Press Release from the U.S. Agency for International Development, July 3, 2009Footnote 1
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced that Tijara, its private-sector development program in Iraq, has helped provide more than 132,000 micro-loans worth a combined value of $300 million since the start of U.S. government microfinance assistance to Iraq in 2004.
The Tijara program covers all of Iraq's 18 provinces by supporting nine Iraqi-owned microfinance institutions (MFIs) and three international MFIs. The one-year loans average about $1,500 at 15 to 18 percent annual interest and the repayment rate is more than 98 percent. As of June 2009, more than $68 million in micro-loans to about 44,000 active clients are outstanding.
Many of the MFIs operate several branches within a particular region to ensure resources for economic revitalization are accessible to as many communities as possible. In addition to loan capital, Tijara, which means “trade” in Arabic, provides training, technical assistance and other types of capacity building support. Iraqis managing the loan portfolios at MFIs acquire the professional skills necessary to sustain and grow the lending industry in Iraq.
According to Paul Bruning, Director of USAID's Economic Growth and Agriculture Office in Iraq, “Over the past five years, USAID has supported the development of Iraq's Microfinance Industry which plays a vital role in providing micro-loans to Iraqi entrepreneurs. These loans allow small business owners to further develop their businesses, creating new jobs and improving living conditions across Iraq. As of today, the Iraqi microfinance industry provided more than $300 million in micro-loans to entrepreneurs throughout Iraq. USAID's goal is to further develop the industry to improve services, adopt international best practices, and integrate into regional and global microfinance networks.”
White House Statement, July 10, 2009Footnote 2
Food Security: Investing in Agricultural Development to Reduce Hunger and Poverty
The vast majority of the world's poorest people depend on agriculture for food and household incomes. When world food prices spiked last year, the G8 acted, including by advancing the Global Partnership for Agriculture and Food Security and implementing largely short and medium term measures to reduce hunger, the majority using emergency food aid.
This year, the global economic and financial crisis threatens the livelihoods of many of the world's poorest people. While commodity prices are lower, food prices remain 40% higher than historical levels. At the same time, the contraction of global economic activity has reduced exports and incomes among farmers in developing countries. This slow down means that an additional 100 million people are at risk of being pushed into abject poverty.
Building on a broader U.S. initiative, the counties represented in L'Aquila have agreed to take significant action to improve food security through a renewed commitment to agriculture development. This action is overdue. Although 75% of the world's poor live in rural areas and 60% of those suffering from hunger are rural small-scale farming families, only 4% of official development assistance goes to agriculture. This initiative represents not just a commitment of resources, which is significant, but also a commitment to reform the way the international community approaches food security, which is equally if not more important.
A Strong Financial Commitment
* At the G20 Summit in London, President Obama announced his intention to ask Congress to double U.S. agricultural development assistance to more than $1 billion in 2010. We will seek to increase our investment annually, and provide at least $3.5 billion over the next three years.
* Many of the other countries represented at L'Aquila are also making a substantial and sustained commitment to agricultural development with the objective of mobilizing $20 billion over the next three years, and we will be reaching out to other countries as well to join the Global Partnership.
* This is in addition to the substantial commitments of emergency, humanitarian food aid made by the U.S. and a number of the G8.
A New Approach to Food Security
The strategy that we will pursue with our partners is about more than increasing resources. The U.S. believes that by acting on the following principles, we can also champion a new, more practical approach for development and achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness.
1. Strategic Coordination of Assistance
Through the Global Partnership, development partners commit to coordinating their allocation of resources for agriculture development in order to maximize their effective and efficient use.
2. Investment in Country-Owned Plans
Rather than imposing a strategy from outside recipient countries, the Global Partnership will seek to channel resources to credible, country-owned plans. The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) is a model for developing such plans and an effective partnership. We will support similar processes in other regions.
3. A Comprehensive Approach: Key Areas for Investment
To achieve success, it is important to focus on the full range of issues that affect agricultural development, including increasing agricultural productivity (including through the provision of seeds and fertilizer); stimulating post-harvest, private-sector growth; supporting the role of women and families in agriculture; maintaining the natural resource base in the context of the changing climate; expanding knowledge and training; increasing trade flows; and supporting good governance and policy reform.
