When U.S. citizens are asked to name the percentage of the federal budget they believe is spent on foreign aid and relief, the consensus sits at 31 percent. Only three percent of Americans correctly estimated the federal spending at less than one percent of the total federal budget. Even though its a fraction of the overall budget, the U.S. benefits from foreign aid to China.
The Beginning of U.S. Foreign Aid
Secretary of State George Marshall started the first U.S. foreign aid program shortly after World War II. After the war, many countries and cities in Europe were left devastated and needed assistance in rebuilding their infrastructures, charging their economies and stabilizing the affected nations.
Congress realized the stark importance of building an international community of nations where citizens’ security, liberties and right to economic prosperity are sustained by working together. President John F. Kennedy signed the Foreign Assistance Act into law in 1961, embodying the traditional American ideology of humanitarianism. The aim of foreign aid is to reduce:
- Hunger
- Poverty
- Illness
- Ignorance
Foreign aid fosters relationships with developing countries. The U.S. benefits from foreign aid to China, having sent millions over the last several decades. The receiving nation of foreign aid benefits from the resources to advance the quality of life for its people. The U.S. benefits by sharing Western ideology, increasing security and promoting economic interests.
Serving Economic Interests
Investing in another nation’s economy leads to the economic expansion of free markets and encourages global trade. Positively impacting foreign economies provides huge benefits for the American economy as the world moves quickly toward one global economy. Due to U.S. foreign aid to China, China has risen to the second largest economy in the world. This makes China a key contributor to growing and rebalancing the global economy after the financial crisis of 2008. China’s economic interests closely align with the West as it strives to grow its GDP and bring economic opportunity to its people.
In 2017, the U.S. spent $20.2 million on foreign aid to China. The third largest spending category for that foreign aid is in economic development at $2.98 million. The U.S. benefits from foreign aid to China are seen through improvements to private sector competition, contribution to free Chinese markets and the global trade economy. U.S. economic interests, markets and trade benefit from these investments in the Chinese markets.
As millions of Chinese citizens move out of poverty and into a growing middle class, companies see emerging markets in the untapped potential consumers of American goods. Boeing is an American aerospace company that has quickly become the largest in design and manufacturing for international commercial jetliners. In recent years, China’s Aviation Supplies Holding Co. has ordered 300 commercial aircrafts to be manufactured and delivered through 2020.
Boosting Security
The economic expansion of free global markets not only improves the American economy, due to the interconnectedness of global markets, but it also works to ensure the growth of stable democracies. The U.S. benefits from foreign aid to China through the fostering of long-term relationships with developing nations. In the process, the U.S. creates loyal allies who directly benefit from the interests and social ideologies on individual liberties that lead to the formation of stable democracies.
The presence of stable democracies around the globe prevent dangerous vacuums that can be filled by extremists who do not share American interests and ideologies of individual freedom. In 2010, fifty U.S. generals met with Congress to express the need for increased spending in foreign aid to protect the lives of American troops.
In 2017, China spent more than $700,000 on preventing the development, spread and use of weapons of mass destruction. The relationship between the U.S. and China is necessary for effectively combatting global terrorism. In addition, China consistently sides with the U.S. on foreign issues related to North Korea and Iran. Continually, the U.S. benefits from foreign aid to China through U.S. soldiers overseas by working to reduce the threat of harm and to stabilize regions.
Increased growth, development and productivity shows how the U.S. benefits from foreign aid to China, as does the rest of the world. Financial aid works to strengthen international relations while reducing global threats of violence by preventing power vacuums where radical ideologies can take hold. Furthermore, financial aid to China facilitates the spread of American and Western ideologies and empowers the global economy by the growth and spread of free markets.
– Kelilani Johnson
Photo: Flickr
How the US Benefits From Foreign Aid to Libya
Current Efforts
Currently, the United States is set to deliver $31 million in foreign aid to Libya in 2018. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) estimates that half of this will be spent protecting the country’s weakened representative governing bodies and shifting the country’s values towards those of democratic governance and humanitarianism. The United States hopes to spread these values by working with smaller grassroots movements and entrepreneurs in order to establish a stronger civil society that will hold government officials accountable. The vast majority of the remaining half of the $31 million is aimed at stopping the spread of terrorist cells that pose a threat to Libyan citizens and the United States of America.
