Foreign Aid

Sanctions and regulations against Iran are having an “adverse” effect on the country’s economy, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released Monday.

Oil sales from Iran decreased by nearly 20 percent between 2010 and 2012, even as the country’s peers experienced a revenue increase of more than 50 percent, the study found. 

He ripped his former colleagues in Congress for using opposition to foreign aid as an "applause line."

Your morning global affairs speed-read

John Kerry delivers his first major address as secretary of State this morning at the University of Virginia. He's expected to relate how a “relatively small investment in our foreign policy and diplomatic efforts results in a big return for America’s economy and security.” You can watch it live here.

The State Department announced Tuesday the itinerary for Kerry's first trip abroad. While bypassing Israel for now, the nine-nation trip to Europe and the Middle East will focus largely on the region's pressing problems, notably the conflict in Syria, which is receiving another $19 million in U.S. humanitarian aid.

Human rights: Michael Posner, the State Department's assistant secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, arrives in Burma for three days of talks with government officials and civil society representatives on a range of issues, including on human rights and democracy promotion.

AIDS Relief: The Institute of Medicine today released its evaluation of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), as required by the 2008 reauthorization of the program. You can read the report here. The State Department's ambassador-at-large and U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Eric Goosby, briefs congressional staff on PEPFAR at the Department of State this morning.

U.S. humanitarian aid to Syria reached almost $385 million on Tuesday following the release of another $19 million. Read more...

John Kerry will deliver his first major public address as secretary of State next Wednesday at the University of Virginia, State Department Victoria Nuland said Thursday. Read more...

President Obama defended his administration's role in Syria in an Arabic-language Internet address aimed directly at the Syrian people on Tuesday.

The unprecedented outreach effort comes amid reports of growing frustration with the limited U.S. and western role in the effort to end Bashar Assad's regime. Opposition members who met in Paris on Monday gave the international community an earful and are expected to do so again during a donor conference in Kuwait on Wednesday.

In the video posted on the White House website, Obama said his administration has played a key role in imposing sanctions on Assad's regime and calling for his ouster.

“Today, we’re taking another step,” Obama said in the video, which was subtitled in Arabic. “I’ve approved an additional $155 million in humanitarian aid for people in Syria and refugees fleeing the violence. 

“Here, I want to speak directly to the people of Syria. This new aid will mean more warm clothing for children and medicine for the elderly; flour and wheat for your families and blankets, boots and stoves for those huddled in damaged buildings. It will mean health care for victims of sexual violence and field hospitals for the wounded. Even as we work to end the violence against you, this aid will help address some of the immediate needs you face each day.”

A top official at the U.S. aid agency is said to be under investigation for allegedly seeking cover-up

The World Bank’s chief told Bloomberg in an interview published Thursday that he hopes to elevate the international development institution’s climate change role.

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, who took office in July, said the lender’s November climate change report already has had an effect on its 188 member countries.

"The response was quite surprising," Kim told Bloomberg. "It was as if ‘we’ve heard this all from the environmental groups, but my goodness, if the World Bank tells us this is an issue, then there must be something different to the story.' "

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) turned down a coveted spot atop the defense-funding panel on Wednesday but predicted he will have a stronger hand in guiding U.S. foreign aid now that he's the most senior Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The chairman of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs turned down the chairmanship of the full committee after Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) died last month but predicted he will now have outsize influence atop the foreign aid subpanel.

“This panel is where American values are put into action and funding decisions are made to advance our national security interests, to improve the lives of the world’s poor, and to make the world safer, healthier, cleaner and more prosperous,” Leahy said in a statement Wednesday. “And now, as the most senior member of the Appropriations Committee, I will play an even more active role in the full scope of the committee’s work.”

After giving up his spot as the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is adding a new panel to his resume: the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

McCain was named to the Foreign Relations panel Thursday as the Republicans announced their committee assignments for the 113th Congress.

After serving three terms as ranking member of Armed Services, McCain was term-limited out. He said he would step down, and Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) is expected to take over as the top Republican.