4. Role of Multilateral Mechanisms
In addition to providing bilateral assistance, countries will seek to use multilateral institutions and facilities, whenever appropriate. They will also work to reform and improve the effectiveness of existing multilateral institutions and financing mechanisms.
5. Sustained and Substantial Commitment
To achieve long-term food security, countries will substantially increase investments in agricultural development, provide resources in a timely and reliable fashion and sustain their commitment over at least a three-year period.
Excerpts of Remarks by Secretary of State Clinton and USAID Acting Administrator Fulgham, July 13, 2009Footnote 3
Secretary Hillary Clinton and Acting Administrator Alonzo Fulgham delivered these remarks in Washington, DC
Mr. Fulgham. USAID and State Department colleagues and members of the press, it is my distinct pleasure to welcome you to the United States Agency for International Development. We are honored to have with us today Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as well as senior members of her leadership team at the Department of State. Deputy Secretary Lew and Dr. Slaughter and friends and colleagues, thank you all for coming.
Madame Secretary, many of our colleagues attended the town hall you hosted at the State Department on Friday and are eager to learn more about this important initiative that we are about to undertake. I know that you had originally planned to come to USAID on Friday, and I thank you for postponing it until today so that I could be here.
Madame Secretary, as First Lady, as a United States senator, and now as our Secretary of State, you have emphasized the importance of expanding the circle of human dignity to every human being, men and women, boys and girls. And that is the essence of what we do at the United States Agency for International Development. We look forward to partnering with you in the weeks and months and years ahead on this important initiative and in the furtherance of our national security.
Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in extending a very warm welcome to the 67th Secretary of State, our fearless leader, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Secretary Clinton. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you all. Well, thank you. I am delighted to be back here at USAID with all of you.
We see in the Obama Administration development as one of the most powerful tools we have for advancing global progress, peace, and prosperity. The President and I believe that it therefore must be a vital part of our country's foreign policy. And when I became Secretary of State, here in this great space, I pledged to elevate development to its rightful place alongside diplomacy and defense as we tackle the many global challenges and seize the opportunities facing us.
We are committed to pursuing peace and prosperity in every corner, not only in the marble halls of government, but in rural villages, in distant cities, where people are striving to live and work and learn and raise families and grow old with dignity. These are universal dreams, and the United States seeks to make them a reality for more of the world's people.
To that end, we have set the United States Government on a path to double foreign assistance with our 2010 budget request. We've made significant pledges of assistance for the West Bank and Gaza. We've made development an integral part of our approach in Afghanistan and Pakistan and Iraq. And at last week's G-8 meeting in Italy, the President announced our food security program that will come with a major increase in funding for food and sustainable agriculture. And again, when he was in Ghana, he focused on the importance of smart development.
So development stands on its own pillar of our foreign policy, as does diplomacy and defense. And at their best, they reinforce each other. When USAID and the State Department work in tandem, we achieve a multiplier effect, significantly increasing the scope and the impact of our programs and policies.
To deliver concrete results, we have to maximize our effectiveness. That's why I'm excited to be here today to discuss a new enterprise, the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review, which I announced at the State Department on Friday.
Remarks by USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator Brause, July 29, 2009Footnote 4
Deputy Assistant Administrator Jon Brause delivered these remarks in Washington, DC
Deputy Assistant Administrator Brause. Good morning, Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee. Thank you for the opportunity to update you on Pakistan's internally displaced persons and the humanitarian assistance efforts of the United States. Operating in support of the Government of Pakistan, the whole of the United States Government—from the State Department and Department of Defense, to USAID and the Department of Agriculture—is working to ensure assistance is provided to Pakistanis in need.
Assistant Secretary Schwartz and his staff are dedicated to providing assistance to refugees, conflict victims, and stateless people worldwide. Throughout the recent crisis in Pakistan, USAID has worked in close coordination with Assistant Secretary Schwartz's bureau to ensure the needs of the displaced are being met in a complex and rapidly evolving environment.
We appreciate the continued support of the Congress and the supplemental funding recently enacted for both humanitarian assistance and P.L. 480 Title II food aid, which has permitted us to aggressively respond to this crisis.
