[Senate Hearing 108-]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS
APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005
----------
U.S. Senate,
Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations,
Washington, DC.
NONDEPARTMENTAL WITNESSES
[Clerk's note.--The subcommittee was unable to hold
hearings on nondepartmental witnesses. The statements of those
submitting written testimony are as follows:]
Prepared Statement of the Center for Intercultural Education and
Development, Georgetown University
Mr. Chairman, ranking member Leahy and members of the subcommittee,
I appreciate this opportunity to update you on the success of two
programs which have been funded by the Agency for International
Development over the years with this Subcommittee's support: the East
Central European Scholarship Program (ECESP) and the Cooperative
Association of States for Scholarships (CASS). As you are no doubt
aware, these two programs were initiated by the Congress, and I am
proud to say that they have fully measured up to the confidence members
of the Senate have shown in them.
I would also make the point that these two models, with appropriate
adaptations, can effectively serve national policy objectives in the
regions in which they currently operate as well as elsewhere.
Instability such as that confronting Haiti, Venezuela and Colombia in
this hemisphere and the challenges of establishing strong market
economies and democratic institutions in the Central Asian republics of
the former Soviet Union argue for U.S.-supported intensive training
programs carefully tailored to economic development strategies and
toward government and private sector institution building. These
programs provide excellent opportunities at the same time to emphasize
our democratic values. CASS and ECESP have the experience and record of
success to help meet national objectives in these regions--and others--
without delay.
Last fall, an opinion piece was published in The Washington Post
entitled, ``Letting Fear Flourish.'' The article made the point that
``Throughout the hemisphere, new leaders are promulgating a kind of
rhetoric about U.S. imperialistic ambitions eerily reminiscent of Cold
War conspiracy theories of a generation ago. The problem this time
around is that Washington is doing little to improve its image in the
region and to counter such notions and the fears they engender.'' The
article goes on to reference ``. . . the Central American Peace
Scholarship program, which brought thousands of economically
disadvantaged students to junior colleges in the United States, . . .
.'' CASS is the current embodiment of the highly successful Central
American Peace Scholarship program. The article went on to note that
``a new generation of nontraditional Latin American leaders rises--
leaders who have not experienced cultural and academic exchanges.''
While recent attention has focused on the importance of bolstering U.S.
public diplomacy in the Arab and Muslim world, I would hasten to add
that we should refocus attention as well on our neighbors to the South.
Further, I offer up CASS as a ready-to-go approach to meeting this need
and one with a proven track record.
CASS and ECESP take somewhat different approaches and focus on
different needs and populations, but they share common goals:
--strengthening understanding of the United States and our values,
--establishing effective government and non-profit institutions and
supporting free market development, and
--building a well-educated middle class capable of providing
leadership in civic society critical to sustaining the economic
and political progress of nations facing tremendous challenges.
The East Central European Scholarship Program (ECESP) trains
professionals who can spearhead the processes of democratic, economic
and social transformation of their societies. Community and government
leaders, experts, administrators, managers, and educators in East
Central Europe are provided with the knowledge and skill base to become
leaders and agents of change. This is accomplished through a range of
U.S.-based, in-country and regional training programs leading to
certificates and, in some instances, degrees. Five goals define what
ECESP has worked to achieve in the countries served:
--more effective, responsive and accountable systems of local
government,
--stronger institutions fostering democratic decision making and
civil society,
--more efficient health and social service delivery systems,
--support for sustainable economic development, and
--approaches to education that is responsive to local needs in
changing environments.
In the first 8 years of its existence, ECESP provided a dynamic
long-term educational experience to approximately 700 participants from
the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. Many of the ECESP-
trained individuals have contributed significantly to the
transformation, both economically and politically, of those nations and
their entry into the European Union. Since 1998, an additional 924
participants have been trained from Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia and
Romania with another 72 participants prepared to start training in May
and August this year. Again, those who have been trained from this
second group of nations have been key players in the reform of their
governmental and economic systems.
ECESP alumni have returned home to careers in the public and
private sectors, which have contributed, to the economic and social
development of their countries. They have held high government
positions and have entered the business world. One example is Arben
Ahmetja of Albania who, after completing the ECESP program in public
administration became Executive Director of H-Communications, the first
private telecommunications company in Albania. The company is bringing
for the first time phone service to rural areas of Albania.
