relevant applications.
From page 72...
... agencies should set up mechanisms -- such as through ad hoc advisory or working groups -- to facilitate mutually beneficial relationships around common STI development concerns. USAID should propose to the Office of Science and Technology Policy that it create a position to be filled by an experienced USAID staff member on detail, to focus on STI+P in international
From page 73...
... Washington-based Global Development Lab and mission staff would also benefit from personnel exchanges or shortterm rotations. For Foreign Service Officers, an introduction to STI+P resources should form part of initial training and in-service consultations prior to overseas assignments, including exposure to the international offices of federal science agencies working closely with USAID.
From page 74...
... 74 ROLE OF STIP IN THE FUTURE OF USAID TABLE 3.1: Examples of U.S. government agencies that work with USAID on STI development Organization Authorized Joint Planning or Examples of Coordinator to Spend MOU Collaboration Funds Abroad STATE Yes QDDR and Joint PEPFAR, Feed the Bureau of Budget and Strategy Future Planning USGS Limited Yes Intl Technical Office of International Assistance Program; Affairs FEWS NET Millennium Yes Yes Feed the Future; MCC CEO Challenge implementation of Corporation Country Programs Energy Yes No Climate Change, Office of International Power Africa Affairs Treasury Yes Yes Budget and Financial Office of Technical Services/Financial Assistance Inclusion, GAFSP HHS Centers for Yes Yes Pandemic HHS Office of Global Disease Control threats/Ebola in West Health Affairs Africa/PEPFAR USDA Yes Yes Feed the Future/ Research, Education, Global Nutrition/ and Economics; Foreign PL480 Agricultural Service NIH Yes No PEER Health Fogarty Center NSF No Yes PEER OISE NASA Limited Yes SERVIR/PEER/ Office of Intl and LAUNCH Interagency Relations a Defense Yes 2015 USAID Policy Ebola, Syria relief, Regional Commands Tsunami response NOAA Limited Project Based Geospatial Analysis/ FEWSNET/Climate Changes GAO Yes Yes Improve host Center for Audit government auditing Excellence capacity USTR Yes Project Based Feed the Future partner a USAID Policy on Copperation with the Department of Defense, https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1866/USAIDPolicyCooperationDoD.pdf.


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