USAID is the lead agency within the U.S. Government for providing assistance to, and promoting the protection of, internally displaced persons (IDPs) internationally. With its strong operational presence in the field and decades of experience responding to a broad range of complex emergencies, natural disasters, and post-conflict situations throughout the world, USAID is at the forefront of the humanitarian community's effort to place greater emphasis on protection during the immediate humanitarian response to population displacement, as well as during the longer-term transition toward development and stability.
Since USAID adopted an agency-wide policy for internally displaced persons in October 2004, we have worked with other U.S. Government agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), the international community, and the United Nations to implement and strengthen protection activities and mobilize funding for vulnerable populations.
A broad, integrated approach is required to reduce the human costs of population displacement and to foster sustainable long-term development. The provision of coherent, comprehensive assistance and a durable solution to internal displacement is a USAID priority.
Humanitarian Assistance In A Challenging Environment
The U.S. Government has pledged more than $320 million in humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected individuals in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Of that amount, the U.S. has already provided more than $171 million in humanitarian assistance, $122 million of which was programmed by USAID's Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance.
The USAID response began in August 2008, when monsoons and military operations resulted in the displacement of more than 420,000 people. USAID supported the Government of Pakistan efforts to assist not only those who were displaced, but also the conflict-affected communities. Our assistance included water, sanitation, and hygiene programs, basic health care, and short-term employment activities.
In early 2009, the number of people displaced by conflict continued to increase, and food was identified as the most urgent need. In response, USAID provided nearly $30 million in food assistance, $21 million from USAID's Office of Food for Peace (FFP) and nearly $9 million from USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) for the local and regional purchase of food aid. The food aid purchased locally, which is a critically needed complement to our traditional food aid, quickly addressed the acute food needs of those displaced while having an added benefit of stimulating the local economy. USAID also increased assistance for other identified needs, including basic health care, shelter, and emergency relief commodities.
As the crisis rapidly escalated in May, USAID and other U.S. Government agencies responded swiftly. With the endorsement of Ambassador Holbrooke, and at the request of Ambassador Patterson, OFDA deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to Pakistan.
On May 18, Secretary Gates approved $10 million in Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster and Civic funding to assist relief efforts. On May 20-21, three U.S. Air Force C-17 sorties delivered 50 tents and 120,000 Halal meals to Pakistan. This was followed shortly thereafter with DoD's delivery of locally purchased air conditioners, generators, water trucks, and other items, such as sandbags and shovels, for follow-on distribution to assist Pakistani IDPs.
The DART team-composed of USAID experts with over fifteen years of Pakistan and regional disaster response experience in food aid, shelter and displacement-was charged with managing U.S. Government assistance and coordinating efforts with the Government of Pakistan and the international humanitarian community.
Upon arrival, the DART found the there were no field assessments, which provide the data needed to make informed funding decisions. Security conditions prevented travel to conduct assessments in the affected areas. The typical coordination mechanisms were not operational, and other donors were providing only promises of assistance.
The team knew from experience working in Pakistan on the 2005 earthquake response that the displaced would shelter with host families. And the DART's experience proved true. The majority of internally displaced persons-more than 87 percent-had moved to host communities, while the remainder resided in 32 organized camps, more than 4,000 schools, and numerous spontaneous camps or transit locations.
The DART moved immediately and decisively to provide rapid, robust and creative assistance programs. With the strong support of Ambassador Anne Patterson and USAID Mission Director Bob Wilson, the DART spent its first days on the ground assessing the humanitarian situation and partner capacities. Due to significant security constraints, the team devised creative ways to gather the necessary information, gleaning facts from regular consultations with humanitarian partners and government officials, supplemented by-and ground-truthed with-limited field assessment.
Because coordination is critical, the DART assumed responsibility for partner coordination efforts in support of the Government of Pakistan. Combined with USAID's funding to strengthen the humanitarian coordination system, these efforts helped fill the initial coordination gap in Pakistan.
Once the DART identified needs and reviewed proposals from partners, they were able to fund programs within 3 to 5 days. After two months on the ground and despite enormous security constraints, the DART successfully programmed more than $116 million in assistance through twelve nongovernmental organizations and six UN agencies.