Subsequently, he has returned to public service as the Vice Minister
for Energy and Industrial Development. In that capacity, he has focused
on strategies to improve the utilization of natural resources, which is
key to Albania's economic development strategy.
ECESP funds are overwhelmingly expended in the United States, with
86 percent committed at U.S. colleges and universities. Today, major
ECESP programs operate at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and the
University of Kentucky. The program is having the impact that was
intended. In fact, the program has been a contributing factor to the
``graduation'' of some countries out of USAID assistance programs. An
evaluation funded by USAID found that ``[M]any [ECESP] returnees have
taken on important policy roles, high positions in dimensions of public
life, key positions in the growing private sector, and significant
roles in advocacy and social improvement.'' It also noted ``[L]ong term
(U.S. based training) appears to have a substantial impact on the
attitude, vision and career path of participants.''
We appreciate the fact that the Appropriations Committees recognize
the potential of the ECESP approach and during last year's
appropriations process encouraged USAID to expand ECESP so that it can
serve the Central Asian republics of the former Soviet Union. While we
have had initial conversations with USAID officials about means of
following up on the recommendations accompanying the fiscal year 2004
foreign operations appropriations, we have been advised that existing
funds, which are managed by the missions for the region, are already
obligated under large Indefinite Quantity Contracts of multi-year
duration.
Although secularism has prevailed in Central Asia, democracy has
not taken root. Economic development is slow, unemployment rates are
very high, youth is disaffected and looking to more radical solutions,
and most Central Asian republics still face the daunting task of health
reform. These factors continue to threaten the stability of this
region. ECESP's expertise in building grass roots democracy and
training for privatization and economic development, financial and
banking reform, active labor market strategies, and health care reform
can help alleviate the situation. Unfortunately, the concentration of
training activities in the region under large Indefinite Quantity
Contracts and the lack of additional resources in the proposed budget
have made it impossible to follow up on the fiscal year 2004
recommendations. We ask your help in addressing this situation.
Clearly, there are a number of cultural and economic-sector
differences between the Central Asian region and the areas where ECESP
has functioned to date. Nevertheless, the experience we have had in
being a successful partner in efforts to reshape political, social and
economic realities in former Soviet bloc countries can bear on the
challenges facing Central Asian republics. The experience of working in
Albania, a country with no history of democracy and civil society
development, is of particular relevance. Furthermore, Georgetown
University is also home to two highly regarded National Resource
Centers with expertise in this region. They can and have worked with
CIED to ensure the necessary program adaptations and regional
connections that will enable CIED to move quickly and effectively into
this critical region.
Georgetown's Center for Intercultural Education and Development is
ready to work with you and USAID to continue the mission we have
effectively served to date and to expand our services with
modifications necessary to reflect the realities and needs of other
nations.
Whereas ECESP focuses on meeting the training needs of
professionals, CASS provides training to disadvantaged students with
demonstrated leadership qualities at U.S. educational institutions.
Today, we partner with eighteen colleges, universities and community
colleges in twelve states. The program provides technical training in
agriculture, business, primary education, various industrial
technologies, environmental sciences, and health care and infectious
disease control. The training programs are carefully tailored to ensure
that they also strengthen civic responsibility and leadership skills of
participants. CASS has successfully served groups that historically
have been overlooked in our foreign aid programs--women, ethnic
minorities, the rural poor and individuals with disabilities. We are
also extremely proud that the program includes the right mix of
training and placement services to achieve a 98 percent rate of return
to participants' home countries and a 92 percent alumni employment
record. Alumni are working in fields that support private sector
growth, humanitarian assistance and development objectives of their
home countries. There are currently 417 CASS scholars in the United
States and over 5,300 alumni contributing to the social and economic
growth of their home countries.
Nearly 90 percent of CASS funds are spent in U.S. communities. CASS
students are involved in the life of the communities where they are
hosted. Visiting students have tutored K-12 students in foreign
languages, worked to fill and place sandbags to fight flooding along
the Mississippi River, and regularly help on an array of other types of
community service. On a number of the participating campuses, CASS
students have been the only international presence.
The U.S. host institutions provide a 25 percent local match to
augment the AID funds. Providing the match is posing a serious
challenge to some of the host institutions that have seen their state
funding reduced in the face of state budgetary troubles. These partner
institutions have proven highly effective in achieving the program's
mission; hence, we are very concerned that the match requirement not
result in schools not being able to continue their participation. This
factor makes it particularly important that the participating
institutions know that they can count on the CASS program continuing so
that their campus investments continue to provide long-range benefits.
