[House Hearing, 113 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
ASSESSING U.S. FOREIGN ASSISTANCE PRIORITIES IN SOUTH ASIA
=======================================================================
HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
APRIL 30, 2014
__________
Serial No. 113-139
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Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
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COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
EDWARD R. ROYCE, California, Chairman
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American
DANA ROHRABACHER, California Samoa
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio BRAD SHERMAN, California
JOE WILSON, South Carolina GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
MICHAEL T. McCAUL, Texas ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey
TED POE, Texas GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia
MATT SALMON, Arizona THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida
TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania BRIAN HIGGINS, New York
JEFF DUNCAN, South Carolina KAREN BASS, California
ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts
MO BROOKS, Alabama DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island
TOM COTTON, Arkansas ALAN GRAYSON, Florida
PAUL COOK, California JUAN VARGAS, California
GEORGE HOLDING, North Carolina BRADLEY S. SCHNEIDER, Illinois
RANDY K. WEBER SR., Texas JOSEPH P. KENNEDY III,
SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania Massachusetts
STEVE STOCKMAN, Texas AMI BERA, California
RON DeSANTIS, Florida ALAN S. LOWENTHAL, California
TREY RADEL, Florida--resigned 1/27/ GRACE MENG, New York
14 deg. LOIS FRANKEL, Florida
DOUG COLLINS, Georgia TULSI GABBARD, Hawaii
MARK MEADOWS, North Carolina JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas
TED S. YOHO, Florida
LUKE MESSER, Indiana
Amy Porter, Chief of Staff Thomas Sheehy, Staff Director
Jason Steinbaum, Democratic Staff Director
------
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio, Chairman
DANA ROHRABACHER, California ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American
MATT SALMON, Arizona Samoa
MO BROOKS, Alabama AMI BERA, California
GEORGE HOLDING, North Carolina TULSI GABBARD, Hawaii
SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania BRAD SHERMAN, California
DOUG COLLINS, Georgia GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia
LUKE MESSER, Indiana WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts
C O N T E N T S
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Page
WITNESSES
The Honorable Nisha Biswal, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South
and Central Asian Affairs, U.S. Department of State............ 6
Ms. Denise Rollins, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau for Asia,
U.S. Agency for International Development...................... 17
LETTERS, STATEMENTS, ETC., SUBMITTED FOR THE HEARING
The Honorable Nisha Biswal: Prepared statement................... 9
Ms. Denise Rollins: Prepared statement........................... 19
APPENDIX
Hearing notice................................................... 36
Hearing minutes.................................................. 37
The Honorable Gerald E. Connolly, a Representative in Congress
from the Commonwealth of Virginia: Prepared statement.......... 38
Written response from the Honorable Nisha Biswal to question
submitted for the record by the Honorable Steve Chabot, a
Representative in Congress from the State of Ohio, and
chairman, Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific................. 41
ASSESSING U.S. FOREIGN ASSISTANCE PRIORITIES IN SOUTH ASIA
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2014
House of Representatives,
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:01 p.m., in
room 2172, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Steve Chabot
(chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.
Mr. Chabot. Good afternoon. The Subcommittee on Asia and
the Pacific welcomes everyone here this afternoon. I am Steve
Chabot, chair of the subcommittee. I want to thank the
gentleman from California, Mr. Ami Bera, for serving as today's
ranking member and also thank the other distinguished people
that are here this afternoon; especially our panel of experts
here.
Mr. Bera and I will each make opening statements of
approximately 5 minutes and then other members, as they come in
will have an opportunity for a minute to also make an opening
statement. Then we will hear from the panel members, and then
we will go to questions. I will begin with my statement now.
Today's hearing was called with the intention of following
up on Secretary Kerry's and Administrator Shah's testimonies at
the full committee in March and early April, but with an
exclusive focus on South Asia. This will give members the
opportunity to ask more specific questions, both about the
Fiscal Year 2015 proposed budget, as well as U.S. strategy
throughout the region.
South Asia continues to be the source of many of the most
critical challenges to U.S. national security and will likely
continue to be in the future. Straddling the Red Sea, Arabian
Sea, Bay of Bengal, and the Java and South China Seas, South
Asia bridges a world fraught with political uprisings and civil
strife to one that will help to drive global politics and the
world's economy. The region encompasses the world's largest
democracy; the second most populous nation; one of the poorest
countries in the world, and a booming youth population making
up nearly 70 percent of the region's entire population.
As the center of the Indian Ocean sphere that extends from
the Middle East to India and south to Indonesia, South Asia is
a subregion in need of strategic stability. The challenges
there are multifaceted and incredibly complex. Nearly every
country that we will discuss today--India, Bangladesh, Sri
Lanka, Nepal, and the Maldives--is trying to lift its
population out of extreme poverty, trying to foster greater
economic development, and fighting to eradicate transnational
terrorist threats. As a result, the Fiscal Year 2015 budget
must focus on enhancing economic openness, improving political
freedoms, and promoting democratic governance.
I am troubled by the fact that 80 percent of the budget for
South Asia is earmarked by solely three Presidential
Initiatives; the Global Health Initiative, Feed the Future, and
Global Climate Change programs. This leaves very little room
for responding to the unexpected. We cannot ignore the broader
national security threats this area of the world faces--
especially its growing susceptibility to extremist groups.
While Afghanistan may not be within the jurisdiction of
this particular subcommittee, the impact of the U.S. withdrawal
from Afghanistan this year certainly remains one of the most
immediate challenges facing the South Asia region. There are
enduring fears that if the withdrawal is not handled well, the
long-term victim will be regional stability. While one of the
administration's priorities for assistance in the region is
advancing economic integration with its New Silk Road programs,
the U.S. also needs to find a way to navigate the ongoing
economic and security transitions in Afghanistan with balancing
Pakistan and Indian interests.