As the IDP crisis unfolded, the DART-working in collaboration with the Embassy and Mission-ensured our emergency assistance increased to keep pace with the needs. When displacement increased from 290,000 people in February to nearly 550,000 in March, USAID humanitarian assistance doubled-from $9.4 million to nearly $20 million. After Pakistani Taliban advances and the Government of Pakistan's military response nearly quadrupled the number of displaced individuals in May 2009, USAID again responded by quadrupling humanitarian assistance to more than $90 million. This does not include the assistance that Assistant Secretary Schwartz has described from State's PRM Bureau, which is also supporting the IDP populations.
USAID humanitarian assistance is driven by needs identified in the field. When the security situation allowed, we pushed to make regular visits to the affected areas to assess the situation. Our assessments and those of our partners provided us with necessary information to modify or target our assistance based on changing needs.
The DART provided assistance to address the needs in displaced persons camps, but we focused our resources to support the displaced residing in host communities and to the host communities themselves. Our assistance included water, sanitation, and basic healthcare programs. We also provided relief supplies such as hygiene kits and shelter materials to the displaced and their hosts. We also provided rent subsidies to reduce host family burdens and ensure that the displaced did not place an untenable strain on host families.
In Mardan district, host families, communities, religious organizations, and local charities were providing assistance to displaced individuals. USAID targeted its assistance to meet the needs of the displaced and host families through the provision of $45 vouchers to households. The vouchers were distributed to more than 90,000 displaced Pakistanis residing in host communities and schools and to 5,000 host families struggling to provide not only for themselves but also for those displaced. The vouchers enabled Pakistanis to purchase exactly what they needed at local markets. Something as simple as a voucher program can provide a much needed sense of self-reliance, and it helps stimulate the local economy, which is critical to longer-term recovery.
In already overstressed host communities, houses meant for ten people were inhabited by thirty and sometimes more. So USAID provided assistance that included training and supplies for the construction of bamboo shelters, which families can easily disassemble and carry with them when they return to their homes.
When displaced Pakistanis identified food as a continuing need, USAID was able to quickly provide an additional $26.6 million for the local purchase of food aid. The food, which consisted of wheat and beans, was purchased in Pakistan-again bolstering the local economy.
During a recent DART assessment mission to Buner, the team noted that there were few income-earning opportunities in the area, thus those who returned would not be able to make a living. To help provide jobs and boost the local economy, USAID is reprogramming funds and allocating additional resources for further cash for work programs for returnees.
Providing humanitarian assistance quickly and creatively is not sufficient. Our assistance mechanisms must also remain flexible to adequately respond as the crisis evolves or subsides. By providing the majority of our assistance through grants to partner organizations, we maintain the flexibility needed to respond to rapidly changing situations by reprogramming or retargeting our funding as needs are identified.
To ensure our ability to respond rapidly to changing circumstances, USAID has supported pre-positioned relief supplies-including food, household tool kits, emergency kitchen sets, water containers, and blankets-for distribution should the situation change and currently unknown humanitarian needs develop. This includes USAID support for a World Food Program logistics hub and warehouse in Punjab Province to ensure that our partners are ready to respond to potential displacement from Waziristan.
USAID also realizes that unknown needs will continue to be a challenge in Pakistan. To prepare for possible future needs, USAID has established an umbrella grant that allows for sub-grants to local NGOs, international NGOs, or UN agencies. This mechanism is designed to provide rapid response funds for possible humanitarian needs anywhere in the country.
There are significant operational challenges to providing assistance in Pakistan, but USAID continues to address the challenges head on, allowing us to provide timely and appropriate assistance to Pakistanis in need. Operating in support of the Government of Pakistan's efforts, USAID's singular ability to quickly respond to the Pakistan IDP crisis with fast, flexible and creative programming prevented further destabilization in NWFP and FATA.
Before discussing our returns and early recovery programs, I want to point out that the security situation is the number one challenge to humanitarian operations in Pakistan.
