An American Aid Mission Director's View of Technical Co-operation

Economic development is now a prime national imperative in the less-advanced countries of the world. Tech nical co-operation—the organized international transfer of technical knowledge and skills—is one of the ways in which the more developed countries can aid less advanced ones to achieve their aspirations. The principal requirements for eco nomic growth are a development climate, capital, and modern technology. The creation of an environment conducive to progress is a task for indigenous political leadership. Once that leadership faces up to its responsibilities, technical co operation can contribute substantially to the country's eco nomic growth—especially in assistance in economic planning; in introducing new techniques in agriculture, industry, and the public services; in the development of extension methods for spreading technical knowledge; and in the training of profes sional and technical manpower. A key characteristic of the United States' technical co-operation program is its emphasis upon mutuality with the participating country. This type of collaborative relationship sometimes may be immediately less effective than the direct operational methods employed by the Soviet bloc aid programs. However, it provides a sounder basis for strengthening the capacity of less-developed coun tries to meet their own problems. The success of United States technical aid depends very largely upon the capability of American administrators and technicians in the field of hu man relations and upon their understanding of the role of their technical specialties in the larger problems of economic and so cial advancement.