The U.S. has been encouraging India to take a greater role
in Afghanistan, and India has listened by cultivating strong
ties there; but, Pakistan is fearful of those ties, creating a
precarious balancing act. How elections in Afghanistan and
India will impact this relationship and future stability in the
region remains to be seen.
South Asia is also in the midst of a potentially region-
wide political shift. By midsummer, nearly every country in
South Asia will have completed nationwide elections over the
past year--Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, India,
Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. That is a tremendous opportunity for
change--good and bad.
As we saw in Bangladesh earlier this year, the rivalry
between its major political parties left the country in
complete turmoil. I happened to be there some months back and
met with both of the leaders there. Rival factions held
Bangladesh's democratic process hostage, initiated protests
that killed hundreds of people, and wreaked havoc on the
economy. This resulted in a sham election in which only 10
percent of Bangladesh's 154 million voters participated. One
must be concerned, I believe, about the long-term impact of
this ongoing political quagmire.
Bangladesh is a nation we have extolled as the region's
moderate, tolerant, and democratic partner in our fight to end
violent extremism. One can only wonder how the current state of
political instability in the country will affect that role. I
know Assistant Secretary Biswal has traveled to Bangladesh and
has spent a great deal of time on the current state of affairs
there, and I hope we can discuss the situation in some detail
during this hearing.
In Sri Lanka, we continue to be frustrated by reports of
human rights violations, religious intolerance, heavy-handed
military presence in the northern region, and failure to
integrate the minority Tamil population into government and
police agencies. Most recently, we have heard of the
government's intention to scrutinize funding received by NGOs.
I hope our witnesses this afternoon can focus on how U.S.
assistance to Sri Lanka is benefiting the current situation and
what, if any, plans the administration has to adjust our
programs accordingly.
Finally, let me address what I think we can all agree on:
The incredible display of democracy that we are witnessing in
India. Over a 5-week period, nearly 800 million people will go
to the polls to elect their leaders. One can argue that India's
diversity and growing pains are united by the bedrock of its
Constitution which allows for a liberal democratic order--
surely a model for the region.
In India, we do continue to have concerns about protection
of the human rights of women and minorities, and preservation
of religious liberties, particularly concerning rights of
Christians and others, and I hope we can all also address those
concerns today.
While I haven't mentioned Nepal or the Maldives, which also
face important challenges of their own, I hope that our
witnesses today will also discuss U.S. priorities in those
countries.
I would now like to recognize the acting ranking member,
Mr. Bera, for his opening statement. The gentleman is
recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Bera. Thank you, Chairman Chabot, for calling this
important hearing about the administration's Fiscal Year 2015
priorities for South Asia.
Our policy in Asia, as you have already mentioned, is at a
critical juncture, and we must reassure our allies and partners
that we are committed to the region, particularly India. India
remains a strategic partner and geopolitical partner for
Washington. This month, as you have already mentioned, India
launched its 6-week election campaign to democratically elect
its next leaders.
Now, this is a country of over 1.2 billion individuals and
more than 800 million eligible voters. This is democracy in
action. It obviously is a massive undertaking, but it only
underscores the importance of India as an ally as the world's
largest responsible and thriving democracy. And regardless of
who wins the election, I think it is an opportune time for the
United States to broaden our ties with India and reestablish a
trajectory of growth that was remarkable in the last decade. We
also have an opportunity with a new U.S. Ambassador to India
who can also help pave the way toward resettling ties and
strengthening our economic relationship.
As I mentioned previously, in previous hearings, India is
one of our top 20 trading partners. Trade between the United
States and India now tops nearly $100 billion annually in goods
and services. And as the Vice President has mentioned, there is
no reason that we can't get that trajectory to quintuple over
this next decade and take it from $100 billion to $500 billion,
benefits both countries and benefits and strengthens our ties.
And it is in our strategic interest, which go far beyond our
own borders.
India also, working with USAID and others, has now gone
from a traditional aid recipient to becoming a true peer-to-
peer partner that is able to harness its own strengths and
capabilities and partner with the United States. The
administration and India are working on tackling various
development challenges in other countries. For example, both
India and the United States are working closely together to
mitigate food insecurity in Africa. With USAID's assistance,
India has enthusiastically jumped in to host and train around
180 African agriculturists. The farmers are taught agricultural
best practices that lead to sustainability and make their farms
more productive.
India also, as the chairman has mentioned, has played a
critical role and will continue to play a critical role in
economic and infrastructure development in Afghanistan. The
trilateral relationship between the United States, India, and
Afghanistan is incredibly important to help maintain the
stability of the region, particularly in 2014, as the United
States goes through its transition.
In addition, India is incredibly important in the
interconnectivity of the region and with its neighbor and
partner countries. It can provide geopolitical stability by
promoting trade, building infrastructure, and doing business
with its partners.
In addition, our people-to-people contact is also extremely
important. More than 50 percent of India's population is under
the age of 30, and approximately 150 million people are
eligible to vote for the first time this year.
Since India has one of the world's youngest populations, we
should also focus on helping India build its system of higher
education, both its universities, but also its trade and
technical capacity. This is a dividend that not only benefits
both India, but also the benefit to the United States would be
priceless. One possibility arising from investing in Indian
higher education would be to provide our students more
opportunities to study in India as well, thereby strengthening
both our cultural and economic ties, while also building
India's workforce.
As a proud Indian-American, I look forward to intensifying
our alliance with India by fostering innovation, education,
security, and economic engagement.
I want to thank Assistant Secretary Biswal and Acting
Administrator Rollins for joining us today, and I look forward
to your testimony.
And with that, I yield back, Chairman.
Mr. Chabot. Thank you very much.