The fluid security situation in NWFP and FATA means limited, and at times no, humanitarian access to the conflict-affected communities. The risks are high, with recent kidnappings and killings of humanitarian staff. Just this month, gunmen killed a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees staff member and his guard, while wounding another staff member. Sadly, other aid workers have also been killed or wounded while working to meet humanitarian needs. NGOs are reluctant to hire personal security details or use armored vehicles for fear of negatively impacting programs and becoming larger targets. UN agencies are using armored vehicles, but even these do not adequately mitigate all risks.
Our NGO partners report that their ability to travel in the affected areas has become significantly more difficult since April. Security incidents have targeted both local and international aid workers, and the female Pakistani staff are particularly concerned for their safety. Since the June 9 bombing of the Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar, increased responsibility has been placed on host country nationals to carry out operations in areas considered unsafe for international staff.
The security challenges faced by our implementing partners in Pakistan are real, and we continuously consult with them to learn what additional options might be available to mitigate their risks. USAID remains willing to support additional security training, increased operational security analysis, and efforts to improve humanitarian security coordination. USAID also continues to work with the donor community to ensure security precautions are adequately resourced.
Supporting Returns And Early Recovery
As displaced families return home, the pressures on the camps and the host communities are likely to diminish. USAID is committed to ensuring sustainable returns and successful recovery. USAID continues to assist the displaced while simultaneously refocusing programs to meet changing needs.
According to Pakistan government officials, up to 700,000 displaced individuals, representing approximately 30 percent of the government-verified displaced population, have returned to areas of origin in recent weeks, including areas in Buner, Swat, and Lower Dir districts in NWFP and Bajaur Agency in FATA.
The majority of unassisted returns are families previously living with host communities in Mardan and Swabi districts. The number of spontaneous returns to Swat remains unknown; however, the Buner District Coordination Officer reported to our DART team leader that up to 320,000 people, approximately 65 percent of Buner's displaced population, have returned to date. An additional 59,000 families returned during the July 13-22 Government of Pakistan-assisted returns process. As a result of these large-scale returns, the government closed two camps in Mardan, and announced plans to close two more. On July 21, OFDA's Principal Regional Advisor for South Asia flew over these camps and described them as “desolate.”
The DART was the first donor to assess the situation in Buner and Swat, seeing the rapid spontaneous returns firsthand. After the assessment, the DART quickly reprogrammed funds to assure that U.S. assistance would follow those who were returning home.
Knowing the importance of assisting returnees and preventing a secondary wave of displacement, USAID will support quick-impact projects for the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure in areas of return. An important aspect of our early recovery strategy is to support projects designed and driven by the communities in which they will be implemented, helping provide returnees a sense of ownership and self-sufficiency.
USAID is working with communities to rebuild critical infrastructure that also provides short-term employment opportunities for affected populations. USAID funding is helping rehabilitate electrical systems, wells, and irrigation channels that are necessary before families are able to return to their homes.
Additionally, USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives is supporting the Government of Pakistan's efforts to reestablish a presence in conflict-affected areas and restore essential services. We are helping rebuild public buildings and return civil servants to conflict-affected areas. And we are working with the Government of Pakistan to identify and repair the roads, educational institutions, and hospitals damaged during the conflict. By creating jobs and rebuilding infrastructure, USAID programs will help foster sustainable returns.
Due to the local economies' dependence on agriculture, USAID will also support the provision of farming tools and grain and vegetable seeds, as well hygiene kits and tool kits to be used for small home repairs.
The Pakistan government estimates that the private sector comprised over 60 percent of the health sector in Buner alone and that the private sector will be slow to return. In an effort to provide necessary health care while services remain damaged and without staff, USAID will support mobile clinics, basic medicines, and staff-particularly female doctors and nurses-to provide assistance in areas of return.
Through the World Food Program's new food distribution hub in Buner district, food aid provided by the United States will continue to support monthly family food rations for returnees until agriculture and livelihood activities in affected areas resume. USAID's Food for Peace Office will contribute an additional $20 million of food aid in August, which will mean the consistent flow of U.S. food shipments into Pakistan through February 2010. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has pledged a total of $43.5 million in food assistance, which will be added to the WFP food aid pipeline until the year's end. In total, the U.S. Government has pledged $135.5 million in food aid in response to the crisis. Our significant and timely food contributions will ensure sufficient food support to the large numbers of displaced who are now returning home and starting to rebuild their lives and livelihoods.