As the Committee is aware, the CASS program is in its second year
of a 5-year agreement with USAID. The new agreement includes new
activities in Mexico in support of the Administration's efforts to
strengthen the United States-Mexican relationship. Those new activities
include the implementation of a regional strategy to foster growth
through training and development. Economically disadvantaged Mexican
youth will receive technical and leadership training at U.S. community
colleges alongside North American students and CASS scholars from
Central America and the Caribbean.
To build on Mexico's strong regional development efforts, CASS is
focusing on the less developed, marginalized populations of Mexico.
Fields of study are selected for the potential they provide scholars to
participate in opportunities created by export-driven economic growth,
while ensuring environmental protection, through course work in
agricultural production, industrial and information technologies, and
industry-related environmental technologies.
In 2003, CASS targeted recruitment in the states of San Luis
Potosi, Queretaro and Guanajuato. In 2004, CASS expanded recruitment to
include indigenous candidates from the states of Chiapas and Jalisco.
Fields of study include Quality Control, Industrial Engineering
Technology, Computer Information Technology, Agribusiness for Export,
Food Technology, Telecommunications, and Strengthening Education for
Indigenous Children. As members of the Subcommittee are well aware, in
recent years Chiapas has experienced considerable political
instability. The CASS training is part of a strategy to address
underlying economic issues there.
In addition, the Center for Intercultural Education and Development
has worked with USAID outside the framework of our CASS agreement to
develop a scholarship program aimed at bringing individuals from Cuba
to the United States for training purposes. I think it is fair to say
that USAID was interested in us managing this particular initiative
because of the success of CASS in handling the training of populations
that many aid programs do not reach. At this point, CIED has secured
strong support from partner colleges slated to provide training and has
20 scholars selected to begin training. However, in light of the
current political environment vis-a-vis Cuba, the issuance of visas and
other paperwork necessary for prospective students to leave Cuba have
resulted in delays. The 20 scholars are poised to commence their
studies in the United States as soon as these overarching issues are
resolved.
Finally with regard to CASS, I might add an observation regarding
the current situation in Haiti and its impact on CASS alumni in the
country and the 33 Haitian students currently studying in the United
States. Sixteen Haitian students are preparing to return home this
summer when they complete their 2-year training programs. When they do,
CASS staff in Haiti will be there to receive them. CASS will provide
them with a reentry seminar and job fair specifically geared to their
particular employment skills. A network of successful alumni is also
there to provide support to returning graduates, helping them in their
readjustment to Haiti. Despite the difficult political situation in
Haiti, CASS alumni are excelling and we are confident that, despite the
unrest, these individuals will be successfully placed and contribute to
the nation's economic well-being.
I would like to cite the example of CASS alumnus Pierrot Marcel,
who was born in Jeremie, an isolated town in the western end of Haiti,
where services, supplies, and communication lines with urban centers
are scarce. Children in Jeremie rarely finish secondary school and most
everyone depends on menial jobs to survive. The average family income
ranges from $90-$300 per year. Despite this, Pierrot was able to finish
high school and in 1990 he was awarded a CASS scholarship.
Upon returning to Haiti, he secured employment with the Fondation
Haitienne de Developpement. Later he was hired as a local consultant by
USAID, which he saw as ``an opportunity to pay back the U.S. Government
for (his) scholarship.'' He worked the following 5 years with CARE
International training farmers in marketing, management and food
processing techniques. He taught them how to increase their income by
adding value to their products such as processing raw cassava into
cassava flour and cassava bread and shipping the final product to
supermarkets as far away as Port-au-Prince. Pierrot has also helped
connect cacao farmers with the Hershey chocolate plant in the United
States.
Pierrot Marcel is currently the Manager of the Jeremie Station for
Tropical Airways d'Haiti S.A. and supervises all flights to his
hometown. In addition, he founded the ``Grande Anse 2009'' school
which, to date, has trained about 480 people in computer skills,
employs nine people and has been accredited by the Haiti Ministry of
Education. On a personal level, Pierrot has financed the education of
each of his younger brothers.