Protection from Terrorism
One of the primary reasons the U.S. benefits from foreign aid to Libya is national security. By fighting the spread of extremist groups and working to create a robust and peaceful civil society, the United States does more than spread humanitarian values; it also protects itself from future terrorist threats. In stopping the spread of terrorist groups such as the Islamic State in North Africa, the United States is halting the further spread of extremism and, with the development of a strong civil society, making it harder for terrorist groups to establish themselves in the region. Weak and vulnerable communities that are already lacking in civil and political rights tend to serve as prime targets for terrorist groups to infiltrate.
By strengthening these communities with foreign aid, the United States removes opportunities for the further expansion of terrorism and reduces the likelihood of violent insurgencies. In the long run, foreign aid to Libya is an investment in the continued security of the United States, and one of the proven strategies for solving the problem of extremism.
Economic Development
The remaining money that is not spent on fighting extremism and promoting humanitarian values in Libya is dedicated to the further economic development of Libya’s private sector. This is important to establish regional security, as a stronger economy helps build communities and promote a representative and accountable method of governance. Furthering the economic development of Libya also serves to benefit the economy of the United States. A Libyan populace with more spending capital, along with a stronger national GDP and a functioning government, promotes global economic development and provides a new market for exports from the United States, strengthening the U.S. economy and spurring the creation of new jobs.
Helping Others Does Not Hurt the U.S.
Americans often worry that spending money promoting the economic and political development of other countries somehow hurts the U.S. economy and the nation’s own citizens. This thinking is deeply flawed. Research shows the opposite to be true. The U.S. benefits from foreign aid to Libya, as the United States is not only helping Libyans lift themselves out of poverty and political turmoil, but such aid also improves America’s own national security and economic development. Clearly, continued investment in Libya vital is to future United States efforts at home and around the globe.
– Shane Summers
Photo: Flickr
Credit Access in Mali Needs Further Improvement
The Importance of Microfinance in Development
The practice of providing access to financial resources and small loans to those in developing nations, known as microfinance, has become the latest instrument in the effort to alleviate poverty. Too often, the world’s poor are denied access to loans, making it exceedingly difficult to start businesses or make capital investments that would enable them to improve productivity and elevate their incomes. Although microfinance across developing economies has yielded mixed results previously, the capacity remains for well-structured and pragmatically targeted initiatives to succeed.
Credit Access in Mali Denied
When these programs are successful, the implications can be powerful, especially for women and smallholder farmers. In developing economies, women reinvest 90 cents of each dollar they earn into “human resources” like healthcare, nutrition and education, according to a study conducted by the Harvard Business Review. This is substantially more than men and illustrates the impact small investment opportunities can have for the well-being of women and their families.
Despite this, securing loans is harder for women because most do not have property in their names to offer as collateral, typically make lending to them impractical. Furthermore, in Mali, 70 percent of loan applications sought by farmers are rejected because they are deemed risk-prohibitive. Because farmers’ incomes typically fluctuate with seasonal variance in agricultural output, banks are usually hesitant to provide financial backing.
Securing loans is also rare for farmers in Mali because banks focus primarily on commercial lending and often refuse the longer term loans many Malian farmers in the young mango, papaya and cashew nut industries need to get their businesses off the ground. Unstable political institutions in the country, like inconsistent enforcement of contracts, and poorly defined property rights further exacerbate these challenges.
Credit Where Credit is Due
An initiative which began in 2013 is addressing these issues and attempting to increase credit access in Mali. The Agricultural Competitiveness and Diversification Project by the World Bank seeks to “reduce the risk of investing in agricultural endeavors through technical assistance, new technology and greater knowledge of the supply chain and key actors,” according to World Bank Agribusiness Specialist Yeyande Kasse Sangho.
