More Clarity Needed in Foreign Aid – Jewish Exponent

How much justice can money buy?

And how much influence? Governments make these calculations all the time.

The United States’ Spending on Diplomacy and Development Aid

In the case of the United States, less than 1% of its total spending in 2022 went to diplomacy and development aid to help foreign nations to see things our way. In terms of dollars, that was about $50 billion in foreign aid to nearly 200 countries in 2021.

Leveraging Economic Power for Influence

America seeks to leverage its behemoth economic power to influence nations. For example, the U.S. and its Western allies have imposed crippling sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, on Iran for its pursuit of nuclear weapons, and on North Korea for flaunting its nuclear weapons. But success has been modest.

Egypt’s Aid Package and Human Rights Concerns

American success in efforts to encourage change is often hampered by a lack of clear standards, consistency in application, and the absence of metrics by which to measure results. Egypt is a prime example.

Egypt was a Soviet ally until President Anwar Sadat switched sides after the 1973 Yom Kippur War. He threw in his lot with America and the West and, in what now seems like short order, made peace with Israel in 1979 and won back the Sinai Peninsula from his Israeli peace partner. But the most populous and powerful Arab country is also a military dictatorship that needs to project that strength and prestige and guard against political collapse.

For decades, the U.S. has earmarked $1.3 billion in annual military aid to Egypt. Taking note of the country’s abysmal human rights record — arbitrary detentions, travel bans, targeting of media, and harassment of civil society, to name a few — Congress in 2020 mandated that $300 million of military aid be withheld until Egypt makes improvements in human rights. The Biden administration has never withheld the full amount.

So last week, 11 Senate Democrats (including Maryland’s Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Virginia’s Tim Kaine) wrote to Secretary of State Tony Blinken and urged the administration to withhold the full designated portion, now raised to $320 million.

The senators argued that Egypt’s human rights record “has continued to deteriorate, despite the Egyptian government’s claims to the contrary.” At the same time, the senators acknowledged the “mutual security concerns that merit the sustainment of our military-to-military relationship,” while asserting that withholding the $320 million would not damage bilateral relations.

Given congressional direction regarding Egypt’s aid package, the senators’ urgings make sense. But the lack of clear guidance in the withholding process and some measures by which to determine when withholding is no longer necessary makes implementation difficult. Even more disturbing is the fact that the withholding of funds thus far does not seem to have had any effect on Egypt’s behavior.

Leveraging Aid for Human Rights Improvement

U.S. efforts to leverage foreign and military aid as a means to encourage recipient nations to honor fundamental human rights are praiseworthy. But if the effort is worthwhile — and it is — the demand for improvement must include some measure of verifiable performance which should help encourage better behavior.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels
   • Indicator 16.6.1: Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved budget, by sector (e.g., education, health, agriculture, etc.)

2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies
   • Indicator 10.7.1: Recruitment cost borne by employee as a proportion of yearly income earned in country of destination

3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.8: Protect labor rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
   • Indicator 8.8.1: Frequency rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries, by sex and migrant status

Analysis

The article addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their corresponding targets and indicators:

1. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The article discusses the issue of leveraging foreign aid to influence nations and promote peace and justice. The lack of clear standards, consistency in application, and metrics to measure results hinder the success of these efforts. This aligns with SDG 16, which aims to develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels.

The specific target under SDG 16 that can be identified is Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels. The article highlights the need for clear guidance and measures to determine when withholding aid is no longer necessary.

The indicator mentioned in the article that can be used to measure progress towards this target is Indicator 16.6.1: Primary government expenditures as a proportion of the original approved budget, by sector. This indicator can help assess the transparency and accountability of government spending in various sectors.

2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

The article also touches upon the issue of human rights and the need for recipient nations to improve their human rights record. This relates to SDG 10, which aims to reduce inequalities within and among countries.

The specific target under SDG 10 that can be identified is Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies. The article discusses the importance of considering human rights when providing aid to countries like Egypt.

The indicator mentioned in the article that can be used to measure progress towards this target is Indicator 10.7.1: Recruitment cost borne by the employee as a proportion of yearly income earned in the country of destination. This indicator can help assess the fairness and safety of migration practices.

3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The article also briefly mentions the issue of labor rights and safe working environments for all workers, including migrant workers. This aligns with SDG 8, which aims to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.

The specific target under SDG 8 that can be identified is Target 8.8: Protect labor rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment. The article highlights the importance of protecting the rights of migrant workers.

The indicator mentioned in the article that can be used to measure progress towards this target is Indicator 8.8.1: Frequency rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries, by sex and migrant status. This indicator can help assess the safety and well-being of workers, particularly migrant workers.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: jewishexponent.com

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