Humanitarian agencies are formulating strategies and refocusing assistance to support early recovery and returns. The key challenges include security, accurate and timely information dissemination to displaced populations, and ensuring that the returns process is voluntary and sustainable.
To help ensure that accurate and timely returns information is widely disseminated, USAID is working with the United Nations protection cluster to develop rights- and return-based messages and key information for release to affected populations. These messages, which provide information on relief assistance and returns, will be coordinated with the relevant Pakistan government departments including the NWFP Government's Emergency Response Unit.
Coordination between USAID disaster experts and the USAID Mission on reconstruction, health, livelihoods, agriculture, and education will facilitate the transition of short-term activities to longer-term development programming. USAID Mission staff are also actively engaged in initiating and expanding immediate and medium-term activities.
This emergency assistance is in addition to the more than $4.4 billion the United States has provided to Pakistan since 2002 to improve economic growth, education, health, and governance and to assist with earthquake reconstruction.
Conclusion
Working in support of Government of Pakistan efforts, USAID—alongside our U.S. Government partners—provided a rapid response to a complicated, challenging, and swiftly evolving crisis. Now that the situation has transitioned from displacement to returns and early recovery, Pakistan will soon begin to focus on near-and long-term reconstruction efforts.
As the United States shifts to longer-term programs, USAID has transitioned the DART to an OFDA field office. Like the DART, the field office will continue to identify and respond to priority humanitarian needs, work to enhance coordination and cohesion throughout the humanitarian community, and evaluate response effectiveness. The field office will remain engaged and prepared to meet emerging humanitarian needs in Pakistan, while working closely with the Embassy and USAID Mission during the transition from relief to development.
Thank you.
Remarks by USAID Acting Assistant Administrator Ellis, July 29, 2009Footnote 5
Acting Assistant Administrator Margot Ellis delivered these remarks in Washington, DC
Acting Assistant Administrator Ellis.
USAID is pleased to submit a statement for the record for the Subcommittee's hearing: Ushering in Change: A New Era for U.S. Regional Policy in the Pacific. As you know, USAID has long been active in the Pacific, operating its Regional Development Office/South Pacific for seventeen years until 1994. Ever since then, USAID has maintained a presence in the Pacific through targeted assistance to improve health and the environment and to support disaster recovery. In recent years, USAID has been most notably active in Papua New Guinea (PNG), where we have a bilateral USAID assistance program valued at $2.5 million per year. It focuses on reducing that country's very serious HIV/AIDS problem. In FY 2008, Papua New Guinea also benefited from $330,000 in assistance to protect tropical forests. Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands participate in the USAID and Department of State-funded Coral Triangle Initiative, a partnership to protect marine habitats. These countries received $872,000 in FY 2008 under this initiative. USAID also has been active in responding to various natural disasters in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Fiji. Since 1995, USAID has supported the Pacific Islands Disaster Program through its Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, which aims to improve the disaster management ability of local and national disaster management agencies and individuals. The program helps them develop and adapt training materials and provides guidance on how to conduct disaster management courses. Total funding for this program through FY 2009 is over $4 million.
USAID acknowledges the downward trends for key development indicators— for example, in health and economic growth—which should be rising instead. In addition, Pacific islanders living in fragile environments are highly vulnerable to the impact of global climate change.
USAID is currently reviewing its engagement in the region. We would be pleased to keep the Committee informed as the review progresses.
Press Release from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, July 30, 2009Footnote 6
The U.S. Government Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the Global Health Council hosted a public forum today to discuss the critical need to provide access to health care for the world's poor, in part by building safe infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and health clinics.
“The U.S. Government is committed to helping people around the world who face some of the most fundamental health issues due to unsanitary conditions, insufficient clinic or medical supplies, or the lack of roads to travel to reach medical attention,” said Rodney Bent, MCC Acting Chief Executive Officer. “A problem this severe requires innovative and integrated approaches that leverage assistance efforts and produce tangible, sustainable results. I am pleased that the Global Health Council and its partners have joined MCC in this public conversation about these vital issues.”