To provide loans, the program relies on the Innovation and Investment Fund (IIF) and the Guarantee Fund. The IIF offers a three-tiered lending system with each tier providing different levels of subsidies based on the size of the enterprise, with smaller enterprises receiving a greater subsidy. The Guarantee Fund, also financed by the World Bank, offers up to 50 percent of the loan guarantee, giving a needed cushion to the two commercial banks in Mali receiving the deposits.
In addition to this World Bank initiative, Mali sought in 2016 to improve access to credit by improving its credit information system regarding the regulations of credit bureaus in the West African Economic and Monetary Union. In 2017, it established another credit bureau, doubling-down on its resolve to ensure its citizens have access to capital.
With initiatives like these, Mali is demonstrating its commitment to making accessible credit the new normal for its people. Further improvement to credit access in Mali will only serve to assist in lifting more people out of poverty.
– Brendan Wade
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
National Security and Economy: US Benefits from Foreign Aid to China
The Beginning of U.S. Foreign Aid
Secretary of State George Marshall started the first U.S. foreign aid program shortly after World War II. After the war, many countries and cities in Europe were left devastated and needed assistance in rebuilding their infrastructures, charging their economies and stabilizing the affected nations.
Congress realized the stark importance of building an international community of nations where citizens’ security, liberties and right to economic prosperity are sustained by working together. President John F. Kennedy signed the Foreign Assistance Act into law in 1961, embodying the traditional American ideology of humanitarianism. The aim of foreign aid is to reduce:
Foreign aid fosters relationships with developing countries. The U.S. benefits from foreign aid to China, having sent millions over the last several decades. The receiving nation of foreign aid benefits from the resources to advance the quality of life for its people. The U.S. benefits by sharing Western ideology, increasing security and promoting economic interests.
Serving Economic Interests
Investing in another nation’s economy leads to the economic expansion of free markets and encourages global trade. Positively impacting foreign economies provides huge benefits for the American economy as the world moves quickly toward one global economy. Due to U.S. foreign aid to China, China has risen to the second largest economy in the world. This makes China a key contributor to growing and rebalancing the global economy after the financial crisis of 2008. China’s economic interests closely align with the West as it strives to grow its GDP and bring economic opportunity to its people.
In 2017, the U.S. spent $20.2 million on foreign aid to China. The third largest spending category for that foreign aid is in economic development at $2.98 million. The U.S. benefits from foreign aid to China are seen through improvements to private sector competition, contribution to free Chinese markets and the global trade economy. U.S. economic interests, markets and trade benefit from these investments in the Chinese markets.
As millions of Chinese citizens move out of poverty and into a growing middle class, companies see emerging markets in the untapped potential consumers of American goods. Boeing is an American aerospace company that has quickly become the largest in design and manufacturing for international commercial jetliners. In recent years, China’s Aviation Supplies Holding Co. has ordered 300 commercial aircrafts to be manufactured and delivered through 2020.
Boosting Security
The economic expansion of free global markets not only improves the American economy, due to the interconnectedness of global markets, but it also works to ensure the growth of stable democracies. The U.S. benefits from foreign aid to China through the fostering of long-term relationships with developing nations. In the process, the U.S. creates loyal allies who directly benefit from the interests and social ideologies on individual liberties that lead to the formation of stable democracies.
The presence of stable democracies around the globe prevent dangerous vacuums that can be filled by extremists who do not share American interests and ideologies of individual freedom. In 2010, fifty U.S. generals met with Congress to express the need for increased spending in foreign aid to protect the lives of American troops.
In 2017, China spent more than $700,000 on preventing the development, spread and use of weapons of mass destruction. The relationship between the U.S. and China is necessary for effectively combatting global terrorism. In addition, China consistently sides with the U.S. on foreign issues related to North Korea and Iran. Continually, the U.S. benefits from foreign aid to China through U.S. soldiers overseas by working to reduce the threat of harm and to stabilize regions.
Increased growth, development and productivity shows how the U.S. benefits from foreign aid to China, as does the rest of the world. Financial aid works to strengthen international relations while reducing global threats of violence by preventing power vacuums where radical ideologies can take hold. Furthermore, financial aid to China facilitates the spread of American and Western ideologies and empowers the global economy by the growth and spread of free markets.
