Washington, April 10, 2013-US President Barack Obama on Wednesday proposed a 40 per cent increase in American aid to Pakistan, amounting to USD 1.4 billion, as part of his USD 3.77 trillion budget that focusses on new job creation and economic growth.
Obama among other things proposed to increase the US aid to Pakistan under overseas contingency operations to USD 1.4 billion for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2013, an increase of 40 per cent than the USD 1 billion that he had proposed in the last year’s budget for the fiscal 2013.
The US president also proposed to reduce the deficit by another USD 1.8 trillion.
According to Obama’s budget proposals, the State Department’s USD 47.8 billion budget includes USD 6.8 billion for the frontline states of Iraq (USD 2.1 billion), Afghanistan (USD 3.4 billion), and Pakistan (USD 1.4 billion).
The proposals included USD three billion in base funding and USD 3.8 billion in overseas contingency operations funding.
“The Budget prioritises core diplomatic and development activities to ensure strong, lasting partnerships with these countries and to promote stability,” the proposals said.
In view of the terrorist attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi in Libya last year, the budget provides over USD 4 billion to secure overseas personnel and facilities, including sufficient funding for the State Department to increase embassy security construction to USD 2.2 billion, as recommended by the Benghazi Accountability Review Board.
The Budget continues support for US security, diplomatic, and development goals in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq, while scaling down funding for operations and assistance.
It includes resources for the State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to support strong, long term partnerships with these countries.
Obama’s budget also reflects its latest posture in the Asia pacific region.
The US and its interests are inextricably linked with Asia’s economies and security, and it welcomes economic prosperity across the Asia-Pacific region, the proposals said.
“The Budget makes strategic, coordinated and Government-wide investments in a wide range of tools across the Asia-Pacific region, which will help create American jobs, empower American businesses, and maintain the security and stability necessary for economic growth,” the proposals said.
The budget also addresses the issue of cyber threat, and focuses on its soft power diplomacy, including provisions for fighting against global hunger and poverty reduction, climate change, and critical health issues like HIV/AIDS.
The Budget supports the promotion of gender equality and advancement of the political, economic, social, and cultural status of women and girls.
Building upon the previous efforts to evolve international broadcasts from shortwave radio into more effective and less expensive digital tools (satellite and Internet radio, mobile phone technologies, and Internet based social media) that reach today’s technologically savvy audiences, the budget proposals support shortwave radio broadcasts in regions that lack access to digital technologies, such as in Darfur, North Korea, and Tibet.
The Budget includes USD 2.6 billion in budget authority and USD 4.7 billion in total programme resources for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
It includes USD 10 million in new resources to improve the safety of food and medical product imports to the United States through a greater FDA presence in foreign countries such as China.
