FEEEDS Global Issues Update: Concordia's 2021 Summit Report, Women's Health Index, Democracy Regression & Climate Change/COP26

As a follow-up to its recent, and well-respect annual summit, always held on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, Concordia's 2021 event highlighted the state of the world's social and business issues. This year's Concordia Summit, its 11th, had nearly 300 speakers addressing international issues. You can learn more by reading the report on the summit now live, as well as review some of the key factoids around global issues, which were  highlighted at the 4-day event(2021 summit: by the numbers). The Summit was held both virtually, and with limited in-person interaction. 

Ambassador Sanders, as a global advocate on key development issues, is a senior advisor to Concordia. One of the key session for Dr. Sanders, as CEO-FEEEDS, was the data presentation on the Women's Health Index done by Hologic with polling done in partnership by Gallup World Poll on key health concerns for women. The Index focuses on health issues as well as servicing gaps for women world-wide in some 116 countries based on interviews with 120,000 women. Other issues during the Summit which resonated with FEEEDS' advocacy were turn-backs on democracy, COVID'pushing more people into extreme poverty, and  COP26. Below are some highlights on these key FEEEDS's advocacy issues, which were highlighted by various speakers in various ways during the Summit:

-- Turn-backs on Democracy:  Pressures on democracy (what FEEEDS calls "Democracy Regression") continues to increase across every region of the world, through both government and unilateral actions (from Myanmar to Brazil and coups in West Africa) as well as extreme societal and political divides in countries like the United States, France, Germany and India;

-- COVID-19 & Poverty: COVID-19, is not only turning back the clock on previous global efforts to reduce poverty (2000-2015 MDGs & 2015-2030 SDGS underway now), but possibly pushing another 97 million more people into extreme poverty (define as less than $1.90/day). We must step up and make three-times the effort to get back to pre-pandemic levels, which in and of themselves were stark. Pre-pandemic 2019 levels had 635 million people (see chart on 2015-2020) living in extreme poverty, even though great global reductions had been achieved year-on-year over the last decade. COVID-19 not only stopped progress, but turned back the clock on poverty reduction. The most recent extreme global poverty figures by the World Bank has the combined the 2019 pre-pandemic poverty figure (635 miilion), with the COVID-driven additional 97 million -- resulting in a projected 2021 total figure of  711 million people who face extreme poverty today. (NB: U.S., Brazil & India, in that order, had highest COVID deaths);

-- Climate Change & COP26: Bottom line is faster action and larger financial commitments are needed to reduce the affects of climate change by both governments, business, and institutions. Underscoring these two points, numerous Concordia's Summit sessions further stressed that we need to move three times faster in order to reach the net zero goal of reducing carbon emissions by 1.5˚C. In addition, there needs to be more action on helping with climate refugees and climate famine as both are growing at alarming rates.  It was recognized that a lot depended, of course, on what the 26th United Nations' climate change meeting of the Conference of Parties in Glasgow, United Kingdom produced, (better known as COP26). So far here is where we are on a few areas coming out of COP26 (section will be updated as other commitments come in and are clarified):

-- 100 world leaders attended;

-- 450 global businesses promised to climate reduction by 2023, valued at  USD$130 trillion;1

-- Net 0 - United Kingdom announced it would become a "net zero financial center," where firms would publish their climate actions;2 

-- $11 billion pledged by the United States to help developing countries with climate change;3

-- $19 billion committed by 100 countries to address deforestation and forest degradation, including assistance with rebuilding and rejuvenating the world's forest over the  next 8 years. Included in this pledge was $1.7billion to assist and support indigenous peoples in the world's key rain forest area. (NB: Of note, rain forest areas as large as the United Kingdom were lost last year due to climate change; 85 percent of the world's forest are in Brazil, Congo Basin & Indonesia. Dr. Sanders has been to all three);4

-- 100 countries signed on to the U.S. & UK led push for reductions in methane gas, another contributor to climate change CO2 emissions;  (NB: Top U.S. CO2  emissions in this order are fossil fuels (transportation, industry, electricity, homes & businesses); agriculture (methane gas); unmanaged land and forestry use.5

