The U.S. State Department will soon create a group that is expected to build on its efforts to tighten relations with civil society groups worldwide.   Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Tara Sonenshine will lead the new Global Philanthropy Working Group, whose job will be to boost cooperation between the U.S. government and top foundations, and develop partnerships supporting civil society organizations.   The working group will be formed ...

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The Millennium Challenge Corp. signed May 10 its latest funding commitment: a $354.8 million compact to improve water, sanitation and drainage services in Zambia.   The five-year compact will support the Water Supply, Sanitation and Drainage Project, a two-component initiative that covers infrastructure and capacity-building activities in Zambia’s capital city. The infrastructure component includes the rehabilitation and expansion of Lusaka’s water suppl...

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Aid advocates are unsurprisingly disappointed over a House subcommittee’s approval of $2 billion worth of cuts in the U.S. foreign aid budget. But one aid expert cautions that the worst is yet to come.   The House Appropriations subcommittee on State and foreign operations approved May 9 — without amendments — its version of the fiscal 2013 U.S. international affairs spending bill. It provides $40.1 billion in regular discretionary funding for the ...

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  An influential House subcommittee will vote May 9 on a proposal to reduce funding for U.S. bilateral aid and global health programs, and impose “significant cuts” to the country’s contributions to multilateral development banks and climate-related funds.   The Republican-led House Appropriations subcommittee on State and foreign operations’ markup of the draft 2013 international affairs spending bill kicks off fiscal 2013 congressional budget d...

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