If any members would like to make an opening statement for
1 minute; I will recognize first of all the gentleman from
California, Mr. Rohrabacher, who is the chairman of the Europe,
Eurasia, and Emerging Threats Subcommittee.
Mr. Rohrabacher. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
We have these hearings, and we are actually supposed to
talk about the big picture, but they also are supposed to
understand the details, and that is what these hearings are all
about. The big picture has dramatically changed in this part of
the world in the last 20 years. The big picture used to be that
the United States was in a Cold War, and Pakistan was our ally
and India was allied with our enemy, the Soviet Union. Now
there is no more Soviet Union, and what you have is Pakistan,
our former ally, now allied with perhaps the greatest threat
that we face today, now that the Soviet Union has disappeared,
and that is an expanding totalitarian China.
Mr. Chairman, I don't find it at all a balancing act that
we have to conduct. Pakistan is on the side of our enemy. India
is now on our side. We should reestablish our priorities and
make sure that India becomes our best friend the same way
Pakistan was during the Cold War. That was a different era. I
look forward to expanding on that thought and hearing from our
witnesses and how that truism, which I think is a truism, or
observation, will impact our policies in the rest of that
region. Thank you very much.
Mr. Chabot. Thank you very much.
Now the gentleman from California, Mr. Sherman, is
recognized for making an opening statement. He is the ranking
member of the Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade
Subcommittee.
Mr. Sherman. Assistant Secretary Biswal, welcome back to
2172.
This committee and this House passed a bill to provide for
a special envoy on religious minorities in the Middle East and
South Asia, expressing the will of the entire House that that
be a real focus of the State Department. Now, the Senate hasn't
exactly established that office, so, as is typical of Congress,
we would like you to accomplish the goals without providing you
with any additional money or staffing. But I think Congress has
shown what you already know, and that is how important it is to
focus on these religious minorities, and I hope that your
bureau would focus on the Hindu minorities of Pakistan and
Bangladesh.
Ms. Rollins, thank you for your focus on the far region of
Sindh and providing 250 million metric tons to deal with the
drought. Thank you, and please do more.
In addition, we have a chance to focus on Sri Lanka at the
conclusion of a civil war there. There are some 90,000 war
widows. And I hope that your program would focus on that, would
focus on the hundreds of thousands of internally displaced
persons, particularly from the north and the east. And this is
a chance to be creative with programs target on intercommunal
harmony and ethnic reconciliation.
So I wish I could appropriate more funds so that you could
do all these things, but knowing the skill of both of you, I am
counting on you to get them done.
Mr. Chabot. Thank you very much. Gentleman's time has
expired.
I will now introduce our distinguished panel here this
afternoon. I will begin with Nisha Biswal, who was sworn in as
Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian
Affairs last October. Previously, Ms. Biswal served as
Assistant Administrator for Asia at USAID. During Ms. Biswal's
tenure, USAID reopened its mission in Burma and transitioned
its programs in various countries to global partnerships in
development cooperation. Ms. Biswal also worked in the Office
of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance and the Office of
Transition Initiatives, and served as chief of staff in the
Management Bureau while at USAID. Before USAID, Ms. Biswal
served as the majority clerk for the House Appropriations
Foreign Operations Subcommittee and as professional staff for
the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where she was responsible
for South Asia. Ms. Biswal has also worked at InterAction and
at the American Red Cross, where she served as an international
delegate in Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan.
We welcome you here this afternoon. You have spoken many
times before this committee and you are always a welcomed
guest.
I will also introduce our second witness, Denise Rollins,
who has been a member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service and
has more than 25 years of international experience. She has
served as USAID's Acting Assistant Administrator for the Bureau
for Asia since September of last year. Prior to that, Ms.
Rollins was Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator, where she
was responsible for overseeing USAID's Asia portfolio. Prior to
her appointment to the Asia Bureau, she was USAID's Mission
Director in Bangladesh. She has additionally served as USAID's
Deputy Mission Director in South Africa, where she oversaw
development programs addressing health, education, local
government, and private sector development. Before joining
USAID, Ms. Rollins served as the senior program officer at the
Africa-American Institute and a legislative assistant for two
Members of Congress. And she is a native of Detroit, Michigan.
We welcome you both here. I am sure you are familiar with
the rules. You will have 5 minutes. There is a lighting system
and the yellow light will remind you that you have 1 minute to
wrap up. We would ask you to stay within the 5 minutes, if at
all possible. We will keep ourselves within the 5 minutes as
well.
Ms. Biswal, you are recognized for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE NISHA BISWAL, ASSISTANT SECRETARY,
BUREAU OF SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIAN AFFAIRS, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
STATE
Ms. Biswal. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I almost feel like
I could dispense with an opening statement because both of you
were so comprehensive in your own statements about the region,
and there is very little difference or distinction in what I
have to add. Nonetheless, I ask that my full statement be
entered into the record, and I will summarize a few key points.
Mr. Chabot. Without objection, so ordered.
Ms. Biswal. Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Bera, members of
the subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to testify today.
It is an honor for me always to appear before this committee,
in particular, and a pleasure to be here alongside my good
friend and colleague, Denise Rollins.
Mr. Chairman, the President's Fiscal Year 2015 budget
request for South Asia comes in at just shy of $350 million,
not including the countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and it
recognizes the important role that the United States continues
to play in supporting democratic development and promoting
economic opportunity in the region.
This hearing is particularly timely given the historic
transitions that are now underway in South Asia. You both have
commented on the incredible display of democracy going on in
India, with 800 million eligible voters. And India's democratic
development, its rise as a confident and capable power that
advances regional stability, security, and prosperity, is
something that the United States welcomes and supports.
