The Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) supports U.S. foreign policy objectives by helping local partners advance peace and democracy. OTI provides fast, flexible, short-term assistance targeted at key political transition and stabilisation needs. Strategically designed for each unique situation, OTI has laid the foundation for long-term development by promoting reconciliation, jumpstarting local economies, supporting emerging independent media, and fostering peace and democracy through innovative programming. In countries transitioning from authoritarianism to democracy, from violence to peace, or following a fragile peace, OTI’s programs serve as catalysts for positive political change.
USAID/OTI’S ROLE IN LEBANON: USAID/OTI’s Lebanon Community Resilience Initiative strengthens the ability of Lebanon’s most vulnerable communities to cope with the destabilizing effects of the Syrian crisis. The program fortifies youth empowerment and civic participation, promotes peaceful alternatives to violence, reduces the isolation and marginalization of community groups and supports moderate actors. Together, these outcomes increase resilience and stability in areas of Lebanon most affected by the Syrian crisis. USAID is the lead U.S. Government agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realize their potential. In order to support these goals, President John. F. Kennedy created the United States Agency for International Development by executive order in 1961.