 -- 40 countries also pledged to shift away from coal/fossil fuel. However, there is a lot of leeway in what this might mean from new investments to financing and production.  Varying dates for ending total use were conveyed. Biggest polluters -- China, U.S., Australia, India and Japan -- did not sign onto this pledge.6

-- $105 billion committed to help spur green energy projects in developing nations was also pledged.7

resource notes:

1. World News Live, CGTN 11/4/21

2. World News Live & BBC news 11/3/21

3. World News Live, CGTN, BBC news & NPR 11/2/21

4. World News Live, CGTN & BBC news 11/3/21

5.  COP26 11/2/21

6. BBC & Reuters 11/4/21

7. NYTimes online 11/4/21

A FEEEDS Series Blogspot
 

COVID-19 & Africa SMEs: Refocus, Reimagine,Regionalize & Revamp-Financing! By Dr. Robin Sanders

(published also in Allafrica.com, June 12, 2020-https://allafrica.com/stories/202006120965.html)
It's time to zero in and take an in-depth look at the impact of COVID-19 on Africa SMEs -- particularly the assistance they need in the midst of and following this pandemic. Now is the time to Refocus, Reimagine, Regionalize, and Revamp-Financing for Africa's SME! The sector, as most African countries currently appreciate, is a key catalyst  and driver for the region's economic growth, development, job creation, transformation, and growing the middle class. 
These four R's -- Refocus, Reimagine, Regionalize, and Revamp-Financing -- are fundamental to increasing assistance; offering more tools; expanding regional trade options; and ensuring there's more SME COVID financing. All with the goal of being transformative and helping small businesses weather the peri-COVID (as lockdowns ease), and post-COVID periods.

Where We Are:
As COVID-19 continues its march across the Africa Region, with over 267,000 people infected, and more than 7000 deaths (links are dashboard-live), experts from around the Continent are searching for different therapeutic solutions, including traditional remedies (Madagascar's Artemisia Annua) to this deadly virus. 
The impacts of the crisis range from reduced trade, vast unemployment, further underemployment, closure of schools and businesses (hitting SMEs hard), and an uptick in food insecurity (on top of East Africa's locust infestation). The World Bank has projected a negative (-2.1 to -5.1) Africa economic growth rate for 2020-2021, making this the first time in 25 years that the region will face a Continent-wide recession. The magnitude of the health crisis also exacerbates existing issues such as: weaknesses in country health and education sectors (i.e. 200 doctors per 1000 people, few with national healthcare systems); COVID mental health issues; and, nearly 243 million African children not in school out of a world-wide figure of 1.6 billion (World Bank, WFP).1 
Thus far, economic remedial responses have included: 

• Country central banks and finance ministries trying to manage stressed budgets and mobilize limited capital to combat falling GDPs.
• African initiatives from the African Development Bank, (USD$3 billion), Africa Export-Import Bank (USD$3 billion), and the African Union/Africa CDC (USD$420 million requested, USD$61.5 million received).
• African private sector is pledging USD$150 million; while, multilateral institutions (World Bank, IMF) are contributing $18 billion in assistance to governments. 
• Debt relief from G-20, and bilateral donors (although good, but not comprehensive enough, as most African debt is commercial, e.g. bonds).  
  
  

All of these are welcome initiatives. That being said,  McKinsey's Africa Division in a May 19, 2020, virtual brief (attended by CEO-FEEEDS) estimates USD$50 billion is required now to help Africa SMEs weather COVID. For African startups, the picture is even more stark as investments toward them have drop by USD$80 million. To date, only USD$20 billion has been dedicated overall to the sector, reflecting that more strategically needs to be done.2

There is a strong now-argument that long-term thinking, rather than short, temporary fixes need to materialize. We already see challenges in the region with short-term policies focused on 2-3- month temporary financing or benefits. But, hunger, and economic uncertainty continue to rise, along with the stark possibility that many SMEs may not bounce back. So, what to do and how to start addressing these issues strategically for the sector? Here is where the four R's come in and can have impact.