– Kelilani Johnson
Photo: Flickr
Plans to Improve Sustainable Agriculture in Turkmenistan
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) cites lack of management and effective irrigation systems as barriers to the implementation of sustainable agriculture practices. To address these barriers, aid organizations will not only need an effective irrigation plan in a country where, according to USAID, 80 percent of land is classified as desert, but will need to outline a sound managerial plan for maintaining it.
According to Support for Further Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Turkmenistan (SARD III), the European Union has drawn plans for a four-year project. This complex initiative to improve sustainable agriculture in Turkmenistan required presentations in addition to a lengthy outline. In addition to government plans, aid organizations have chosen to address the issue through education and new technology.
Last fall, a partnership between The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Global Environment Facility and the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Economy of Turkmenistan resolved to construct a water pipeline to assist with the issue of sustainable agriculture. According to UNDP, a seminar was given in Ashgabat to outline the plan for the pipeline, explain its success in the past and discuss the importance of daily water conservation practices.
Education about effective agricultural methods has been adopted by other agencies as well. In a statement on the USAID Turkmenistan website, the organization claims to “…prioritize greenhouse horticulture, helping high-value fruit and vegetable growers, processors and marketing specialists connect with local and international markets.” Although the actions and projects by aid organizations as well as plans for improvement are important, aid organizations also emphasize education and explain ways people can make a difference in their everyday lives.
Although activists are doing what they can to address their concerns about sustainable agriculture in Turkmenistan, citizens also consider agriculture a priority and referenced agriculture in a 2015 UNICEF report about goals for the future. Aid organizations and volunteers aim to make sustainability projects a priority and to make sustainability plans a reality.
– Gabriella Evans
Photo: Flickr
Educate Girls: Nonprofit Empowers Youth in Rural India
Founded in 2007, the Mumbai-based nonprofit Educate Girls is tackling gender disparities by reforming school systems in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and putting more children in the classroom. Educate Girls was founded in 2007 by Safeena Husain, a graduate of the London School of Economics, with the hope of alleviating poverty and strengthening the condition of young women by giving girls positive learning experiences.
In Rajasthan, only 52.66 percent of females are literate, while 350,000 are not in school. The organization aims to bring quality education to around 2.5 million children annually by 2018. Educate Girls has since developed from a 500-school pilot project and presently has interventions in over 21,000 institutions in underserved regions of India. By mobilizing community and government resources, the program seeks to address the tremendous obstacles that girls in rural districts face.
One of the impediments that girls face in accessing education includes patriarchal societal norms, which consist of gender bias and practices such as child marriage. In India, 47 percent of girls are married before their eighteenth birthday. Many are expected to help their families by working in the fields or tending to younger children in the household, rather than going to school. Some parents have expressed cultural concerns, such as a fear that if girls enroll in school, they may choose not to wear traditional clothing or participate in traditional marriages.
Educate Girls strives to create community ownership through a series of measures that increase enrollment and retention as well as change learning outcomes. The NGO works through Team Balika, volunteers who actively promote girls’ education. Members spread awareness in villages and also provide support to children in school. Team Balika volunteers are trained to use a creative learning curriculum that brings activity-based learning to students. The organization also holds door-to-door meetings with parents to convince them to send their girls to school.
Educate Girls supports school administrations by electing a School Management Committee that generates improvement plans and school assessments. Finally, the program coordinates the election of girl leaders who serve as councilmembers, helping them to build a voice within their communities.
In recent years, India has made progress in improving the education of its citizens. In 2009, the Parliament of India passed The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, making education a fundamental right to children ages six to 14. In 2014, Educate Girls created the world’s first Development Impact Bond, through which an outcome payer will pay back an investor as long as Educate Girls reaches its targets.
Today, the organization receives support from corporations such as Cartier, Vodafone and Deutsche Bank and will be scaling to include 16 districts within its reach. While there is still much headway that the country must make in its path to gender equality, Educate Girls is taking great strides by championing the learning and development of India’s girls, particularly in rural villages. By addressing the situation in some of the nation’s most poverty-stricken and remote communities, Educate Girls is improving the growth and livelihood of a new generation of young women, paving the way for social change.