And the U.S.-India relationship has continued to mature,
deepen, and grow over successive administrations in both
countries. We continue to facilitate growth in our trade
relationship and ensure new opportunities for businesses in
each other's markets. Our collaboration on energy, science and
technology, environment, space, education, and counterterrorism
continues to deepen. And our security cooperation, Mr.
Chairman, with India is a central element of the broad U.S.-
India strategic partnership. We look forward to working closely
with the next Indian Government to build on these efforts.
In Bangladesh, the tragic collapse of the Rana Plaza
factory 1 year ago has galvanized an international movement to
strengthen worker safety and labor rights in Bangladesh. And
while much remains to be done, the United States and other
international partners have helped make significant progress in
Bangladesh over the past year.
Nepal has also made significant strides, building
democratic institutions after years of conflict. Both
Bangladesh and Nepal, due in large part to our assistance
programs, are both on track to achieve their Millennium
Development Goals related to child and maternal mortality and
have both significantly improved food security for their
people.
In Sri Lanka, while we saw the end of a brutal conflict in
2009, the country is still undergoing a fragile transition. And
while we are disappointed that the government has failed over
the past 4 years to take adequate and meaningful steps to
support accountability and reconciliation, the United States is
committed to working with the people and the Government of Sri
Lanka to strengthen its democracy and to help the country move
toward a more durable pace.
Mr. Chairman, given the elections and transitions underway
in this region, now is a time of enormous opportunity to help
shape a more promising future for the people across South Asia.
And under President Obama and Secretary Kerry's leadership, we
are doubling down, so to speak, in Asia. Despite many
challenges, including weak regional architecture, high poverty
rates, and limited regional infrastructure, we can envision a
future where Asian economies are connected through trade and
transit, from Central Asia to South Asia to Southeast Asia and
beyond.
The administration has placed a strategic bet on regional
economic connectivity through our New Silk Road and Indo-
Pacific Economic Corridor initiatives. We know that peace and
stability are much more likely to be sustained when the
countries of the region are tied together in trade and when
their economies and their people are invested in each other.
Earlier in this month, Afghans turned out in record numbers
to vote, defying threats, intimidation, and violence. Their
courage and determination to protect their democracy shows that
they are committed to a better future for themselves and their
children, a future where a more stable and secure and
prosperous Afghanistan is connected to a stable, secure, and
prosperous region.
On the eastern front of South Asia, we see real opportunity
to connect South and Southeast Asia in light of the historic
transition undergoing in Burma. The improvement of relations
between India and Bangladesh and the growing ties between India
and its ASEAN counterparts allow for more efficient,
integrated, and open markets across the region.
But clearly one of the biggest obstacles to regional
connectivity is India and Pakistan. Trade normalization between
these two historic rivals could be a game changer. And we have
been encouraged by positive signs from Islamabad and New Delhi
that things may be moving in the right direction. We are
hopeful that we will see strong leadership from both
governments following India's election.
Mr. Chairman, let me just conclude by saying that as I look
out over the horizon and assess the challenges and
opportunities for the United States in South Asia, I am struck
by the enormous potential of a region that will be increasingly
consequential to our interests in the years ahead. Much of the
story of the 21st century will be written in this part of Asia,
this part of the world where a little goes a long way and where
our assistance have tremendous positive impact on the ground.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I would be happy to take
questions.
Mr. Chabot. Thank you very much.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Biswal follows:]
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Mr. Chabot. Ms. Rollins, you are recognized for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF MS. DENISE ROLLINS, ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY,
BUREAU FOR ASIA, U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Ms. Rollins. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and distinguished
members of the committee.
Mr. Chabot. Could you turn the microphone on and pull it a
little bit closer so everybody in the room can hear?
Ms. Rollins. All righty.
Mr. Chabot. Thank you.
Ms. Rollins. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and distinguished
members of the subcommittee. I am delighted to be able to
testify today on the role of the United States Agency for
International Development in addressing U.S. foreign policy
priorities and development assistance needs in South Asia.
South Asia has enjoyed steady growth that has helped lift
millions out of poverty while building important new markets
for American exports. At the same time, it remains home to weak
governance systems, persistent natural disasters, and two-
fifths of the world's extreme poor, presenting development
challenges on a grand scale.
USAID works across the region to ensure countries grow
peacefully and sustainably and contribute to greater global
stability. Our assistance promotes economic growth and
democratic opportunity, invests in people and institutions, and
strengthens physical and human security for all ethnic groups,
women, and other marginalized populations.
Our approach is threefold. First, we are advancing regional
economic integration that accelerates the growth of tomorrow's
trade partners while yielding greater stability across South
and Central Asia and Afghanistan. Second, we are building
pathways out of poverty through the three presidential
initiatives: The Global Health Initiative, Feed the Future, and
the Global Climate Change Initiative. And, finally, we are
institutionalizing USAID's new development model in Asia, which
leverages science, technology, innovation, and partnerships to
maximize cost effectiveness and impact.
Through these primary approaches, we have achieved
impressive gains. Through programs addressing South Asia's
mounting energy challenges, we celebrated a major step forward
last December with the completion of a transmission line
between India and Bangladesh that will facilitate electricity
trade for the first time between these two countries.
We assisted India in eradicating polio, a remarkable feat
for a country that reported more the half the global polio
cases up till 2009.
And in cyclone-prone Bangladesh, where I served as USAID's
mission director, we helped end rice deficiencies by partnering
with regional scientists to develop saltwater-tolerant rice
seeds that can survive prolonged flooding and by introducing
technology that places fertilizer under the soil where it is
less likely to be washed away.
Through our FY 2015 budget, as my colleague has said, the
request for 350 million, we will be supporting U.S. foreign
policy priorities through development assistance to India,
Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Funding will
help us seize an unprecedented opportunity across Asia to
leverage new talent and resources from universities to emerging
donors.