Refocus & Re-Imagine!
Africa SMEs like most small business sectors around the world, tend to be where creativity, innovation, and imagination thrive. Refocusing and Reimaging means supercharging what Africa SMEs are doing, can do, and opening up new avenues for their growth. If an African nation has SMEs in (or the potential to be in) sectors such as software/app development, digitization, healthcare, education, transportation, small scale manufacturing or farming, then help them (policies, financially) re-invent all or part of their businesses. This includes advancing any elements that can have "touchless," client action -- as this will be key in the peri-COVID and post-COVID periods. One can see with sites like Nigeria's "Okra," (links bank accounts to apps),  Jumia (Amazon-like shopping), and Sokowatch (Kenya-based merchant-supplier hub linking East Africa) all currently have increased usage as African consumers become more accustom and trusting of these services.3

More Africa nations should consider creating small business ministries (or dedicated agencies), so that SME policy and financial needs are not subsumed under a broader ministry like trade or industry. Presently, there are only three countries (Liberia, Republic of Congo, and South Africa) with standalone ministries of small, and medium size enterprises. South Africa was the last to make this change in 2016. FEEEDS has advocated for the key role of SMEs in nation building since 2011; for separate SMEs ministries with numerous Africa country leaders since 2017; and in Sanders' book Rise of Africa SMEs; and, in a range of business articles from Nigeria's Guardian to Allafrica.com.4

If establishing a SME ministry is not possible then increasing the existence of separate SME agencies, functioning like small business administration where policy, financing, support, training and credit can all be housed. Basically, a SME one-stop shop handling across-the-board needs, is what is missing. There are some good examples of the "agency-like," option in countries like Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal and Uganda. But, whatever is done -- more SME ministries, or agencies -- the result must be an Africa vision and version, localized for country needs.

The U.S. has the Small Business Administration (SBA), servicing some 30 million US small businesses. Interestingly, 80 percent of U.S. small businesses are female-owned, similar to Africa where women mostly run micro, small, and informal businesses. Unfortunately, the similarities continue in other not so positive areas. An April 28, 2020, "CNN-Quest Means Business," broadcast estimates that 50 percent of U.S. small businesses (mostly female-owned) may not be able to bounce back post-COVID.  The numbers are equally as high for Africa SMEs, meaning the livelihoods of women are the most affected.5

One silver lining though, reflective of the entrepreneurial spirit of small businesses, and female-owned ones in particular, are the numerous examples of reimaging already underway during COVID by SMEs world-wide, such as ATM-like structures in Vietnam dispensing rice to combat hunger, and great Africa SME solutions such as:6

• Burkina Faso & DRC: pedal-powered or automatic, water-conserving handwashing machines in front of supermarkets.
• DRC: fashion designers such as Hanifa Designs, using 3D-printing, avatars, and 3D animation models to launch runway Internet fashion show.
• Egypt: bakeries moving from traditional baking to ready-made, untraditional boxed baking mixes (Cairo's Nola Bakery).
• Kenya: small businesses, manufacturers, and technical institutions retooling from school uniforms (DEKUT), garden cloths, fashions and textiles to making regular and surgical masks; app-driven independent delivery services (GLOVO); Zoom-like virtual meeting platform (Gumzo); "boot" groceries shops (conversion of car trunks to small stores); (Sokowatch).
• Nigeria: social enterprise radio programs for e-learning, given lack of computers and Internet/broadband access, broadcasting in 12 states (ACE Charity).
• Tanzania: "The Corona-Check App" using artificial intelligence so one can self-check symptoms and personal data is reportedly protected; ExamNet app to assist students prepare for year-end exams (in English and Kiswahili). 
• South Africa: low-pressurized, self-sustaining COVID health pods; low pressure reduces spread, better protects healthcare workers, and helps patient's breath; Saloodo! cargo app (eliminates face-to-face bookings), addressing Zimbabwe-Botswana-South Africa border backlogs.
• Senegal & Madagascar: conversion to more manufacturing of traditional remedies like Artemisia Annua (Natura-Bio Dakar, Zahana Madagascar).  
• Sudan: converting mini buses to field hospitals, or  ambulances.
• Rwanda, Uganda, & South Africa: setting up bleached-laced handwashing stations at super markets and transport sites.

Despite these praiseworthy examples, challenges remain in permanently (not temporarily), moving the needle forward on strategic comprehensive, long-term support to Africa SMEs. The answers lie in regionalizing and revamping the approach to financing.