– Shira Laucharoen
Photo: Flickr
Infrastructure in Timor-Leste Growing According to Strategic Plan
On August 30, 1999, the people of current day Timor-Leste voted on whether they wanted to remain part of Indonesia or become an independent nation. Ultimately, 78.5 percent of voters voted for independence. During this time, violence broke out and approximately 70 percent of the infrastructure in Timor-Leste was destroyed.
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste officially became a sovereign nation on May 20, 2002. Since then, the nation has been working to resolve the problems it faces. The damaged and underdeveloped infrastructure in Timor-Leste is one of the major challenges that the country has been working on in recent years.
The government of Timor-Leste created and released a strategic plan that it aims to complete by 2030, which it hopes will improve quality of life, health and education standards. Included in this plan is an entire section on developing the nation’s infrastructure. In this section, plans to improve roadways, bridges, waterways, sanitation techniques, electricity, seaports, airports and telecommunications are laid out.
Recently, the government of Timor-Leste opened the nation’s second airport, the Suai Airport, on June 20, 2017. The opening of this airport was included in the strategic development plan and is an example of one of the many ways the infrastructure of Timor-Leste is being improved upon.
In addition to the opening of the Suai Airport, there are future plans to upgrade Timor-Leste’s other airport, the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport. This airport currently handles around 80,000 to 100,000 passengers each year, but after renovations are completed, the airport should be capable of handling up to one million passengers per year.
Another example of the infrastructural developments being made in Timor-Leste is the road expansion project that the country is undergoing. The World Bank is currently helping to fund Timor-Leste’s road expansion project. In April 2017, a $35.2 million credit was given to Timor-Leste from the World Bank to expand the nation’s transportation project.
This project will make roadways safer for travelers and increase travel opportunities between the northern and southern parts of the country. Having dependable roadways will aid Timor-Leste in developing other aspects of its infrastructure and lead to increased economic opportunity within the nation. These roadways will promote rural development and support the growth of healthcare and education in Timor-Leste.
The development of infrastructure in Timor-Leste is still ongoing, but advances can be seen. The opening of a second airport and the major transportation project are just two examples of the work being done on the infrastructure in the country. The government of Timor-Leste plans to continue to build on these advancements in hopes that a developed infrastructure will improve the standard of living for every one of its citizens.
– Nicole Stout
Photo: Flickr
Increasing Subsistence Yields Key to Sustainable Agriculture in Kiribati
Kiribati is a Pacific coral atoll nation located close to Australia. An atoll is a ring-like island formed by the rim or border of the mouth of a former volcano which is now submerged in water. Atolls are an ideal habitat for colorful coral reefs, but on the other hand, only a small set of crops can flourish here. Hence, the pressing need for sustainable agriculture in Kiribati must be acknowledged.
Kiribati is one of the most impoverished and least developed countries in the world. Here, families largely depend on subsistence agriculture for survival and nutrition. Common crops are coconuts, pandanus, pumpkins, taro, breadfruit, banana, papaya and mango. Most food items are imported from other parts of the world.
Like several other small island nations, Kiribati is critically vulnerable to climate change and global warming. According to the New Yorker, experts believe that at the current pace of rising water levels, “there would be no Kiribati after 30 years”. Kiribati president Anote Tong told the New Yorker in 2013 that “according to the projections, within this century, the water will be higher than the highest point in our lands”.
In 2014, Tong finalized the purchase of a 20-square-kilometer stretch of land on Vanua Levu, one of the larger Fiji islands, 2,000 kilometers away. The move was described by Tong as an “absolute necessity” should the nation be completely submerged.
Developing sustainable agriculture in Kiribati could increase productivity, ensure food and income security, enhance the quality of life and create inclusive and equitable economic growth for everyone. Thankfully, Kiribati has access to financial aid and agricultural expertise. Global organizations and developed nations are offering their powerhouse of knowledge to assist with sustainable economic growth in the country. It receives $36 million in foreign aid, largely from Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan.
