Country Development Cooperation Strategies (CDCS)

Speeches Shim

One size does not fit all when it comes to foreign assistance.

CDCS Ethiopia
USAID Ethiopia Country Development Cooperation Strategy 2019-2024

A Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) defines how a Mission will further the goal of ending the need for foreign assistance in a given country by articulating how and where it will build self-reliance with the country partner. Typically covering five years, the CDCS is essentially the strategic roadmap for how USAID will design and implement its projects and activities in a given country. 

The CDCS development process centers around a Mission’s dialogue with USAID/Washington and with key local stakeholders, resulting in a series of milestones and deliverables. The Mission disseminates a public version of the strategy on USAID’s public website. For information on USAID’s country and/or regional strategic planning, please refer to the ADS Chapter on Program Cycle Policy, section 201.3.2.

Missions periodically need to revisit and revalidate the strategic approach articulated by the CDCS. When needed, Missions collaborate with USAID/Washington through strategy-level portfolio reviews and midcourse stock-takings, and amend or update the CDCS as necessary.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant managerial, operational, and developmental challenges to all of our Missions and country partners worldwide. In response, CDCSs will reflect how Missions are addressing the effects of the pandemic based on information available at the time of approval. Looking ahead, as part of mandatory portfolio reviews and midcourse stocktakings, Missions will reflect upon changing contexts, and update their strategies based on new realities.

Listed below, please find the current list of approved CDCSs. Some CDCSs have been extended beyond the timeline noted on the cover sheet. A fact sheet with all dates is available here. The Agency anticipates most CDCSs will be completed on or about December 2020.

Answers to frequently asked CDCS questions are here.

Afghanistan