Regionalize: Enter AfCTA - Its Supply Chains
First, hats off to the Africa Free Trade Agreement (AfCTA), given that prior to COVID-19, it had already included in its various working groups a focus on Africa SMEs. Although, COVID-19 put the July 1, 2020, implementation on hold until late 2020 or early 2021, the new AfCTA Secretary-General, Wamkele Mene, said that he "saw the Agreement as being a key tool for Africa's post-COVID recovery," (6/10/20 virtual brief).7   In addition the AfCTA has created an "Africa Business Council," which will be the vehicle for stakeholders businesses, particularly working with the Regional Economic Communities' (RECs) efforts to incorporate SMEs into various related aspects of the AfCTA and regional trade.8

That being said, we all know that Africa SMEs have historically struggled with barriers to regional markets, such as cross border trade of goods and services, high tariffs and taxes, and logistical impediments. More recently though, there is a double appreciation of both the economic value of Africa SMEs as they contribute 50% to the region's GDP (McKinsey 5/19/20 virtual) and because they cannot be left out of any trade discussions like AfCTA, or the current US-Kenya Trade negotiations as so underscored by Kenya President Kenyatta (6/18/20 virtual brief), which began July 7, 2020, and are ongoing. However, ensuring sustainable supply chains for SMEs must also be included in these discussions. Resolving and regionalizing supply-chains and value-additions will make the difference for small businesses (larger ones too) between surviving and thriving. A few recommendations for Africa SMEs or policy makers to consider:

• Examine where SME past suppliers were; can they be localized, or regionalized.
• Rethink procurement processes (digitalization).
• Repurpose part of an SME business, keeping as many supply chain issues in-house or in-country.
•  Use e-commerce whenever possible (i.e. Alibaba's Electronic World Trade Platform, or EWTP, created to advance SME world-wide e-commerce, has significantly helped Africa's sector sell its products).
• Create an "Africa SME Continental E-Commerce Platform" to assist small businesses (as an alternative to EWTP), something the AfCTA or REC's could examine; this also allows SMEs to by-pass costly intermediaries.
• Create more "touch-less," avenues in products themselves, or in product delivery options.
• Ensure Special Economic Zones (SEZ) have a policy framework for small-large company partnerships; SEZ's can create an environment to build relationships and confidence between small and large businesses.
• Take advantage of new COVID supercharged sectors (e.g. health, education software/app development, food security/agriculture, renewables, delivery, digitization etc.).
• Help connect SMEs (locally and regionally) to expand selling potential, production capacity and partnerships.

Revamp-Financing: Toughest Area for Last!
Financing (credit, loans, access and investments) has always been a struggle for SMEs everywhere, but particularly in Africa. COVID-19, and  its aftermath, will continue to exacerbate these existing challenges.
What is clear from the above is that Africa should consider developing a continental policy and financial framework for Africa SMEs, not just for these COVID times, but beyond. Instead of each institution (domestic, regional or international), donor, company or government having their own "framework." This would provide a similar set of guidelines, SME definitions (as right now they are all over the map), and data, from which all could pull. One example could be what FEEEDS outlined in 2017 called the "Africa SME Strategic Plan," or Africa SSP (Rise of Africa SMEs, pp. 390-395). The Africa SSP listed seven overarching pillars for better long-term, structural and coherent support to the sector.  Below are an additional six recommendations added to the original seven points of the FEEEDS Africa SSP as a result of COVID-19:9

FEEEDS' COVID Additions To Its Africa SME Strategic Plan 

(Africa SSP)

• More Africa-generated funds and initiatives raising monies strictly focused on COVID's impact on SMEs from the African private sector, AfDB, and African Union outside of their normal SME funding.
• African-created SME clearing or payment settlement platforms (using blockchain), similar to what the Africa Export-Import Bank is creating for government use and the larger Africa private sector during COVID; this would help shore-up transparency and buyer confidence.
• Increase Africa-generated initiatives that backfill the drop in remittances, on which many Africa SMEs depend, including informals.
• Initiatives which focus on assistance to country Diaspora (similar to Senegal's), as many of them are now unemployed and may not qualify for third country assistance.
• Multilateral institutions providing COVID impact facilities targeted for SMEs through their country governments (NB: as of July 2020, IMF still had USD$750 billion on its balance sheet  in its lending capacity still on the sidelines, which some could be tapped to help African governments better assist its SMEs).
• Increase local financing power provided by facilities and guarantees receive from multinationals to better support SMEs with such things as:
  a.) credit and bank loan extensions
  b.) tax and royalty deferrals, or tax holidays
  c.) assist with more mobile banking tools
  d.) more un-bank SMEs to banked, using mobile banking tools (Nigeria alone has 60 million unbanked)
  e.) business rent and lease payment extensions
  f.) debt forgiveness
g.) special 2-3year interest rates for SMEs
h.) fee waivers (on ATMs & mobile cash transfers)
i.) increase daily cash transfers and withdrawals
j.) increase grants and training