“President Obama eloquently stated during his recent trip to Ghana that the United States will not ‘confront diseases in isolation’ and will invest in strengthening health systems,” said Jeffrey L. Sturchio, President and CEO of the Global Health Council. “The Council could not agree more. We are pleased that the MCC invited the Council to take part in this important conversation, and our members look forward to continued dialogue with the U.S. Government on how best to address the critical health issues facing the developing world.”
The public forum included keynote remarks by Ambassador Sally Shelton-Colby, former Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, regarding the holistic approach needed to solve the multi-faceted problem of health care access for the world's poor. The panelists, who included Shellie Bressler, Professional Staff Member for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Dr. Joseph Dwyer, Director for the Leadership, Management and Sustainability Program at Management Sciences for Health; Carol Hessler, Managing Director for Infrastructure, Environment and Social Assessment at MCC; and Marty Makinen, Principal and Managing Director at Results for Development Institute, emphasized the need to look at the systemic causes of the world's poverty and illnesses in order to create a comprehensive solution.
Excerpts of Remarks by Secretary of State Clinton, August 7, 2009Footnote 7
Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered these remarks in Johannesburg, South Africa
Introductory Remarks Omitted
Secretary Clinton. [L]et me begin b[y] conveying the warmest of greetings from President Obama. He has a particular connection to Africa, of course, with his father being from Kenya. But he has a very deep level of interest in the development of Africa, and certainly in our strong relationship between the United States and South Africa.
As a member of that Administration and certainly based on my previous lives, I share that commitment. I am very excited to be the Secretary of State at a time of both peril and promise to the world, and to be working in an Administration that recognizes the United States cannot lead by the example of our power so much as by the power of our example. And we are back to the business of working with and listening to our friends and allies, and creating not a multi-polar world, but a multi-partner world.
And of course, that leads me to South Africa, because the economic progress and prosperity and certainly the leadership that South Africa represents in critical not just to this continent, but to the world in the 21st century. As the trade minister said, my first stop on this trip was in Kenya, and I was privileged to address the AGOA Forum, and at it, we reaffirmed our support for AGOA. But we want to make it better, and we want to see it more effectively utilized.
South Africa has made the most of AGOA of any African country involved, but even here, there is so much more work to be done to make it possible for small businesses and entrepreneurs to take advantage of the duty free exporting to the United States. We talked at the AGOA Forum about the fact that there are 6,999 products that can be exported duty free from our African partners into our market. A relatively small percentage of those, however, are utilized for export. So we want to work with you. We want to work with organizations like BUSA and IDC, as well as the government, to look for ways that we can enhance the positive outcome of participating in AGOA.
So what can we do together to try to set us in our national interests, as well as regional and global interests on a path to not only long-term recovery but increasing economic activity? I think there are a couple of things that we should look at— three areas in particular, though, that I want to mention today: trade and regional integration, new technology and the promotion of conditions that leads to a more favorable business climate, from good governance to women's economic empowerment.
First, with respect to trade and regional integration, from our own bilateral relationship, we know the benefit of open markets and broader trade opportunities. And we seek to expand and deepen that bilateral relationship. We know that there are now 600 U.S. companies operating in South Africa, and many using this country as a platform for doing business with the rest of the continent. And thanks to AGOA, over 98 percent of South African exports enter the United States duty-free.
And for its part, South Africa's economy is becoming increasingly international. There is not a more telling example than South African Breweries, which now owns Miller beer, an American staple and the beer that the President drank at the famous beer summit that was held at the White House about a week ago.
But economic ties between the United States and South Africa have a lot of room to grow. One of the promising ideas is a U.S.-South Africa Business Council, or as you might prefer, South Africa-U.S. Business Council. (Laughter.) And we intend to follow up on that. When a delegation comes to the Corporate Council for Africa meeting in Washington next month, we will begin with discussions that will lead, we hope, to the establishment of such a council.
We also wish to work closely with you on additional trade and investment opportunities. When the trade minister was in Nairobi, he had the opportunity to meet with Ambassador Ron Kirk, our United States Trade Representative. We are committed to completing the Doha round, but if that is not successful—and there are many obstacles to overcome to achieve that—then we want to work on a bilateral basis to develop even further trade opportunities between us. But we believe that South Africa has so much more economic potential and it cannot exist as an island of relative prosperity amid a sea of untapped opportunity elsewhere on the continent.