An agreement signed by Tong and the International Fund for Agricultural Development promises $7 million to promote activities to increase the household production of fruits, vegetables, poultry, root crops and tree crops. The agreement also aims to improve diets through the consumption of a higher proportion of calories and nutrients from local food crops. It will also implement ways to harvest rainwater to increase household water supply.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has designed and implemented several programs for farmer training and soil improvement in the area to enhance the production of coconut and banana. It has slowly and steadily phased out the senile coconut trees that comprised 40 percent of the entire plantation and replaced them with a new rodent-resistant variety.
In addition, by leveraging a novel narrow pit planting system and tissue culture technology, farmers have successfully increased the production of bananas and other fruits and vegetables. In partnership with the Timber and Forestry Training College at Papua New Guinea’s University of Technology, hundreds of farmers have been trained in nursery establishment and management, use of equipment and tissue culture technology, among others.
Needless to say, the future of sustainable agriculture in Kiribati looks hopeful and bright, just like the bright yellow sun rising above the ocean waves on its national flag.
– Himja Sethi
Photo: Flickr
How the US Benefits From Foreign Aid to El Salvador
Immigration
In 2014, the U.S. pledged to invest $277 million in the economy of El Salvador as part of a program called the Millennium Challenge Corporation. This funding was accompanied by a contribution of $88.2 million from El Salvador’s government. The economic investments aimed to develop coastal areas, fight poverty and stem the flow of illegal immigration to the U.S.
The U.S. benefits from foreign aid to El Salvador because increasing economic opportunity for Salvadorians encourages them to stay in the country rather than migrate to the U.S. illegally. Thousands of young Salvadorians attempt to migrate to the U.S. illegally every year due to the rising insecurity and lack of economic opportunity. Economic aid programs like the Millennium Challenge Corporation attempt to stimulate El Salvador’s economy and provides the incentive for young Salvadorians to stay.
Economic Growth
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) also provides assistance to El Salvador through the Expand Broad-Based Economic Growth program. The program provides resources to improve local economic development, adopt sustainable agriculture practices and encourage higher education and job training programs.
Economic growth in El Salvador would also open up new markets for the U.S. economy. Thus, the economy of the U.S. benefits from foreign aid to El Salvador when it is progressing and growing.
Gangs
Gangs are also a major problem for the country. El Salvador had the highest homicide rate in the world in 2015.
These gangs were shaped by the decade-long civil war that began in 1980. Leftist groups battling the government materialized as gangs when hundreds of thousands of young Salvadorians fled to Los Angeles, California. They formed gangs to protect themselves from other marginalized minority groups in the city. Many members were deported from the U.S. years later and brought the gangs with them back to their home country.
In order to combat gang-related crime and violence, USAID provides aid and support to the government of El Salvador through the Improved Citizen Security and Rule of Law program. The program provides technical assistance to professionalize and strengthen the Salvadorian civil service and to enhance the public’s confidence in the Salvadorian government.
The U.S. benefits from foreign aid to El Salvador in terms of the economy and security, by providing assistance to strengthen the Salvadorian government and to aid economic development. By stemming the flow of illegal immigrants, the U.S. relieves some of the increasing political pressure domestically to strengthen its borders and curb immigration. By aiding El Salvador’s economic development, the U.S. opens up new potential markets which would, in turn, strengthen the U.S. economy.
– Sydney Lacey
Photo: Flickr
The World’s Poorest Countries and Why They Suffer
Institutions
The world’s poorest countries struggle to overcome poverty due to a lack of institutions. While many organizations are working to address this issue, there is still a substantial lack of quality institutions in education, agriculture and medicine. When institutions such as schools are created for impoverished people, it reduces the overwhelmingly low literacy rates, which increases opportunities for those facing extreme poverty. Funding the creation of more institutions for developing countries creates opportunities and advantages for impoverished people, which encourages a nation’s industrialization and economic success.