Some countries have stepped up, but overall efforts remain sporadic and piecemeal, instead of continental and strategic. Here are a few examples of what has been done in some countries:10

• Kenya: Financial assistance to SMEs in key sectors such as farming, manufacturing, retail and VAT refunds. Targeting  informal sector in stimulus package civil works opportunities.
• Nigeria: Selected banks offering more quarterly foreign exchange windows and amounts for SME importers.
• Senegal: Payment assistance to Diaspora. Many have lost their jobs, reflective of the overall downturn in their ability to send remittances, which have dropped from $48 billion in 2019 to $37 billion since COVID-19.
• Senegal: Three-month extensions on SMEs bank loans, tax adjustments; and assistance of $USD1.6 million to help small holder farmers.
• South Africa: Assistance on rent/lease payments; $USD4.4 million for small retailers and manufacturers; and, $USD3,000 to help SMEs in the tourism sector.

In sum, COVID has required almost every sector and person to figure out not only how to survive during this period, but also how to come out the other end still being able to thrive. These four R's, Refocus, Reimagine, Regionalize, Revamp-Financing could apply almost to anyone, anywhere. However, for Africa SMEs, they will be key. A continent-wide approach not only addresses these four R's but would provide a much-needed coherent continental framework for stronger, sustainable support to the Africa SME sector. This will be important not only to helping the region climb out of recession, but also transform, allowing SMEs to get back to the business of contributing to the region's economic growth, development,  poverty reduction, and job creation.

Sources:
1. Dr. Muhummad Ali Pate, Global Director Health and Nutrition & Population, World Bank, 4/28/20; USAID (virtual brief), 5/5/2020; WFP Director David Beasley, Atlantic Council, (virtual brief) 5/8/2020.
2. McKinsey Chief Africa Division, Ache Leke, CCA, 5/19/20, (virtual brief). "Quartz Africa," 5/4/2020 
3. "Global Business Africa," (Okra, Jumia, Sokowatch), 6/9/2020 (broadcasts)
4. The Rise of Africa SMES, (pp160-166).
5. "CNN International - Quest Means Business," 4/28/20 (broadcast).
6.  " CNN.com," 4/13/20 (Vietnam); CNN International," 4/27/2020 (Nigeria); "BBC Focus on Africa," 5/12/2020 (Kenya, Sudan); "Global Business Africa," 6/7/20 (Kenya-Gumzo), 5/8/2020 (South Africa); "Africa Live, CGTN," 4/27/2020 (Burkina), 5/1/2020 (Egypt, Kenya-GLOVO, Uganda), 5/20/2020 (Senegal), 5/28/2020 (South Africa-Saloodo!); 5/28/2020 & 6/8/20 (Tanzania-Moses Rogers Mbaga), 6/7/2020 (DRC-Dominic Kabula), 6/15/20 (DRC-Hanifa Designs by Anifa Mvuemba) (broadcasts).
7. AfCTA Secretary General, Wameke Mene, 6/10/20 (virtual brief), U.S. Chamber. President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, 6/18/2020, (virtual brief), Atlantic Council. President Kenyatta, 6/26,2020 (virtual brief), Corporate Council on Africa Leaders' Summit.