Over 500 Haitians have joined Pierrot Marcel in making the most of
their CASS opportunity, which as a result has impacted their lives and
those of countless others. Additional support specifically targeted for
Haiti would enable CASS to develop a construction-training program for
Haitians similar to the successful reconstruction initiatives CASS
launched after Hurricane Mitch in Central America. Likewise, CASS could
quickly implement expanded training in the field of agriculture, which
is central to the Haitian economy. Such programs could play a critical
role in developing a strong workforce capable of handling
infrastructure repairs and revitalizing Haitian agriculture both of
which are essential to putting the Haitian economy back on track while
fostering political stability.
At this critical juncture, both in terms of the nation's foreign
policy priorities and with regard to defining the future of these two
programs, we request your continued support in this year's
appropriations process.
Thank you.
______
Prepared Statement of The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) urges the Committee to continue its
strong tradition of support to international conservation by
appropriating, in fiscal year 2005, $175 million for conservation of
biodiversity within the Development Assistance account of the Agency
for International Development (AID), enough to begin addressing
critical funding gaps; $178 million for the Global Environment facility
(GEF), enough to allow for full payment of the U.S. pledge and progress
toward payment of accumulated arrears; $30 million for the Tropical
Forest Conservation Act (TFCA), a debt-for-forest program that
leverages taxpayers' funds with private donations from groups like the
Conservancy; and $8.4 million for international conservation programs
within the International Organizations and Programs (IO&P) account at
the Department of State.
The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to preserve the plants,
animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life
on Earth, by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. Our
work in the United States and abroad is closely related. For example,
it is not possible to protect migratory birds in their summer ranges,
inside the United States, without also taking care of their winter
ranges in Latin America and the Caribbean. More broadly, a healthy
natural environment is a key element in genuinely sustainable economic
and social development around the world. Too often, short-term
considerations drive bad choices, whose results can be catastrophic for
both the natural world and for the people who live with and by means of
that world. When a tropical rain forest is destroyed the people, who
live in and depend upon that forest, often go extinct nearly as fast as
the animals.
In our work outside the United States, we support local
conservation groups that work to raise the effective level of
protection at parks and nature preserves established by the local
governments. We work with local communities to increase the
constituency for conservation. We support sustainable development
projects to improve the productivity and standard of living of rural
people living in and near protected areas. We work cooperatively with
landowners to promote conservation on private lands. We are a private,
non-profit organization. Our recent private capital fund campaign
raised more than $1 billion. One hundred twenty million dollars will be
for our work outside the United States. About 83 percent of our
operating budget is raised from non-governmental sources, but
government grants fill a critical need. For example, the assistance we
receive through our cooperative relationship with AID is vital to our
international operations. It is difficult to raise private dollars for
international operating (as distinct from capital) expenses. Without
AID's support, these programs would be severely damaged.
Our Parks in Peril (PiP) program in Latin America and the Caribbean
and our similar efforts in the Asia/Pacific region are widely regarded
as among the most successful and respected in the world. Our
conservation work helps bring real protection to more than sixty major
``sites''--parks and nature preserves in 27 foreign countries,
comprising over 80 million acres, while also generating economic
benefits to communities and individuals. In a typical recent year, AID
has supported PiP with about $6 million. The leverage on the U.S.
Government's investment in PiP is very high--more than $300 million
raised by us and by our local partners for conservation work at or near
the PiP sites. We have signed a new 5-year agreement for Parks in
Peril, under which we will leverage its proven methodology to many more
places through at least 2006. Your Committee has praised Parks in Peril
in its past reports, and we hope you will do so again.
We are also grateful for AID's support to our other international
projects, especially through the Global Conservation Program (GCP) and
through the President's Initiative Against Illegal Logging. The GCP,
for example, helps support our work on the coral reef that surrounds
Komodo Island in Indonesia: for park rangers, marine patrol boats to
enforce the ban on destructive fishing, and alternative development
projects for local people.
AID's support to biodiversity is by far the largest portion of all
U.S. Government funding to international conservation: $155 million in
fiscal year 2004. Your Committee has long supported AID's biodiversity
work. We recognize the need for priorities at this moment of
international crises. But, in view of the critical needs for survival
of the world's natural heritage and the strong contribution that a
healthy environment makes to social and political peace, we urge the
Committee to raise overall grants to environmental work by AID. The
Nature Conservancy as part of an alliance of conservation groups urges
that AID's biodiversity funding (part of its environmental line item)
for fiscal year 2005 be increased by $20 million to $175 million. Even
after such an increase, the AID environmental share of the $21.3
billion Foreign Operations total will remain small--barely 1 percent.