Corruption
Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo also made Business Insider’s list of the world’s most corrupt countries. Political instability and corruption create an environment that hinders growth. In the world’s poorest countries, political corruption is common and often discussed with severity, but rarely fought against. A strong governing body is less susceptible to corruption, but many of these nations have weak governance. This corruption, paired with conflict such as terrorism, can prevent an impoverished nation’s upward mobility. A stronger, more powerful government could be the solution for conflict and corruption in developing nations.
Geography
The world’s poorest countries are often at the mercy of their geography. Landlocking, poor soil and natural disasters can keep a nation at a disadvantage. When a nation is landlocked, the success of its economy is often correlated to the success of surrounding nations. For example, a landlocked country in Europe, where fewer countries are impoverished, has a better chance at success than a country in sub-Saharan Africa, where many nations are underdeveloped. This is based on the concept and reality of economic growth crossing borders. As well as landlocking, many of these nations experience disasters such as droughts which discourage agricultural success.
Economy
Economic growth for the world’s poorest countries is based on myriad factors, some of which are beyond a nation’s control. Many developing countries face the lack of a free market, landlocking and high trade barriers, all of which slow the upward mobility of a nation. Free markets encourage a blossoming economy; therefore, a lack of international trade affects a nation’s GDP substantially.
Trade barriers prevent developing countries from expanding their economic gains because they experience high tariffs on their products, which are commonly textiles and agricultural goods. Trade barriers are costlier for developing countries, even though it is more common for developing nations to export goods to other developing nations rather than industrialized nations. In this common situation, both developing nations suffer. Impoverished nations like Burundi, the third poorest nation in the world, rely on foreign aid from wealthy countries for survival because they struggle with trade.
How to Move Forward
Developed nations, which are industrialized, have implemented foreign aid laws and programs which encourage and fund the development of impoverished nations. To remain active and diligent in the support of progress for the world’s poorest nations, encouraging Congress to vote for laws that protect and create foreign aid funds is essential to the progress of these developing nations. Long-term development for economic and social progress starts with developed nations lending a humble hand to those less fortunate.
– Courtney Hambrecht
Photo: Flickr
Infrastructure in Micronesia Challenged by Climate Change
Climate Change-Related Natural Disasters
The EM-DAT International Disaster Database indicates that climate change-related natural disasters are predicted to increase and become more intense. Micronesia is especially vulnerable to these disasters due to its location and the fact that much of the infrastructure in Micronesia is located in close proximity to the coast, inducing infrastructural damage and putting many lives at a growing risk.
Rising Sea Levels
The islands of Micronesia are endangered by rising sea levels. A recent Journal of Coastal Conservation article stated that the sea level surrounding the island of Pohnpei is rising by 10 to 12 millimeters per year, a dramatic increase compared to the global average of 3.1 millimeters per year. Other islands such as Nahtik and Ros have already lost 70 and 60 percent of their landmass respectively.
Political Action
Micronesia has already taken steps to lead on climate change policy. In 2007, they ruled out the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), the fastest growing greenhouse gas, in refrigeration and cooling units. As a result, other countries followed in banning HFCs. The Climate Change Act was passed in 2009 to use the knowledge of climate change and predictions to prevent island damage. Amended in 2013, the act now requires the government to adhere to climate change policy when risk planning.
Infrastructural Response
With knowledge of Micronesia’s challenges, the department of geology and geophysics at the University of Hawaii has developed suggestions that will improve the durability and safety of infrastructure in Micronesia to ensure adaptation to rising sea levels and natural disasters. New roads should be built a meter taller in many of the islands, including Chuuk and Yap, to mitigate the rise in sea levels that will occur during the infrastructural project. To maintain these roads, they will be elevated a foot every 25 years. They suggest this is a cost-efficient way to improve roads in the midst of increasing sea levels.
To prevent natural disaster damage, the University of Hawaii suggests that buffers should be built along the coast to increase elevation. Further, new drainage systems should be established to prevent flooding and road decay. The drainage systems should be built beneath the roads with a shutoff valve to avert marine incursion.
If this advice is adopted, the infrastructure in Micronesia will be better equipped to withstand the increasing climate change challenges that face them in the near future.
– Mary McCarthy
Photo: Flickr