Economic Development Abroad:
Its Relevance to the Interests of the United States
and the Role of the World Bank

A Public Presentation by

Matthew F. McHugh

Wednesday, March 28th, 2001
7:30 pm
Casadesus Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building, Binghamton University

Americans vastly overestimate how much their government spends on overseas assistance to address poverty and promote economic development. In reality, in 1996, the U.S. spent only 1/10th of 1% of its Gross Domestic Product for overseas assistance. Ireland, Spain, Portugal, and New Zealand contribute proportionately more generously to overseas assistance than does the United States.

Yet -- when Americans realize just how little their country contributes to the economic development of poorer countries, they support increased overseas assistance. They do so because they know that the world is now so interconnected that it is in the economic interest of the U.S. to support development of the poorest countries. In this 2nd of a 3-presentation series, McHugh will explore more deeply why it is in the interest of the United States to support economic development abroad.

McHugh is currently Counselor to the President of the World Bank, a post he has held since 1993. From 1975 to 1992, he represented the 27th and 28th Congressional Districts of New York. While in Congress, McHugh served on a number of committees and sub-committees, including the Appropriations Committee, the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, the Agriculture Committee, the Interior Committee, and the Arms Control and Foreign Policy Committee, which he chaired from 1982-84.

From 1978 to 1992, McHugh was Vice President, University Counsel, and Secretary to the Corporation, Cornell University. In addition to his duties at the World Bank, McHugh serves on the Board of Directors of the National Endowment for Democracy, of the International Crisis Group, and of Bread for the World.

This program is sponsored by the Master of Public Administration Program and the Center on Democratic Performance.

Enquiries: Ms. Lucy Johnson, MPA Administrative Assistant at 777-2719, Email: ljohnso@binghamton.edu