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Overview
For over 50 years USAID has been providing technical leadership and strategic support in promoting sustainable democracy. Our goals include:
 Download Guide to DCHA/DG Actitivies, February 2009 (PDF, 810kb)
DG News
Joint Statement on Security Sector Reform (PDF, 628kb): In early January 2009, USAID, the Department of State, and the Department of Defense issued a joint statement on Security Sector Reform (SSR). This paper responds to a gap in current foreign assistance approaches to security and development. U.S. security assistance programs have sometimes focused too exclusively on providing equipment and training to security forces. However, forces enhanced through traditional assistance can better carry out their responsibilities if the institutional and governance frameworks necessary to sustain them are equally well-developed and equipped. Similarly, development assistance has generally excluded security-related assistance. Yet, development cannot thrive without basic security. The increasingly complex threats facing our partners and our own nation urgently require that we address the linkages among security, governance, development, and conflict in more comprehensive and sustainable ways.
In addition to building professional security forces, SSR supports the establishment of relevant legal and policy frameworks; enhanced civilian management, leadership, oversight, planning and budgeting capacities; and improved coordination and cooperation among security-related and civil institutions.
The paper identifies key principles and recommendations for joint activity. It will be followed by Agency-specific implementation guidelines.
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Expanding the global community of democracies is a key objective of U.S. foreign policy. Today the world is a much smaller place, and its problems confront us in more immediate ways. The United States is vigorously engaged in all corners of the globe, acting as a force for peace and prosperity.
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 Measuring the impact and effectiveness of USAID democracy and governance assistance programs
USAID's DCHA/DG long term initiative, the Strategic and Operational Research Agenda (SORA) supports two major research efforts, including a cross-national study of the impact of USAID DG assistance conducted by researchers at Vanderbilt University and the University of Pittsburgh, and a report by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences with recommendations for improving DG evaluations. read more
 DG EVENTS: 2008 Partners Conference
Democracy Promotion After the Third Wave: The Era of the Three Ds (Development, Diplomacy, Defense)
The 2008 DG Partners Conference provided an opportunity for participants to exchange innovative approaches to DG programming, while exploring how whole-of government efforts can best be brought to bear to promote democracy and the effectiveness of partner governments. Read more...
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