Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered what was billed as a "major address" on U.S. development policy at the Peterson Institute for International Economics Wednesday. The Secretary's speech was a passionate and comprehensive overview of the development landscape, and the relationship she envisions cultivating between the State Department and an elevated USAID. By way of introduction, the Secretary described the impact that U.S. development efforts can have, juxtaposed with the skepticism with which those efforts are viewed by many Americans. Clinton placed development into the context of interconnectedness through transnational issues: security, the global economy, criminal networks, democracy, human rights, pandemics, and climate change. She asserted that these strategies are all problems that we can not adequately address while huge segments of the global population live in poverty. To address this problem, Clinton emphasized a new approach to development that relies less on "dogmatic attitudes" and more on initiatives with proven success that could make USAID back into the world's strongest development organization. She outlined six ways in which she wants to frame the new "mindset" of development:

• Pursue a model of development based on "partnership, not patronage" - that is, ensure host country involvement, responsibility, and buy-in, not unilaterally dictating where aid is used. Emphasize partnerships, not only with governments, but also with NGOs, private sector, etc.
• Elevate development, and integrate it with diplomacy and defense. This was perhaps the most interesting of her points, since the Secretary addressed fears from the development community about "integration" head-on, by emphasizing that it does not mean dilution, but leveraging expertise from State and Defense to assist in development aims. She also focused here on the mutually reinforcing character of development, democracy, and human rights.
• Improve coordination in DC among the many agencies that participate in development activities, including trade- and investment-focused agencies like the U.S. Trade Representative. Clinton also spoke here about the need to move away from heavy reliance on contractors, and build State and USAID internal capacity with more personnel.
• Focus expertise in a handful of sectors where we can make the biggest impact, including health, agriculture, security, education, energy, and local governance, with technical support and strategic investments.
• Increasing investments in innovation - both technological and "any breakthrough idea that transforms lives and reshapes our thinking."
• Focus more on investing in women and girls (she quipped, "Well, you know the proverb, 'Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, but teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime'? Well, if you teach a woman to fish, she'll feed the whole village.") This includes hiring women to do development work, as well as training local women to carry the torch as U.S. involvement in programs concludes.

Throughout the speech, Clinton focused on ensuring that we can evaluate our development efforts, as well as adapt when what we are doing is not working. She also emphasized sharing our successes with the American people, so they better understand where their money is going and how government development programs are a way of capitalizing on the traditional generosity of Americans towards those in need. The Secretary's formal remarks were followed by a brief question and answer period. Notably, Clinton addressed a few questions about climate finance for developing country adaptation and mitigation. She admitted that ensuring the pledged financing - $10 billion per year now and $100 billion a decade from now - is in addition to current development assistance (and not redistributed from existing development assistance) will be a challenge. The Secretary discussed the uncertainty of Congressional action, and decisions to be made about what agencies will lead on the distribution of the funds.

The Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network, Interaction, and the Cable have their takes on Clinton's remarks posted on their websites.

Read the full text of the speech or watch or listen to it online.