Nowhere is that opportunity more evident than India, where
we are transforming our development approach with an
indispensable U.S. partner to harness the strength and
capabilities of both countries, and particularly focused on
tackling the development challenges of the day. We are
partnering with India to share proven innovations and best
practices with other developing countries across Asia and
Africa. And we are deepening our engagement in India on shared
regional and multilateral goals, including advancing the
administration's vision of the New Silk Road.
In Bangladesh, where we continue to focus on labor rights
amid heightened international concern, we are strengthening
democratic governance while carrying out a whole host of other
programming to reduce rampant poverty, from Feed the Future to
global health and environment programs.
In Nepal, we are supporting a nascent democracy and
implementing a new Community Resilience Program launched by
Administrator Shah just 2 months ago. This program will
comprehensively address the needs of the extreme poor, while
increasing their ability to cope with drought, flooding, or
natural disasters.
In Sri Lanka, our assistance will continue to focus on
reconciliation and civil liberties to ensure the United States
remains engaged in a positive, visible way to protect and
expand the space for those advocating for freedom of speech and
human rights. Given the progressively difficult political space
in which we are operating, we are deepening our engagement in
Sri Lanka with civil society and increasing direct support to
nongovernmental organizations to bolster local capacity, to
sustain progress toward long-term peace and inclusive
development.
And finally, Mr. Chairman, in the Maldives, a country in
political transition, our assistance will continue to mitigate
the impacts of climate change on the economy and way of life,
an absolute imperative given the country's highest point is
only 8 feet above the rising sea level.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to conclude by saying that
stability and progress in South Asia is critical to our future.
By continuing USAID support to this region to save lives,
strengthen democracies, and expand opportunities, we are also
advancing our own prosperity and security.
I appreciate the opportunity to testify today and look
forward to your counsel and questions.
Mr. Chabot. Thank you very much.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Rollins follows:]
----------
Mr. Chabot. We appreciate both of your testimonies this
afternoon. Now we will take 5 minutes each to ask questions. I
will recognize myself first.
I will begin with you, Ms. Biswal, if I can. As I mentioned
in my opening statement, I am concerned that 80 percent of the
South Asia budget is earmarked for the Global Health
Initiative, Feed the Future, and Global Climate Change
programs--$276 million out of the $345 million.
Can you explain how this impacts the flexibility in the
budget to respond to crises or needed changes in priorities?
South Asia, because of its geographic location and history, has
a potential to become a breeding ground for terrorist activity.
So how does the budget allow for room to address these issues?
Ms. Biswal. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think that is a very
important question.
First of all, as we see, some of the critical challenges
facing the region are challenges of poverty and human
development. And therefore focus on food security, on health,
and on sustainable development to help the region cope with the
effects of climate change and mitigate and adapt to climate
change I think are certainly very, very important priorities,
especially because 1.6 billion people are inhabiting this
region. So the needs of the population is an important aspect
of stability and security in the region.
We are, however, making sure that we have the room and the
flexibility to be able to address issues of democracy and
governance, issues of economic connectivity and trade, and also
ensure that we are doing more and better on counterterrorism
and on security cooperation.
One of the things that we have sought to do over the years
is try to reserve some level of assistance or some level of
funding for regional programs where we can use those funds as
targets of opportunity open up across the South and Central
Asia region. And we will continue to look for some flexibility
in regional funding to augment the bilateral program so that we
can respond to new challenges and new opportunities in the
region.
Mr. Chabot. Thank you.
Ms. Rollins, let me turn to you if I can. In your
testimony, you discuss that USAID's priorities in Sri Lanka are
to deepen engagement with civil society groups that protect
human rights and promote democracy and good governance, which
we certainly would agree with. At the same time, you
acknowledge that the ability for USAID to carry out much of its
programming in these areas is becoming increasingly difficult.
In light of recent news that the Government of Sri Lanka
will amend current laws regarding foreign funding to NGOs in
order to more closely scrutinize what organizations receive,
are you concerned that this could negatively impact which
organizations we can fund and the effectiveness of our
assistance to support the priorities that you listed?
Ms. Rollins. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for that
question.
We are very concerned about the closing space for civil
society in Sri Lanka. We are working with a number of local
partners to continue to fund these organizations. We are
working not only in the north and the east--as you know, we
have had a very robust humanitarian assistance program in the
north and the east, those populations that were affected by the
civil war--but we are actually now in the process of expanding
to work more with youth organizations to really kind of double
down on reconciliation. What we have discovered is that we have
spent--that the north and the south are areas that really need
our assistance, but we want to make sure that populations in
the south and populations in the north have opportunities to
really work on some of the challenging community issues and get
to know each other better. So we are working on reconciliation.
But we believe that we will be able to continue doing our work
and funding those organizations.
Mr. Chabot. Thank you. I have only a short period of time
left, but I will go back to you, Ms. Biswal.
I mentioned I had been in Bangladesh shortly before the
elections and met with both Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia. I
have met with them previously, both here and over there. I know
them somewhat. When you talk to them, obviously, their point of
views are very different. They are very strong leaders.
Unfortunately, they don't particularly care for each other's
point of views. As far as the election goes, as I had mentioned
in my opening statement, only 10 percent of the people turned
out to vote.
What is the administration doing, either in the background
or out front, to encourage a resolution of this matter and a
real election so that we don't get 10 percent, but a lot higher
number and you have a legitimate government in place?
Ms. Biswal. Mr. Chairman, first of all, let me just thank
you for the very timely visit that you made to Bangladesh and
the important contribution you made toward trying to reach some
sort of political dialogue. Your ongoing engagement and the
interest of the U.S. Congress has been an important factor.