Should an increase for biodiversity prove impossible despite your best
efforts, we strongly urge the Committee to provide clear legislative
guidance that AID's actual investment in conservation of global
biodiversity should at the least not decline, and that only in situ
conservation should count against the congressionally mandated level.
The Tropical Forest Conservation Act (TFCA), known as the Portman
Act, is also funded within Foreign Operations. The Administration has
requested $20 million for fiscal year 2005 in the Treasury account, the
same as in fiscal year 2004. We strongly support this request, and
recommend that if possible it be increased to $30 million. If more
funds were available, the TFCA could certainly put them to prompt and
good use. The TFCA uses debt reduction deals to create long-term income
streams to protect forests. The Conservancy donated more than $1
million each to the TFCA deal with Belize and Panama, and over $400,000
each to the deals with Peru and Colombia. These debt-for-forest deals
leverage the U.S. taxpayers' dollar: typically, there is about $2 of
conservation benefit for each $1 of appropriated funds. If TFCA gets
$20 million, it will be possible to do several deals beyond Colombia,
including such countries as Jamaica, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Paraguay.
TNC stands willing to donate additional private funds in each case. If
TFCA receives $30 million, the size of the deals could be increased and
additional countries could participate.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is the largest single source
of environmental funds (including conservation) in the world,
leveraging U.S. Government contributions four-to-one. The
Administration's request level for fiscal year 2005 is $121 million,
down significantly from the $138 million and $147 million appropriated
in the last 2 years. This fiscal year 2005 level of funding would be
barely adequate to meet the U.S. pledge level, and would allow
virtually no progress toward paying the U.S. arrears. We urge the
Committee to fund the GEF at $178 million, enough to meet the
Administration's original goal of clearing all arrears within 3 or 4
years.
TNC appreciates the opportunity to submit this testimony for the
record, and in closing suggests the following Committee report language
regarding biodiversity, Parks in Peril, and the Tropical Forest
Conservation Act.
Draft Report Language:
AID'S SUPPORT TO CONSERVING BIODIVERSITY
The Committee has repeatedly urged that AID make biodiversity
conservation a high priority. The Committee directs that $175 million
shall be made available for programs and activities that directly
protect biodiversity in developing countries. The Committee further
directs that, in meeting this goal, AID shall count only programs that
help in situ protection of native wild animals and plants.
PARKS IN PERIL
The Committee strongly reiterates its continued support for the AID
Parks in Peril (PiP) program, a partnership with the Nature Conservancy
to promote biodiversity conservation in imperiled ecosystems throughout
Latin America and the Caribbean.
TROPICAL FOREST CONSERVATION ACT (TFCA)
The Committee strongly supports this program, which brings
``leverage'' to forest conservation. Under TFCA debt deals, the amount
directed to forest conservation is always substantially more than the
U.S. appropriated funds. The Committee directs that, of the amount
appropriated, up to $1 million may be used for costs of U.S. federal
agencies to administer the program.
The Nature Conservancy,
Lexington, KY, May 5, 2004.
Attn: Brytt Brooks,
Office of Senator Mitch McConnell, Subcommittee on Foreign Operations,
Senate Committee on Appropriations, Washington, DC.
Dear Senator McConnell: On behalf of the Kentucky Chapter of The
Nature Conservancy I wanted to offer our support for the fiscal year
2005 budget of the Agency for International Development (AID) and other
programs that conserve biological diversity in developing countries.
Our international programs and those of dozens of conservation
organizations globally, benefit from AID support. Parks in Peril is a
successful, multi-year Nature Conservancy effort that benefits from
important AID help. I urge your committee to again put language
strongly supportive of AID biodiversity conservation work and of Parks
in peril in the report.
We support more AID biodiversity money for the Tropical Forest
Conservation Act, up from $20 million to $30 million if possible. We
also support the international program of the U.S. Forest Service.
While they are appropriated in Interior, not Foreign Operations, they
do work on the Mexico side of the San Pedro and we are supporting an
increase from $6 to $8 million.
Thank you for your past support. Please fell free to call me at
859-259-9655.
Sincerely yours,
James R. Aldrich,
Vice President/State Director.
