Russia is advancing plans to revamp its international advancement efforts, with U.S.
foreign aid designs serving as inspiration, the head of the state cultural diplomacy company saidTuesday.The effort reflects Russias wider push to assert its presence on the worldwide stage in the middle of Western sanctions and growing competitors for influence in developing areas, particularly in the Global South.The Foreign Ministry is currently drafting legislation focused on better handling Russias foreign aid and development programs, Rossotrudnichestvo head Yevgeny Primakov told the RBC news outlet, with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) functioning as a model.Primakov stated Russia does not intend to competing USAID straight, but that even matching nations such as Finland ...
would be a substantial accomplishment.Under present regulations, Rossotrudnichestvo needs separate federal government decrees for each worldwide advancement task, which Primakov referred to as ineffective.
He stated that official legislation would improve transparency and enable more purposeful tactical planning.He likewise argued that the new agency needs to put more focus on direct humanitarian influence abroad than Rossotrudnichestvo.We live in an active world, so we too must be active, he said.Rossotrudnichestvos yearly budget plan of roughly 5.5 billion rubles (about $70 million) is largely consumed by overhead expenses covering 80 offices in 70 countries, while only a quarter is directed toward active project financing, he added.USAID was established in 1961 by President John F.
Kennedy to provide international humanitarian and development assistance.Russia itself had prohibited USAID in 2012, accusing it of attempting to affect political processes.
Since Donald Trumps return to the White House in January, 83% of USAID programs have been cut and 94% of staff laid off, with its remaining programs soaked up by the State Department.