Criteria for Engagement

IS THE OPPORTUNITY OR THREAT AN IMPORTANT U.S. FOREIGN POLICY INTEREST? 

In consultation with USAID Missions, the Department of State, the Department of Defense, the National Security
Council, and with the consent of Congress, OTI seeks to focus its resources where they will have the greatest impact on U.S. diplomatic and security interests.

IS THERE A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY: A DECISIVE SHIFT IN THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE THAT CREATES AN OPENING TO SUPPORT VIABLE LOCAL POLITICAL WILL?

OTI can neither create a transition nor impose democracy, but it can identify and amplify the efforts of key individuals and groups who are committed to peaceful, participatory reform.

CAN OTI'S MODEL BRING A COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE TO SUPPORT POSITIVE POLITICAL MOMENTUM DURING THE CRITICAL PERIOD?

OTI ensures that its programs neither duplicate nor substitute other U.S. Government efforts, reserving its resources for those situations in which it can make a unique contribution.

DOES THE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT ALLOW FOR OTI'S SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES TO BE OPTIMIZED?

OTI is an operational office with staff working on the ground at the community level. OTI's comparative advantage lies in its experience working in some of the world's most sensitive and dangerous places. There must be enough stability to enable programming to reach outside of the capital to implement and monitor OTI-managed activities.