We have pressed the government on political inclusion
because we believe that all of the gains that Bangladesh has
made in its economy, in its development trajectory, that all of
those gains are fragile and unsustainable in the long term if
it does not have political stability, and political stability
is not possible without some greater degree of political
inclusion. So this I think is both a short-term and a long-term
undertaking for us in our engagement with the Bangladeshi
Government and with Bangladeshi people writ large and civil
society organizations.
In the short term, I don't think we have seen a tremendous
amount of movement. But we continue to engage with our
counterparts in the international community as well as with the
United Nations on trying press for support to the Election
Commission, support to political parties at the grassroots
level, and processes that can help create a more inclusive
environment. I can't say to you that we have made tremendous
progress in the short term, but I think we are committed to
staying engaged in the long term to try to move this forward.
Mr. Chabot. Okay. Thank you. I would just encourage the
administration, either behind the scenes or to the extent they
are able to do everything possible to encourage a resolution of
this because if it is not resolved, I am afraid the violence is
going to escalate. They are an ally, a good ally, of the United
States and one that has traditionally been looked upon as a
model for a moderate Muslim country--it could become just the
opposite. We don't want to see that happen.
I now recognize the gentleman from California, the ranking
member, Mr. Bera.
Mr. Bera. Thank you, Chairman Chabot.
Both of us in our opening statements and both of our
witnesses mentioned historic transitions in a very rapid
timeframe. We all reference India's historic elections and the
real opportunity as these elections come to a close and a new
leader emerges in India to reestablish very strong ties with a
close ally.
The importance of this is underscored with India's role in
the interconnectivity of the region. Both of you in your
opening testimony made reference not only to the importance of
this interconnectivity, building regional trade relationships,
looking for additional trade normalization between India and
Pakistan, and then certainly, underlying that, looking at how
to address the energy needs. Ms. Rollins referenced the energy
connection between India and Bangladesh as well.
Maybe we will start with Ms. Biswal. If you would like to
expand on the possibilities of what is possible there as we go
through this transition and that interconnectivity.
Ms. Biswal. Thank you, Congressman. We think that there is
a tremendous amount of potential and possibility for further
deepening and expanding the U.S.-India relationship. The past
decade and a half has seen just an exponential growth in the
way that our two countries engage and the points of
connectivity between our societies. That growth has been
through successive administrations in the United States,
Democratic and Republican. It has been through successive
administrations and governments in India, BJP-led and Congress-
led.
And we look forward to the outcome of this election and we
look forward to engagement with the new government that will
take this to new heights. We see opportunity in expanding
defense cooperation. We see opportunity, as you noted and as
the Vice President challenged us, in growing our trade
relationship from the very substantial 100 billion two-way
trade that we have currently to a 500 billion two-way trade
over the next decade.
We see opportunity in India's efforts to expand its Look
East policy, its connectivity to ASEAN. We have a trilateral
dialogue between the United States, India, and Japan that is
focused on that connectivity. And we see opportunity in
connecting India and South Asia to Central Asia. So the scope
for expanding our government-to-government, our business-to-
business, our people-to-people ties is tremendous as we look at
the years ahead.
Mr. Bera. Great. And, again, I think to paraphrase that, a
strong India and a strong ally in India helps stabilize the
region and then also creates opportunities as it looks east and
partners with its neighbor countries.
Ms. Rollins, if you might want to expand on some of the
role of USAID in helping that interconnectivity and that
partnership.
Ms. Rollins. Thank you very much, Mr. Congressman.
Over the last 2 years we have at USAID really transformed
our relationship with India, so that--and I believe you
mentioned that in your opening statement--that we are no longer
looking at this as donor/recipient, but as partners.
And India is particularly interested in working in other
areas of the world. And so we have partnered with them on
really looking at how can we leverage their creative,
innovative technologies and use those technologies for
development programs in other parts of the world. So, for
example, you mentioned the agricultural training that goes on
in India and India's institutions. And they go back to their
countries and actually begin to implement some of those
programs so that they can increase agricultural production.
Also, one of the activities that we are very excited about
is called the Millennium Alliance, and that is where we have
partnered with the Government of India as well as the
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry to
catalyze local solutions to development challenges.
Mr. Bera. Great. Thank you.
I see that I am almost out of time. So with that, I will
actually yield back, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chabot. Thank you. The gentleman yields back.
The gentleman from California, Mr. Rohrabacher, is
recognized 5 minutes.
Mr. Rohrabacher. Thank you very much.
I think it is fascinating to see that India and Pakistan
started off pretty much the same back in the 1940s when there
was the split, and that Pakistan now and India seem to be going
in totally different directions. And I think that India people
are projecting very positive things for India. I don't know if
they are projecting it for Pakistan or not.
And am I correct in assuming that if indeed this is the
case, where India is outpacing Pakistan, although they are
basically of the same similar racial background and similar
type of people, but they have different relationships to
religion, number one, which is part of their system in
Pakistan, and you have more freedom of religion in India;
education, which in India has really placed an important
priority on education, and Pakistan seems to have been
relegated in education to madrassas and radical Islamic
information distribution centers; and also, finally, and
correct me if I am wrong, has not India gone out of its way to
make sure that half of its population is not so discriminated
against that they can't make the contribution to their society,
namely, women? Are these observations on my part, are they in
the ballpark or am I just philosophizing about something that
doesn't exist? I am asking both of you. That is fine.
Ms. Biswal. Mr. Rohrabacher, the way that I would frame it
is that increasingly what we are hearing from, whether it is
Pakistan, whether it is Afghanistan, whether it is any of the
countries in the region, is that they see that having trade,
having connectivity with their neighbors is fundamentally in
their interest, that you cannot have a viable economy in
today's world without being able to have those relationships.
