As declared by Congress in the Foreign Assistant ¹ Act of 1961 [22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.], a principal objective of the foreign policy of the United States is the encouragement and sustained support of the people of developing countries in their efforts to acquire the knowledge and resources essential to development and to build the economic, political, and social institutions which will improve the quality of their lives. The Congress reaffirms the profound humanitarian and foreign policy concerns of the United States in the economic and social progress of the developing countries and in the alleviation of the worst physical manifestations of poverty in these countries.

In furtherance of that objective, the Congress recognizes that developing countries require extensive scientific and technological capacity in order to deal effectively with their development problems, relate to the industrialized nations, and constructively participate in the shaping of a stable world order.

It is therefore in the mutual interest of the United States and the developing countries to increase scientific and technological cooperation and jointly to support long-term research on critical problems that impede development and limit the efficient use of the world's human, natural, and capital resources.