8. USTR Assistant Trade Representative Constance Newman Keynote Speech, Annual FEEEDS-GALLUP Africa Program, "Update on Today's US-Africa Trade Relationship," July 23, 2020 (virtual brief) 
9. The Rise of Africa SMES, (pp 390-395); Africa Live, CGTN, 5/4/2020 (Nigeria) (broadcast); CFR, July 1, 2020, (virtual brief).
10. "Global Business Africa," 5/23/2020 (Kenya, Kenyatta speech); Africa Live, CGTN, 5/28/2020 Senegal), 5/19/2020, 6/4/2020 (South Africa) (broadcasts). President Uhuru Kenyatta, Atlantic Council (virtual brief) 6/18/2020. Polaris Bank and others, Nigeria, 6/17/2020 (emails & flyers to clients).

A FEEEDS Series BlogSpot

COVID-19: FEEEDS Is "Feeding it Forward:" Helping Healthcare & FrontLine Workers-We Are Donating to These Sites

As we all hear the extraordinary work and commitment our healthcare and frontline workers are doing around the country during the COVID-19 crisis, FEEEDS, in addition to our area restaurant employees,  and local and national #foodbank organizations that we are donating to, we are also supporting those organizations helping our #healthcareheroes and first responders, particularly in New York City. Many organizations are helping these workers in so many ways either by assisting with much-needed medical supplies, or food support.


It is also devastating to hear reports of the increase in domestic violence against women during this COVID crisis by organizations such as National Domestic Violence, and that the pandemic has caused the cut of a record 701 thousand U.S. jobs (a 4.4 unemployment rate for now) over the last 20-30 days inclusive of the week ending April 3, 2020, affecting everyone significantly, but with minorities, women and immigrants, particularly women of color, the most impacted during this COVID crisis.


Let's remember to help, if we can (volunteering counts too!), and support each other. We are all in this together as some of our founders - Adams, Jefferson, Franklin - proposed with the U.S. motto which appears on the Great Seal of the United States of America -- E Pluribus Unum -- "Out of Many, One." 


Here are the organizations FEEEDS donated to this week to support efforts to help healthcare and frontline workers, and provided much-needed medical equipment:


FeedtheFrontLinesNYC: https://www.feedthefrontlinesnyc.org/
Direct Relief.org: https://www.directrelief.org/emergency/coronavirus-outbreak/
House of Ruth: https://houseofruth.org/


A FEEEDS Blogspot

COVID-19: FEEEDS is "FEEEDING it FORWARD"

During COVID19 FEEEDS is "FEEEDING It FORWARD."


Here are the food banks and organizations that FEEEDS is donating to right now as these groups (as well as many others) help individuals and families with meals during this difficult time in the U.S. as a result of COVID-19.


Depending on your circumstances consider reaching out and donating to organizations in your area or those nation-wide that  provide meals to help our fellow Americans at this time. Donations as small as $1-$50, can feed 4-10 people. Check respective websites for details on donations and what they provide and how much each respective donation covers. Stay well and safe!


-- FEEDINGAMERICA.org https://t.co/fC9kxwPeAA;

-- Our local area #Foodbank - Check in your area for your local food bank;


-- FooditForwardDC - https://fooditforwarddc.com

And don't forget your local restaurant employees (check to see of they have a donate page; here is one of our favorites we donated to:

-- Kith and Kin - https://www.gofundme.com/f/kithkin-staff-support

COVID-19: Former U.S. National Security Leaders Call for Operationalizing Defense Production Act Now; Dr. Sanders Signs On

Below follows March 25, 2020 letter signed by leading former officials in the U.S. National Security sector, who are members of the prestigious American College of National Security Leaders (ACNSL - https://acnsl.net/) -- all calling for the operationalization of the Defense Production Act Now. In my capacity as a former U.S. Ambassador and a former Director for Africa at the National Security Council, I have signed this letter along with many well-known former U.S. military leaders, senior diplomats, and national security professionals. The letter appears below and also can be found on the well-respect sites: Allafrica.com https://lnkd.in/eR3j3cj ; and Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/coronavirus/card/0QNeNXRrcL7I9X5YCchh.
Below follows the full text of the letter with the 100 signatures from former U.S. National Security Professionals:

                   

STATEMENT FROM NATIONAL SECURITY PROFESSIONALS
ON THE URGENT NEED TO UTILIZE THE DEFENSE

PRODUCTION ACT FULLY

March 25, 2020

What the United States faces at this perilous moment is principally a public health crisis. As
national security professionals and experts, however, we recognize that there are tools from our
realm that would be useful and, in some cases, indispensable to alleviating the impact of COVID-19
and, above all, saving lives.


