For 60 years, USAID has been an emblem of the generosity of the American people to the world. Since USAID’s inception, the Agency has worked to tackle humankind’s common enemies – tyranny, poverty, and disease – by providing humanitarian assistance in times of need and advancing the development of our partners around the globe.
This work has also strengthened the security and prosperity of the American people while amplifying and extending the reach of our nation’s most cherished values and beliefs: human dignity, freedom, and equality. Our work has strengthened our allies and our alliances and protected the American people from crises.
Today, USAID stands on the front lines of our most urgent challenges. A pandemic reminds us of our susceptibility to threats from distant shores. A changing climate is challenging communities worldwide with more forceful storms and longer droughts. A 16-year democratic recession threatens the freedom and stability of billions of people.
This Joint Strategic Plan is our vision for addressing these and other challenges, while preparing for those to come. Under this plan, we will race to end the COVID-19 pandemic, help nations adapt to climate change, fight corruption and authoritarianism, reduce poverty, enhance food security and nutrition, improve health and education, prevent conflict, protect human rights, promote equality, and provide lifesaving assistance during crises. To get there, we will work tirelessly with our local partners. We will ensure that our assistance is more effective and more efficient than ever before. The Joint Strategic Plan is also a plan to revitalize and re-equip USAID’s workforce. To meet our ambitious agenda, we will look to grow and diversify our workforce, develop more equitable and flexible hiring and retention policies, and seek out and empower our staff with new skills and expertise. We will also give them the tools they need to succeed, starting with flexible and secure work environments; a modernized information and communications infrastructure; and a work culture that is responsive to new ideas, information, and evidence. These steps will help us build a more inclusive Agency, one that is more diverse and willing to engage with new partners, more equitable in its impact, and more responsive to local voices.
USAID’s legacy as the world’s leading bilateral development institution has always been an asset to the American people and a means for securing stability, security, and prosperity, both at home and abroad. This Joint Strategic Plan acknowledges and draws strength from this heritage to take on the challenges of today and prepare for those that will come tomorrow.