______
Prepared Statement of Rotary International
Chairman McConnell, Senator Leahy, members of the Subcommittee,
Rotary International appreciates this opportunity to submit testimony
in support of the polio eradication activities of the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID). The effort to eradicate polio has
been likened to a race--a race to reach the last child. This race
requires the dedication to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve
success. Like some great relay team, the major partners in the global
polio eradication effort have joined with national governments around
the world in an unprecedented demonstration of commitment to cross the
finish line of this historic public health goal. We cannot allow the
great distance we have traveled to diminish our resolve. Though we may
be weary, our adversary is weakening. The victory over polio is closer
than ever!!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you Chairman
McConnell, Senator Leahy and members of the Subcommittee for your
tremendous commitment to this effort. Without your support of USAID's
polio eradication activities, the battle against polio would be
impossible. We appreciate the long-term investment you have made
through USAID to strengthen the basic health care infrastructure of
many polio-endemic countries. This solid infrastructure has provided
the foundation on which the polio eradication program has succeeded.
Additional support of the polio eradication program further strengthens
this infrastructure because it gives confidence to the health care
workers, provides dramatic assistance to families who no longer suffer
the ravages of polio, and provides hope that other diseases can also be
eliminated.
PROGRESS IN THE GLOBAL PROGRAM TO ERADICATE POLIO
Thanks to your leadership in appropriating funds, the international
effort to eradicate polio has made tremendous progress.
--The number of polio cases has fallen from an estimated 350,000 in
1988 to less than 800 in 2003--a more than 99 percent decline
in reported cases (see Exhibit A). More than 200 countries and
territories are polio-free, including 4 of the 5 most populous
countries in the world (China, United States, Indonesia, and
Brazil).
--Transmission of the poliovirus has never been more geographically
confined. The Western Hemisphere, the Western Pacific and the
European regions have been certified polio-free and wild
poliovirus transmission is confined to a limited number of
polio ``hot-spots'' within six countries.
--More than 2 billion children worldwide have been immunized during
NIDs in the last 5 years, including more than 150 million in a
single day in India.
--All polio-endemic countries in the world have conducted NIDs and
established high quality surveillance of Acute Flaccid
Paralysis (AFP). The eradication of polio in the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Somalia shows that polio
eradication strategies are successful even in countries
affected by civil unrest.
From the launch of the global initiative in 1988, to the
eradication target date of 2005, 5 million people who would otherwise
have been paralyzed will be walking because they have been immunized
against polio. Tens of thousands of public health workers have been
trained to investigate cases of acute flaccid paralysis and manage
massive immunization programs. Cold chain, transport and communications
systems for immunization have been strengthened. A network of 147 polio
laboratories has been established to analyze suspected cases of polio
and monitor transmission of polio. This network will continue to
support the surveillance of other diseases long after polio has been
eradicated.
Give the tremendous progress that has been made in reducing the
incidence of polio and diminishing the areas in which the virus
circulates, the world currently faces an unprecedented opportunity to
stop the transmission of wild poliovirus. However, significant
challenges remain as obstacles to the ultimate achievement of our goal
of a polio-free world. In 2003, Nigeria surpassed India to become the
country with the highest number of polio cases. The surge in polio
cases in Nigeria also resulted in importations of cases into several of
the countries that neighbor Nigeria. The risk of importations into west
and central African countries, and around the world, is magnified by
financial constraints that limit the scope of immunization activities.
Continued political commitment is essential in all polio endemic
countries, to support the acceleration of eradication activities. The
ongoing support of donor countries is essential to assure the necessary
human and financial resources are made available to polio-endemic
countries. Access to children is needed, particularly in Nigeria, where
political and financial differences between key states and the federal
government were unexpectedly given voice in the form of untrue rumors
about the safety of the oral polio vaccine. As a result, immunization
activities in the states that need them most were delayed and/or
suspended during the effort to address local concerns. Polio-free
countries must maintain high levels of routine polio immunization and
surveillance. The continued leadership of the United States is critical
to ensure we meet these challenges.
THE ROLE OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
Since 1985, Rotary International, a global association of more than
30,000 Rotary clubs, with a membership of over 1.2 million business and
professional leaders in 166 countries, has been committed to battling
this crippling disease. In the United States today there are nearly
7,700 Rotary clubs with some 400,000 members. All of our clubs work to
promote humanitarian service, high ethical standards in all vocations,
and international understanding. Rotary International stands hand-in-
hand with the United States Government and governments around the world
to fight polio through local volunteer support of National Immunization
Days, raising awareness about polio eradication, and providing
financial support for the initiative. In 2003, members of Rotary clubs
around the world announced the results of their second polio
eradication fundraising campaign. Rotarians far exceeded the U.S. $80
million goal they had set by raising U.S. $119 million in cash and
commitments. Rotary firmly believes that the vision of a world without
polio can be realized and that the time for action is now. By the time
the world is certified polio-free, Rotary's contribution to the global
polio eradication effort will exceed U.S. $600 million.
