Sharing Risk in a World of Dangers and Opportunities: U.S. Development Finance Tools

Keynote Addresses by:

Senator Johnny Isakson, U.S. Senator (R-GA)

Introduced by Dr. John J. Hamre, President and CEO, CSIS

Elizabeth Littlefield, President and CEO, OPIC

Introduced by Daniel F. Runde, Co-Director of the Project on U.S. Leadership in Development and William A. Schreyer Chair in Global Analysis, CSIS

Panel Discussion Including:

Mildred O. Callear, Executive Vice President, Small Enterprise Assistance Fund (SEAF)

Benjamin Hubbard, Director, Office of Development Credit Authority, USAID

Robert Mosbacher, Jr., Chairman, Mosbacher Energy Company and Former President and CEO, OPIC

Leocadia I. Zak, Director, USTDA

Moderated by:

Terry Wyer, Senior Associate, Africa Strategy, ShoreBank International and Senior Associate, Project on U.S. Leadership in Development, CSIS
 

The Center for Strategic and International Studies is pleased to invite you to an event marking the release of a new report, “Sharing Risk in a World of Dangers and Opportunities: U.S. Development Finance Tools,” on December 8, 2011.

The changing nature of international development has created a growing interest in the use of development finance instruments. As the availability of soft grant money decreases and acceptance of private-sector-led growth increases, development policy is shifting away from official development assistance to focus more on investment and trade. In this context, the U.S. government must use its development finance instruments more effectively.

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) encourage private-sector development while serving as instruments of U.S. national security and foreign policy, but, as currently conceived, are inadequate to meet the entire spectrum of challenges we face. We will discuss how U.S. government agencies can better create innovative solutions in a more coordinated fashion and increase the capabilities of existing development finance programs.

Please RSVP to PLightfoot@csis.org.