Chief among those indispensable tools is the Defense Production Act (DPA), which we urgently call on President Trump to utilize immediately to the full extent. The delay in doing so is a grave mistake.

The administration this week utilized the DPA on a narrow and limited basis, but America’s public
health professionals — as well as doctors and industry workers — continue to sound the alarm,
citing the increasingly urgent and dire need for ventilators, masks, testing supplies, and other
resources. Some private companies have been willing and able to scale up production — and admirably so.


But as governors and local leaders around the country are making clear, private efforts without
more extensive government support are proving far from sufficient to meet the current and
anticipated needs. Beyond questions of supply, the private sector lacks the ability to process
incoming requests, prioritize the most urgent needs, and coordinate with other companies absent
more concerted government involvement. That is precisely what the DPA is designed to do.


The DPA was written into law for a reason, and the equipment and supply shortages we face are just
the sort of supply chain shortfalls the law was designed to address. Congress must ensure the full
potential of the DPA is being leveraged in the midst of this crisis, and we applaud legislative
efforts that require the administration to actually use the tools at its disposal in a serious way.
President Trump has said he would utilize the DPA in a “worst-case scenario.” But the scenario we
face today is already well beyond any reasonable standard for utilizing the Act. All the President
will accomplish with additional delay is to place us farther down that “worst-case” trajectory.

If the ultimate objective is to save American lives, there is no alternative to utilizing the DPA
immediately and to the fullest extent.

LIST OF SIGNATORIES

Sandy Adams Retired Admiral (ret.) Navy
Clara L. Adams-Ender Brigadier General (ret.) Army
Wendy R. Anderson Former Chief of Staff Department  of  Defense
Ricardo Aponte Brigadier General (ret.) Air  Force
Wallace C. Arnold Brigadier General (ret.) Army
Don Arthur Vice Admiral (ret.) Navy
Tom Atkin Former Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Global Security Department of Defense
James E. Baker Former Legal Adviser National Security Council
Donna Barbisch Major General (ret.) Army
Jeremy Bash Former CIA and Department of Defense Chief of Staff
Ronald Blanck Lieutenant General (ret.) Army
David P. Burford Major General (ret.) Army
William J. Burns Former Deputy Secretary of State State  Department


Tarun Chhabra Former Director for Strategic Planning National Security Council
Rebecca Bill Chavez Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Western Hemisphere Affairs
Department of Defense Stephen A. Cheney Brigadier General (ret.) Marine  Corps
Derek Chollet Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs
Department of Defense
Lieutenant General (ret.) James Clapper Former Director of National Intelligence
Wesley Clark General (ret.) Army
Herman J. Cohen Ambassador (ret.) State  Department
Brent Colburn Former Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Department of Homeland Security
Peter Cooke Major General (ret.) Army
Dirk Debbink Vice Admiral (ret.) Navy
Rudy deLeon Former Deputy Secretary of Defense Department of Defense
Abraham M. Denmark Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia
Department of Defense
James Doty Brigadier General (ret.) Army

John Douglass Brigadier General (ret.) Air  Force
Paul Eaton Major General (ret.) Army
Mari K. Eder Major General (ret.) Army
Dwayne Edwards Brigadier General (ret.) Army
Robert J. Felderman Brigadier General (ret.) Army
Jon Finer Former Chief of Staff State Department
Michele A. Flournoy Former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Department of Defense
Michael Franken Vice Admiral (ret.) Navy
Joshua A. Geltzer Former Senior Director for Counterterrorism & Deputy  Legal  Advisor
National Security Council
Larry Gillespie Brigadier General (ret.) Army
Philip H. Gordon Former Special Assistant to the President National Security Council
Gordon Gray Ambassador (ret.) State  Department
Kevin P. Green Vice Admiral (ret.) Navy
Chuck Hagel Former Secretary of Defense Department of Defense
Irv Halter Major General (ret.) Air  Force
Janice Hamby Rear Admiral (ret.) Navy
Bob Harding Major General (ret.) Army
Jerry Harrison Major General (ret.) Army
Don Harvel Brigadier General (ret.) Air Force
Oona Hathaway Former Special Counsel to the General Counsel Department of Defense
General (ret.) Michael V. Hayden Former Director of NSA and Director of CIA NSA and CIA
Kathleen Hicks Former Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Policy Department of Defense
Richard Holwill Ambassador (ret.) State  Department
Vicki Huddleston Ambassador (ret.) State  Department
Andrew Hunter Former Director of the Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell Department of Defense
John Hutson Rear Admiral (ret.) Navy
David R. Irvine Brigadier General (ret.) Army
Debra Lee James Former Secretary of the Air Force Department of Defense