Rotary International's commitment to the global polio eradication
represents the largest contribution by an international service
organization to a public health initiative ever. These funds have been
allocated for polio vaccine, operational costs, laboratory
surveillance, cold chain, training and social mobilization in 122
countries. More importantly, tens of thousands of Rotarians have been
mobilized to work together with their national ministries of health,
UNICEF and WHO, and with health providers at the grassroots level in
thousands of communities.
In the United States, Rotary has formed and leads the United States
Coalition for the Eradication of Polio, a group of committed child
health advocates that includes Rotary, the March of Dimes Birth Defects
Foundation, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Task Force for
Child Survival and Development, the United Nations Foundation, and the
U.S. Fund for UNICEF. These organizations join us in expressing our
gratitude to you for your staunch support of the international program
to eradicate polio. For fiscal year 2004, you appropriated a total of
$27.5 million for the polio eradication efforts of USAID. This
investment has helped to make the United States the leader among donor
nations in the drive to eradicate this crippling disease.
FISCAL YEAR 2005 BUDGET REQUEST
For fiscal year 2005, we are requesting that your Subcommittee
specify $30 million for global polio eradication in USAID's budget.
These funds will support USAID's delivery of vaccine and the
development of the infrastructure necessary to maintain its Polio
Eradication Initiative. This would represent a funding increase of $2.5
million from the fiscal year 2004 level. This funding level will
provide much-needed stability to the program and ensure that the United
States remains a leader in the global polio eradication effort. In
addition, we are seeking report language specifying that this funding
is provided specifically to combat polio. It is important to meet this
level of funding due to the increased costs of the accelerated
eradication program, and to respond to the increase in supplementary
immunization activities in endemic countries, the need to maintain
immunity in polio-free areas and maintain certification standard
surveillance.
THE ROLE OF THE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID)
In April 1996, with the support of the 104th Congress and in
response to the strong urging of your Subcommittee, USAID launched its
own Polio Eradication Initiative to coordinate agency-wide efforts to
help eradicate polio. Over the subsequent 4 years, despite decreases in
the overall Child Survival budget, Congress directed that $25 million
be allocated to USAID's international polio eradication efforts. In
fiscal year 2001, Congress increased this allocation to $27.5 million--
an amount that was maintained since that time. Some of USAID's
achievements in the past, and their planned Polio Eradication
Initiative activities in 2004, include:
Increased National Activities Throughout Africa.--USAID-supported
synchronized multi-country national immunization days in 20 West and
Central African countries reached more than 96 million children in 2001
and 2002. In 2002, Sao Tome and Principe joined the group of West
African counties that synchronized NIDs. Subnational immunization days
targeting children under age 5 were conducted mainly in countries of
East and Southern Africa. In East Africa, five countries participated
in coordinated cross-border activities. Border districts in Djibouti,
Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, and Somalia shared data about wild poliovirus
and surveillance indicators. These activities will continue and expand
during 2003.
Intensified Efforts in South East Asia.--WHO's South East Asia
region accounted for more than 80 percent of the global total of polio
cases in 2002. Across the region, USAID grants to WHO, UNICEF, and the
International Clinical Epidemiology Network supported immunization
programs, NIDs, and follow-up campaigns. USAID support for these
partners also strengthened planning, surveillance, laboratory,
training, social mobilization, and information collection activities.
USAID also supported country-specific activities in Bangladesh, India,
Indonesia, and Nepal.
PVO and NGO Collaborations.--In India, private voluntary
organizations (PVOs) belonging to USAID's Child Survival and Resources
Collaboration (CORE) Group helped the vaccination program in Uttar
Pradesh state reach high-risk Muslim families. At the request of the
Ministry of Health, the PVOs and their local partners provided support
for social mobilization and marshalling volunteers to counsel Muslim
families who were resisting immunizations for their children. In
Calcutta, a nongovernmental organization (NGO) that partners with a
CORE PVO was asked to cover slum wards because of its outstanding
record of service. Because of the high-quality work performed by the
NGO's volunteers, the health department assigned them the task of
cross-checking for missed children during follow-up efforts. CORE NGOs
are tackling the most difficult to reach populations in Nepal, Angola
and Ethiopia in addition to India. Hundreds of thousands of children
who had never been immunized against polio were located and vaccinated
due to the diligence of CORE volunteers. All CORE members have
identified AFP cases and participate on national interagency
coordinating committees.
Global Contributions.--USAID supported the certification commission
in the European region, provides funds for accreditation and operations
of the global laboratory network, intensified efforts in Afghanistan
and Pakistan, and continued its role in polio communication through VOA
and UNICEF. Working in collaboration with WHO USAID has developed
guidelines for validating polio containment activities. USAID staff at
all levels are actively engaged in planning, monitoring and evaluating
activities and serve as observers during NIDs.
OTHER BENEFITS OF POLIO ERADICATION
Increased political and financial support for childhood
immunization has many documented long-term benefits. Polio eradication
is helping countries to develop public health and disease surveillance
systems useful in the control of other vaccine-preventable infectious
diseases. Already all 47 countries of the Americas are free of
indigenous measles, due in part to improvements in the public health
infrastructure implemented during the war on polio. The disease
surveillance system--the network of laboratories and trained personnel
established during the Polio Eradication Initiative--is now being used
to track measles, rubella, yellow fever, meningitis, and other deadly
infectious diseases. NIDs for polio have been used as an opportunity to
give children essential vitamin A, which, like polio, is administered
orally, saving the lives of 1.25 million children since 1998. The
campaign to eliminate polio from communities has led to an increased
public awareness of the benefits of immunization, creating a ``culture
of immunization'' and resulting in increased usage of primary health
care and higher immunization rates for other vaccines. It has improved
public health communications and taught nations important lessons about
vaccine storage and distribution, and the logistics of organizing
nation-wide health programs. Additionally, the unprecedented
cooperation between the public and private sectors serves as a model
for other public health initiatives. Polio eradication is a cost-
effective public health investment, as its benefits accrue forever.
RESOURCES NEEDED TO FINISH THE JOB OF POLIO ERADICATION
The World Health Organization estimates that $765 million is needed
from donors for the period 2004-2005 to help polio-endemic countries
complete the polio eradication strategy. In the Americas, some 80
percent of the cost of polio eradication efforts was borne by the
national governments themselves. However, as the battle against polio
is taken to the poorest, least-developed nations on earth, and those in
the midst of civil conflict, many of the remaining polio-endemic
nations can contribute only a small percentage of the needed funds. In
some countries, up to 100 percent of the NID and other polio
eradication costs must be met by external donor sources. We ask the
United States to continue its financial leadership in order to see this
initiative to its successful conclusion as quickly as possible.
The United States' commitment to polio eradication has stimulated
other countries to increase their support. Other countries that have
followed America's lead and made special grants for the global Polio
Eradication Initiative include the United Kingdom ($425 million), the
Netherlands ($112 million), and Canada ($85 million). Japan, which has
contributed $231 million, recently expanded its support to polio
eradication efforts in Africa. Even the tiny country of Luxembourg has
invested in global polio eradication by contributing $4.2 million. In
both 2002 and 2003 the members of the G8 committed to provide
sufficient resources to eradicate polio as part of its Africa Action
Plan. In addition to the ongoing contributions made by historic donors
such as United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, new commitments
of $37 million and $4 million were made by France and Russia in
response to the G8 pledge.
Intense political commitment on the part of endemic nations is also
essential to ensuring polio eradication is achieved. In January 2004,
health ministers of the six remaining endemic countries (Afghanistan,
Egypt, India, Niger, Nigeria, and Pakistan) gathered at a meeting
convened at WHO in Geneva to declare their commitment to supporting
intensified supplementary immunization activities in the ``Geneva
Declaration for the Eradication of Poliomyelitis.'' In addition,
resolutions supporting polio eradication were taken by the African
Union and the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Each of these
resolutions encourages member states to place a high priority on
completing the job of polio eradication.
Your discipline, commitment and endurance have brought us to the
brink of victory in the great race against this ancient scourge. Polio
cripples and kills. It deprives our children of the capacity to run,
walk and play. Other great health crises loom on the horizon. Your
continued support for this initiative helps ensure that today's
children possess the strength and vitality to grow up and fight against
the health threats of future generations.