ONE's David McNair takes a closer look at what US foreign assistance has achieved. ⬇️
🇺🇸 What has US Foreign Assistance Achieved? 🌍💰 📌 A quick summary: ✅ The US has provided foreign assistance since 1946, initially focused on Europe’s reconstruction after WW2, creating a market for US products 📈 and a strategic ally 🏛️. ✅ In the last 20 years (to 2023), the US provided $872bn in Foreign Assistance—averaging 0.18% of GNI. ✅ Spending is concentrated on conflict-affected regions and strategic partners 🛡️. In 2022, 20.5% of Foreign Assistance went to Low-Income Countries. 💡 What has the US (and the world) gained for its money? 💼 Building Trading Partners & US Jobs 🌎 8️⃣ out of America’s top 10 trading partners were once foreign aid recipients. 📈 The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has created hundreds of thousands of jobs 👷🏽♂️👩🏾💼, boosting US exports to Africa by 13% 🚀, supporting 120,000 US jobs. 💰 9 out of the top 20 fastest-growing economies are in Africa—offering huge investment opportunities for US businesses. 🤝 Building Allies 🛡️ Countries supported in the 1960s & 70s—like Chile, Costa Rica, South Korea, Taiwan, and Brazil—are now key US trade & defense allies. 🌎 The number of low-income countries dropped from 51 (1990) to 26 (2023). 📊 Building Prosperity 💵 In 2000, 1 in 4 people lived in extreme poverty—today, it’s fewer than 1 in 10 🙌. 📈 Aid at 5–10% of GDP can boost recipient country GDP growth by 1–1.5% while reducing poverty by up to 15%. 🤝 Every $1 USAID invests leverages $5 from the private sector, which generates 90% of jobs and 80% of government revenue in developing nations. ❤️ Saving Lives 🦠 AIDS-related deaths have dropped by 70% since 2004. 💉 Gavi has immunized 1B+ children, preventing 17.3M+ deaths. 👶 A child in a Gavi-supported country is 70% less likely to die from a vaccine-preventable disease before age 5. 🏥 The Global Fund has saved 65M lives—almost equal to the combined population of Texas & California. ⚕️ TB deaths down 36% and malaria deaths down 28%. 💵 Saving Costs & Generating Returns 💲 60% drop in the cost of fully immunizing a child since 2010. 📈 Every $1 invested in immunization brings $54 in societal benefits. 🔄 Every $1 in the Global Fund generates $31 in health & economic benefits. 📚 Building Healthy Economies 📊 PEPFAR-supported countries saw GDP per capita growth rise 50% faster. 🏫 School dropout rates fell for girls (9%) and boys (8%). 🏆 Building Self-Sufficiency 💉 19 countries have fully funded their own vaccination programs. 🌍 By 2030, 7 African nations (31% of the continent’s population) will graduate from Gavi support. 💰 Value for Money 🏦 The US is a top contributor to the World Bank’s IDA, which helps the world’s poorest nations. 🔹 Every $1 from the US to IDA mobilizes $27 in additional resources. For more information check out data.one.org The ONE Campaign U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) #USAID #Development #Africa Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli