As a core pillar of American leadership and power, global development works together with defense and diplomacy to advance our interests and values abroad, and to protect the American people at home.

With less than 1% of the federal budget, USAID supports critical development activities and the experts who are carrying them out every day. In total, funding for accounts from which USAID administers assistance is $22.7 billion, of which $11.0 billion is in core USAID-managed accounts: Development Assistance, Global Health Programs-USAID, International Disaster Assistance, Food for Peace Title II, Transition Initiatives, Complex Crises Fund, and USAID Administrative Expense accounts.

The President's Fiscal Year 2017 Budget fortifies USAID's global leadership in development practice and policy. It also supports USAID's work all over the world to foster and sustain development progress; prevent, mitigate, and respond to humanitarian crises; and confront threats to our national security and global stability.

Position USAID as a Leader in Development and Foreign Policy

USAID is modernizing development and driving smart policy approaches by promoting new partnerships; science, technology and innovation; integration with local leadership; and a relentless focus on measuring and delivering results. As a global leader in development and in U.S. foreign policy, USAID is mobilizing the rest of the world around shared challenges, and leveraging every dollar invested through partner­ships with other donors, country governments, the private sector and local organizations. This budget request will position USAID to continue to lead and meet the needs of a changing world by investing in approaches that work, emphasizing knowledge and evidence-based learning, supporting Agency staff and operations, and strengthening USAID as an institution. Specifically, the President's budget will:

Enhance science, technology, innovation, evaluation and learning, and partnership with a requested $195.5 million in central funding for the Global Development Lab and the Policy, Planning, and Learning (PPL) Bureau. Funding for PPL will strengthen USAID's central evaluation capacity and policy development. Funding for the Lab will enable USAID to source, develop, and scale breakthrough solutions; accelerate the transformation of the U.S. development enterprise by leveraging additional outside resources; and improve the sustainability of development interventions by attracting private-sector, market-driven resources.

Support and strengthen USAID, with a requested $1.7 billion across multiple USAID administrative expense accounts to sustain ongoing operations and build on recent reforms, including through continued improvements in procurement, local-capacity building, innovation, and accountability.

Foster and Sustain Development Progress

All over the world, USAID advances broad-scale human progress by fostering sustained and inclusive economic growth and strengthening democratic governance. This work is lifting millions out of extreme poverty and helping countries become open, peaceful, and flourishing partners for the United States. The President's budget request will enable USAID to double down on efforts that are delivering results and continue to build the conditions that make progress possible. With this budget, we will continue to:

Save lives and improve health, with $2.9 billion requested for USAID Global Health Programs, which, along with the Department of State Global Health Programs, contribute to global efforts to support three goals: ending preventable child and maternal deaths, creating an AIDS-free generation, and protecting communities from infectious diseases. USAID child survival and maternal health programs have already helped save the lives of 2.4 million children and almost 200,000 mothers, and this budget includes robust support for these efforts, including a total of $275 million for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (a $40 million increase over the FY 2016 Enacted level) as part of the four-year, $1 billion pledge announced last year. Additionally, we are on track to end the scourge of HIV/AIDS and, as the President stated in this year's State of the Union Address, the opportunity exists to do the same with malaria. Ninety percent of all malaria deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa, most of which are among children under 5. In 17 of the 19 President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) countries, significant declines in mortality rates among children under 5 have been observed - ranging from 18% (in both Liberia and Nigeria) to 55% (in Zambia). The budget includes a total increase of $200 million (30%) for PMI above the FY 2016 Enacted level, of which $71 million is requested as additional resources and $129 million is requested via authority to redirect remaining Ebola emergency funding.

Ensure food security and progress toward ending hunger, with $978 million requested for the Feed the Future initiative. Feed the Future focuses on increasing food security and economic growth - with an emphasis on empowering women - by promoting growth in the agriculture sector and reducing hunger, poverty and malnutrition. The request will also help vulnerable populations become more resilient to shocks that can limit access to food. In areas where it has major programs, Feed the Future support has contributed to significant results, with stunting reduced by 14.4% in areas of Bangladesh from 2011-2014; by 21% in areas of Cambodia from 2010-2014; by 25% in areas of Kenya from 2008-2014; and by 33% nationally in Ghana from 2008-2014. In Honduras, average incomes of Feed the Future beneficiaries increased 55% between 2012 and 2014, helping nearly 27% of more than 135,000 beneficiaries rise out of extreme poverty.

Connect and empower Africa, with $376.3 million with FY 2017 funding,  including support for Power Africa ($291.3 million). This will increase access to reliable, cleaner power for economic growth, as part of the Administration's $300 million annual commitment. Against the U.S. Government's Power Africa goal to add 30,000 megawatts (MWs) of power generation, USAID has supported transactions that may represent as much as 29,000 MWs, and helped facilitate the close of targeted transactions expected to generate 4,300 MWs. In FY 2017, Power Africa will reach 20 more countries with in-depth engagement and support. The budget also includes $75 million for Trade Investment Capacity Building, which will align, focus and expand current U.S. Government bilateral and regional trade programs in sub-Saharan Africa, and $10 million for the Young African Leaders Initiative, which will bring young African leaders to the United States for training and provide professional development activities for fellows once they return to the continent.

Promote democratic societies and institutions, with $2.3 billion for democracy, human rights and governance programs globally, with specific funding in Central America, Asia, and Africa. This assistance will help USAID establish and strengthen inclusive and accountable democracies to advance freedom, dignity, and development. And these advances will help ensure that our development investments are sustainable and transparent.

Continue to support rebalance in the Asia-Pacific region, with $694.4 million requested to strengthen governance and democratic processes, foster engagement with civil society, and promote rule of law and respect of human rights in this region. Other activities will support: economic growth by improving the conditions for competition in the private sector, health through emphasis on preventing and containing pandemic threats, and critical trade efforts like investment, economic inclusion and innovation activities in Vietnam related to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.

Prevent, Mitigate, and Respond to Humanitarian Crises

In a time of unprecedented need and dynamic global challenges, USAID continues to serve as a global leader in humanitarian response, providing medicine, emergency food aid, relief and other assistance in places where it is desperately needed. But responding to crises after the fact is not enough. USAID also works to prevent disasters before they happen, and to build the capacity of countries to withstand future crises and meet humanitarian needs on their own through enhanced service delivery, public administration and governance. This budget will enable USAID to:

Provide life-saving responses to areas with the most vulnerable populations, with $3.3 billion in USAID-managed humanitarian assistance to provide emergency food supplies, address the underlying causes of food insecurity, and assist internally displaced persons and the victims of conflict and natural disasters. The budget seeks to make food aid more effective to allow the same resources to reach about two million more beneficiaries. An additional $107.6 million is requested to prevent conflict and stabilize emerging democratic processes in critical transition environments, and for quick response to urgent, unanticipated civilian contingencies.

Build resilience to recurrent crises related to climate change by investing, through the Global Climate Change Initiative, $352.2 million in developing countries well-suited to transition to climate-resilient, low-emission economic growth - including through development and implementation of 25 countries' low emissions development strategies. In 2015, partner countries achieved 30 major milestones as a result of U.S. assistance, each reflecting measurable improvement in national frameworks for low emission development. Climate adaptation programs - for which the United States pledged to double grant-based public financing by 2020 - help countries become more resilient and contribute to stability and economic growth.

Confront Threats to National Security and Global Stability

In places of strategic national security importance, USAID works side-by-side with our counterparts in the U.S. Military and the Department of State's diplomatic corps to confront emerging threats and other global security challenges. Our efforts to achieve development progress in countries facing conflict and crisis helps enhance global stability and fosters good will toward the United States. The President's budget request supports this critical work, and specifically will:

Strengthen reforms in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with $1.45 billion to sustain gains made in these strategically important countries, from improving the performance and legitimacy of the Afghan government to promoting a stable, secure and prosperous Pakistan that counters violent extremism. The budget will also support work to continue strengthening each country's economy, and advance ambitious reforms in a variety of sectors, including energy, agriculture, education and health.

Counter Russian aggression, with $698.1 million to strengthen market economies and trade opportunities, independent media and democratic institutions, anti-corruption efforts, energy independence in eastern Europe and central Asia, and enduring commitments such as health. These efforts will help Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and their neighbors stand strong against increased pressure from Russia.

Seize emerging opportunities to promote lasting stability, peace and democracy, with $77.6 million to support Transition Initiatives in countries plagued by conflict and crisis. The budget will provide flexible funding to catalyze positive change in countries all over the world, from Nigeria to Syria to Colombia.

Address root causes of migration from Central America,with a $470.3 million request to improve prosperity and economic growth throughout the region. This bilateral and regional assistance for Central America is part of the Administration's $1 billion whole-of-government request for appropriations and financing assistance to support the U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central America. Building upon prior appropriations, funding will provide expertise to host governments as they make necessary reforms, scale up proven community-based interventions, and train youth for a 21st century workforce while helping businesses have the financial and market access to invest and generate economic growth and jobs.

For more information, please contact the USAID Press Office at usaidpressofficers@usaid.gov