2. Economic growth is the increase in the amount of the
goods and services produced by an ECONOMY over
time. Broad-based economic growth is essential to
sustainable, long-term development.
So US AID creates the opportunities impoverished
households need to raise their living standards,
provides countries with the resources to expand access
to basic services, and—most important of all—enables
citizens to chart their own prosperous futures.
3. To overcome these challenges and advance rapid, sustained and
broad-based growth, we are focused on:
Giving people access to markets,
Making governments more efficient in how they spend their
money,
Improving infrastructure like roads, bridges, water supply and
electrical grids,
Working with private-sector companies to spur economic
development,
Encouraging local channels of financing,
CHALLENGES FACED BY US
5. PROBLEMS
For example, in Afghanistan, only about 30 percent of the people have
access to reliable sources of electricity and just 27 percent have
access to safe drinking water overall.
About 2.6 billion people in the developing world lack access to
electricity full time.
Nearly 800 million people worldwide lack access to water, and
about 2.5 billion people lack access to basic sanitation.
Approximately 1-1.5 billion people have no reliable phone service.
Just over 20 percent of people in developing countries have access
to the internet.
6. EFFORTS DONE BY US TO OVERCOME
PROBLEMS
USAID finances the design and construction of
• energy,
• roads,
• communications
• water infrastructure,
• schools and
• health facilities
in more than 60 countries. Particular emphasis is placed on
construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure in conflict and
disaster-affected countries, such as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Haiti,
where improved infrastructure improves stability and fuels economic
recovery.
7. The USAID approach to
infrastructure is more than
just “bricks and mortar”.
