The plan would create bureaus for international energy affairs and crisis and conflict operations at State as well as offices for policy planning and science and technology at USAID.

The US government has launched a major new initiative to link its aid agency USAID to the private and entrepreneurial sectors in a bid to promote technological innovation in the developing world.

The US government's international development agency (USAID) has announced 11 new partnerships with 22 universities across Africa to help alleviate poverty and stimulate economies.

The United States has stepped up public diplomacy to win hearts and minds of people establishing direct contacts with youth especially through advertisements for jobs.

Foreign aid is a much cheaper way of conducting a country’s foreign policy than the military — and in many cases it can be much more effective, too. The Obama administration is very keen on this...

“Smart power” is supposedly the Hegelian synthesis of soft and hard power instruments of foreign policy. In reality, though, it usually means downgrading hard power in favor of soft power, which is precisely what is happening in America today.

The head of public affairs at the U.S. Agency for International Development leaves the agency today to join the public diplomacy shop in Foggy Bottom. Lynne Weil, who started as the top communications staffer for USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah in March, turns over the press shop to her deputy Lars Anderson, who is also in charge of communications matters involving Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Does everyone hate the United States Agency for International Development? No, but Elizabeth Cutler, writing at the Stimson Center’s Budget Insight blog, says dysfunction at USAID would probably result from such hate if it existed. A myriad of factors, including lack of support and directly from Congress and the White House and continuing debate over the the utility and effectiveness of U.S. foreign assistance, continue to hold back the ability, efficiency, and ultimately the impact of USAID and the rest of development programming.