Arlen D. Jameson Lieutenant General (ret.) Air  Force
Dennis C. Jett Ambassador (ret.) State  Department
John Johns Brigadier General (ret.) Army
Frank Kendall Former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Department of Defense
Patrick Kennedy Ambassador (ret.) State  Department
Jimmy Kolker Ambassador (ret.) State  Department
Jeremy Konyndyk Former Director of the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance USAID
Lawrence Korb Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower, Installations and Logistics Department of Defense
Jonathan Lachman Former Associate Director for National Security Programs
White House Office of Management and Budget
Bruce S. Lemkin Former Deputy Undersecretary of the Air Force Air Force
Phil Leventis Brigadier General (ret) USAF/SC Air National Guard
Kelly Magsamen Former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs
Department of Defense Randy Manner Major General (ret.) Army
Edward Marks Ambassador (ret.) State  Department
Frederick H. Martin Major General (ret.) Air  Force
Carlos E. Martinez Brigadier General (ret.) Air  Force
J. R. McBrien Former Senior Executive Service Department of Treasury
Mike McCord Former Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)/Chief Financial Officer Department of Defense
David McGinnis Brigadier General (ret.) Army
Joseph V. Medina Brigadier General (ret.) Marine  Corps
James N. Miller Former Under Secretary for Policy Department of Defense
Katrina Mulligan Former Director for Preparedness and Response Department of Justice
Ronald E. Neumann Ambassador (ret.) State  Department
Matt Olsen Former Director National Counterterrorism Center
Richard Olson Ambassador (ret.) State  Department
Charley Otstott Lieutenant General (ret.) Army
W. Robert Pearson Ambassador (ret.) State  Department

Gale S. Pollock Former Acting Surgeon General Army
Samantha Power Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
Jeffrey Prescott Former Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
National Security Council
Charles Schuster Ray Ambassador (ret.) State Department
Ben Rhodes Former Deputy National Security Adviser National Security Council
Susan E. Rice Former National Security Adviser National Security Council
Eric Rosenbach Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Global Security Department of Defense
Mara Rudman Former Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
National Security Council
Rexon Ryu Former Chief of Staff Department of Defense
Robin Renee Sanders Ambassador (ret.) State Department
John Schuster Brigadier General (ret.) Army
Amy Searight Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia
Department of Defense
Joe Sestak Rear Admiral (ret.) Navy
David B. Shear Former Assistant Secretary of Defense Department of Defense
Wendy R. Sherman Former Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs
State Department


Michael E. Smith Rear Admiral (ret.) Navy
Julianne Smith Former Deputy National Security Advisor to the Vice President
Office of the Vice President
Jake Sullivan Former National Security Adviser to the Vice President
Loree Sutton Brigadier General (ret.) Army
Francis X. Taylor Brigadier General (ret.) Air Force
Jim Townsend Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy
Department of Defense
F. Andrew Turley Major General (ret.) Air Force
Edward Walker Ambassador (ret.) State Department
George H. Walls Brigadier General (ret.) Marine Corps
John Watkins Brigadier General (ret.) Army
Earl Anthony Wayne Ambassador (ret.) State Department
Andy Weber Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs Department of Defense
Willie Williams Lieutenant General (ret.) Marine Corps
Margaret Wilmoth Major General (ret.) Army
Johnnie Wilson Former Commanding General, Army Materiel Command Army
Doug Wilson Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Department of Defense
James Winnefeld Former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Department of Defense
Robert O. Work Former Deputy Secretary of Defense Department of Defense
Stephen N. Xenakis Brigadier General (ret.) Army
Dave Zabecki Major General (ret.)Army