Mr. Rohrabacher. I will have to admit, I didn't mention
trade in any of those. Treatment of women, education, and that
type of thing.
Ms. Biswal. We certainly think that an inclusive society,
an inclusive economy, a tolerant society, a tolerant and
inclusive society is going to be a more stable and more
prosperous one.
Mr. Rohrabacher. Right. And I think that surely we should
keep an eye on this to see exactly what the type of values and
freedom mean to people's uplifting of their standard of living.
Certainly, I think if you relegate half of your population to
inferior roles or having to wear outfits that they can't even
look through or something, that that is no way to build an
economy. You are cutting yourself off from a huge amount of
wealth production that way.
One last thought about our Government's policy. This $40
million that we are talking about to the Maldives and to that
area of the world dealing with climate change, and you
mentioned the Maldives and the rising water, how can we spend
money that will prevent the ocean from rising? First of all,
first question, is there any specific evidence? What do we have
that says that the ocean level is rising and that this is due
to a manmade global warming?
Ms. Rollins. Thank you, Mr. Rohrabacher.
So in the Maldives we are looking at $2 million in 2015----
Mr. Rohrabacher. Two million. What are we doing with $2
million. Even if it is $2 million, I mean, if you are talking
about the oceans going up, some of us have trouble thinking
that this is caused by humankind. But one way or the other,
what do you do with $2 million that is going to deter the ocean
from rising?
Ms. Rollins. We have two primary environmental projects:
One is working to save the coral reefs, the other one is
focused on water management for one of the islands. The
Maldives is comprised of 1,100 islands. So we are working on
two that are the most vulnerable.
Mr. Rohrabacher. Okay. And you say that the reefs, saving
the reefs and these things will trace back to the idea of
global warming. But then again of course we can agree to
compromise and say that there are environmental challenges that
include the reefs and these things that may not have anything
do with the internal combustion engine and the production of
CO2. So I accept that. Thank you very much.
Ms. Rollins. Thank you.
Mr. Chabot. Gentleman's time has expired.
The gentlelady from Hawaii, Ms. Gabbard, is recognized for
5 minutes.
Ms. Gabbard. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you both for joining us today here.
I am wondering if you can speak briefly, I have two
questions, the first one on the growing and strengthening
China-Pakistan relationship, with recent investments from
China, multibillion-dollar investments really being welcomed by
Pakistan. I am curious about how this impacts the dynamic both
with India and overall within the region, either directly or
indirectly impacting the New Silk Road economic initiative.
Ms. Biswal. Thank you, Congresswoman. What I would note is
that we don't believe in a closed or exclusive trade
architecture. We believe that infrastructure connectivity,
trade connectivity, needs to go in all directions, north,
south, east, and west, and that connectivity in trade to China
is important for the region, just as connectivity between
Central Asia and South Asia or between South Asia and Southeast
Asia. It needs to go in all directions. When you start having
more exclusive arrangement, that is when we think it, one,
closes off opportunity; two, creates unstable dependencies;
and, three, fundamentally doesn't serve the interests of the
people of the region.
And so what we have been very careful to note to our
counterparts, whether it be China or Russia or anyone else, is
that we want to support economic ties that go in all
directions, that create open, rules-based trade systems. And,
therefore, our efforts in the region are in augmenting and
supplementing some of the historic ties that have already been
put in place that go in one direction. We are trying to make
those expand in multiple directions. And so we are trying to
take the connectivity that may exist, for example, between
Pakistan and China and try to also expand that to include
Central Asia and South Asia.
Ms. Gabbard. What do you think is the critical component to
getting India and Pakistan to overcome their differences as you
move forward with these new initiatives?
Ms. Biswal. You know, I think that the population in both
countries overwhelmingly support improved relations and
certainly increased economic activity. I think that there is
increasing recognition in both countries that for both
economies to grow, for both countries to achieve their goals
and aspirations, that they need to be able to trade with each
other. And we are hopeful that that recognition will result in
some concrete actions in the coming weeks and months as the
election in India concludes and a new government comes into
place.
Ms. Gabbard. And lastly, we have coming up later this year
in primarily May and June the RIMPAC exercises. And as you
know, this will be the first year that both India and China
will be participating. It is the largest international
exercise, it will be the 24th one that has occurred.
And I am wondering if you can talk maybe a little bit more
generally about our military-to-military engagements, both with
India, but also across South Asia, and how this is developing--
I don't really like the word ``rebalance'' or ``pivot''--but as
we look toward investing further within the Asia-Pacific
region.
Ms. Biswal. Well, I would respond by first noting that we
do more exercises between the United States and India than
virtually any other country. The relationship, the defense
cooperation, the security cooperation between the United States
and India has grown exponentially over the past decade, and it
has grown because we see that a more capable Indian security
presence is a force for stability across the region. And so we
want to support that and invest in that capability.
We also see that doing joint exercises across the Asian
space again enhances stability and security for all of the
countries of that region and is therefore fundamentally in our
own interest. And so we have seen a stepping up of those
exercises with multiple players and multiple parties. We noted
that India invited Japan to participate in the Malabar
exercises, and we hope that those are again trend lines that
will continue to grow and expand in the coming years.
We are also seeing Bangladesh taking on a greater role,
particularly in peacekeeping. And we see that again that there
is great scope for engaging with and supporting Bangladesh's
role over the coming years. We have made it very clear, though,
with all of the countries in the region that part and parcel of
our ability to engage and expand our cooperation on defense and
security issues that respect for human rights and the rule of
law and ensuring that the military plays a very clear role in
its bounds and its operations within the country, that those
are very, very important to us in terms of how we engage with
that military.
Ms. Gabbard. Thank you very much.
Mr. Chabot. Thank you. The gentlelady yields back.
