The USA's search for power and leadership in the 21st century: Redefining development and foreign aid reform in the Obama era

This study aimed to examine the foreign aid reform agenda, including the redefinition of development during the Obama era. In the post-Cold War era, a serious uncertainty has emerged regarding the target of US foreign aid. As a result, foreign aid has ceased to be functional and has lost its effectiveness. This situation also caused the foreign aid system to take on a complex structure. After 9/11, the foreign aid system was subjected to one of the biggest transformations in the history of the foreign aid/development field and has become a component of hard power. Upon taking office, the Obama Administration was met with this issue termed the militarization of aid which, along with the end of the Cold War brought about a series of other problems in the field of foreign aid. In this context, a reform process has been initiated through PPD-6, QDDR, USAID Forward, and various concrete initiatives. Legislature has also accompanied this process. However, it is difficult to say whether the reform of the foreign aid field has fully satisfied the needs.