As an update to the Agency’s 2008 Civilian-Military Cooperation Policy, USAID has issued the Policy on Cooperation with the Department of Defense. This builds upon lessons learned in an array of challenging environments – from mitigating conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, to tackling the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, to rooting out instability in Ethiopia and Colombia. It serves as a blueprint for all staff, allowing us to align policies, streamline processes and create programs that maximize our collective impact.

 

In the face of current crises – from conflict in Syria to disaster in Nepal – and future ones, we can collaborate with the military to save lives faster than ever before and address persistent challenges that unhinge fragile communities, such as chronic hunger, climate change and water insecurity.