We will now go into a second round if any other members are
interested in asking questions. It may not be a full 5 minutes
but I will begin with myself.
Let me turn to Nepal for just a moment. Ms. Biswal, in your
testimony you mentioned that the State Department continues to
regularly engage with the Nepali Government on the
``gentleman's agreement'' which allows recently arrived Tibetan
refugees to transmit through Nepal to India under the
protection of UNHCR. Earlier this month, a human rights report
documented the repression faced by Tibetans who cross into
Nepal, raising concerns that Nepal in some cases is forcibly
returning Tibetans to China. While I understand the gentleman's
agreement is more of a provisional arrangement, this is
concerning.
Can you provide us with more details about your engagement
with Nepal on this issue, the challenges you have encountered
and whether you are seeing a situation in which China's
influence there is superseding any agreements we have with
Nepal on this important issue?
I had an opportunity a couple years back to visit Nepal.
While in Kathmandu, we went to one of the reception centers
where we saw and met with several hundred people who had fled
from Tibet and were on their way to India. Mainly India, but a
few to other places. So, it is important when you have actually
seen the faces, and many of them are very young people. If you
could respond I would appreciate it.
Ms. Biswal. Mr. Chairman, let me first note that Nepal has
been a long and generous host to Tibetan refugees. For more
than 50 years they have hosted refugees and have committed to
protect those refugees, both the longstanding community as well
as the new arrivals that are transiting to India.
We have noted the growing pressure within Nepal, and we are
engaged with the government on that. And if you don't mind,
what I would like to do is take for the record and bring back
to you a more fulsome response on some of the engagements that
our Ambassador has undertaken, as well as our Bureau for
Population, Refugees, and Migration, which have both been
working very closely in addressing those issues.
Mr. Chabot. I would greatly appreciate that. I assume it is
not the same Ambassador now as was there a couple of years ago?
Ms. Biswal. It is Ambassador Peter Bodde, who arrived in
Nepal just about 1\1/2\ years, 2 years ago. The previous
Ambassador was Scott DeLisi.
Mr. Chabot. Right. Yeah, we were very impressed with him
but you can continue. I didn't mean to interrupt you there.
Ms. Biswal. No, no, not at all. I think that this has been
a very high priority for the United States and our engagement
in Nepal. We have worked with closely with the government to
ensure that the rights of the Tibetan refugees are respected
and that their ability to transit is also facilitated.
Mr. Chabot. Okay. Thank you. Let me turn back to India for
a moment. The administration says that transitioning its
assistance relationship with India from a donor/recipient to an
peer-to-peer partnership is one of its greatest achievements
and now serves as a model for other developing countries. Could
you be specific and let us know what you mean by that?
Ms. Biswal. Sure. Why don't I make a couple of comments and
then turn to my colleague from USAID.
Mr. Chabot. That is fine.
Ms. Biswal. You know, I started that transition when I was
at USAID a few years ago, and it is fundamentally a recognition
that while India continues to have many development challenges,
it is also the source of tremendous development innovation. And
so as we seek to work with and partner with India, it is on the
basis that we have as much to learn as we have to provide and
that in partnering with India in how it addresses development
challenges, that we can also provide cost-effective solutions
at scale in other parts of the world.
And so we are going from a donor/recipient to much more of
a peer-to-peer relationship where the Indians are putting in
resources, both financial resources and in terms of human
capital and knowledge in how we are addressing, whether it is
food security, whether it is health, how we are addressing
development challenges through innovation and through public-
private partnerships.
Mr. Chabot. Okay. Thank you.
Ms. Rollins, did you want to add a few things?
Ms. Rollins. Sure. I would be happy to, sir.
Mr. Chabot. Thank you.
Ms. Rollins. When we talk about this new dynamic there in
India, we are looking at how do we engage not only the Indian
Government, but the Indian private sector, charitable
organizations, high net worth individuals, universities, et
cetera, in addressing development challenges.
So a little earlier I had mentioned about the Millennium
Alliance, which is an example of that, where they matched us
50-50 in developing this new program that actually goes out and
it seeks new and innovative proposals to address, it could be
on TB, how to deal with multidrug-resistant TB; how do you work
in communities to encourage more women to have health-seeking
behaviors; looking at ways in which we can use clean energy
more effectively.
And in this particular program, the Millennium Alliance,
actually they received 1,400 proposals that they reviewed, got
down to about 300, and then eventually provided grants to about
20 different organizations, looking at specific science,
technology, innovations that could be at some point scaled up
and then of course transferred to other countries.
So I believe when we talk about this new arrangement in
India, the transformation, we are really talking about
expanding our partnerships. And it is not just government to
government, but it is working with a much broader community in
the country to address development challenges.
Mr. Chabot. Thank you very much.
I will conclude now. I gave an additional 5 minutes and I
could go for a long time but I am going to hold myself to that
5 minutes, even though we don't have any other members here, at
least up on the panel here to hold me to it. I will do it
myself.
In the last Congress, I chaired the Middle East
Subcommittee, and at that time, South Asia was part of the
Middle East Subcommittee. Then things shifted around a bit and
now I have Asia and the Pacific, which includes South Asia. In
the administration's rebalance, or pivot--there are various
terms that are thrown around--but the emphasis on Asia and how
important it is, unfortunately, I think sometimes South Asia
and other very important countries don't get the focus that
they should, that they deserve, they need. And that is not only
in their interest, but it is in the U.S.' interest to make sure
that the refocusing and rebalancing is going to South Asia as
well. This hearing this afternoon was part of that.
I want to thank both members of the panel here for giving
us excellent testimony and participating. We certainly
appreciate it.
All members will have 5 days to revise their statements or
submit additional questions. If there is no further business to
come before the committee, we are adjourned. Thank you.
[Whereupon, at 3:02 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
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