We can calculate potential benefits of more robust regional trade by doing some simple math. The United States represents a market of about 320-330 million people. Africa represents a market of more than 800 million people. It is the most undeveloped, untapped market in the world. And African countries trade among themselves at a lower level than any region in the world. So we need to support regional trade organizations and customs unions, and we will work with you to do so. There are so many opportunities that we should seize to lower trade barriers. And if the United States can be of help in promoting the work that would lead to that, we are ready to do so.
We also want to support President Zuma's emphasis on rural development and infrastructure, because it's important that we recognize that without building up the infrastructure in rural areas, the economic potential of any nation will be less than it can be.
Before my trip, I met with one expert who told me that Africa needs three things to succeed: roads, roads, and roads. I think that was a clever way of stating the obvious. When I was in Nairobi, one of the delegates told me that a businessman from Lagos can get to London faster than he can get to Nairobi. So it's not only roads, but it's also air transportation that has to be enhanced as well.
Multilateral development banks and private financial institutions can provide financing for infrastructure that will improve the free flow of goods. And the United States, along with international partners, can promote more regional coordination of programs such as the Millennium Challenge Corporation. But this needs to be a public-private sector partnership, and we look to work with you based on your priority listing of what you need, because we believe that the potential for developing rural areas has for too long been ignored, not only in my country, but in every country.
Q. My name is Fred Durst. I'm an American. I work here for Horizon Equity Partners. We're a private equity firm. And one of the things that we find when we talk to new potential investors is the very difficult negative perceptions of Africa that we have to overcome. When you talk of governance and human rights and transparency, one of our biggest issues I think here in South Africa, and certainly in southern Africa, is that we're tarred with the same brush that looks at Zimbabwe. And I was wondering if you could comment on how you hope to change the engagement and (inaudible) some of the biggest challenges we face here in southern Africa.
Secretary Clinton. Well, first, let me say that, obviously, the investment climate in South Africa is good, well known. One of the reasons I wanted to come to IDC is to make sure that the word is brought back to the United States that South Africa is a great place to invest in. But I agree with you that it's not just southern Africa, but many places in Africa are scaring investors away. And that is such a tragedy when you think about the business that could be done.
But obviously, security is a prime consideration in some places. A climate of crime is scary to people. Political unrest, the corruption, the uncertainty of the cost of doing business is. People add it up and they think, “Well, let's go to Asia. Let's go somewhere else.” And I think that we've got to demonstrate—and South Africa needs to take a leadership role in this on behalf of the continent.
I spoke at length with the foreign minister today about Zimbabwe. President Obama takes very personally the kind of conditions that exists, the suffering of the Zimbabwean people. Between 3 and 4 million refugees from Zimbabwe in South Africa now, so this is a cost to you. And there needs to be a renewed effort to make sure that the reform agenda is followed up on, and that the political climate in Zimbabwe improves to the extent that real services can be delivered to people who have been deprived of them. This is something that we are focused on, we're going to work closely with South Africa on. We know that it's a difficult issue. It is a problem that time will eventually take care of, but how long one has to wait is a tough question for the people who are suffering or have had to leave their home.
So I think that we need to tell the positive stories, the South Africa story, the Botswana story. I mean, we need to tell the story of places that have really created positive conditions, and then we need to work as hard as we can to try to improve the conditions elsewhere. And that's something that is not just to be left to government. I think investors making it clear that they would go into some places under these conditions will help to give a push to the political leadership. You need outside pressure oftentimes, and so I hope that together we can make some of those changes happen.
Remarks by Secretary of State Clinton, August 9, 2009Footnote 8
Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered these remarks in Luanda, Angola
Secretary Clinton. Thank you very much, and I am very pleased that we could have the (inaudible) meeting today and (inaudible) learn more about the role that petroleum plays in the economy (inaudible) future of Angola. It is an honor to be here with USAID, Chevron, and CLUSA as partners joined in a common vision. I want to recognize the role that our ambassador, Ambassador Mozena, played in bringing this group together, and I want to thank Alan Kleier of Chevron and Estevão Rodrigues of CLUSA for their leadership.
With the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding, we are making a down payment on the future, the revitalization of small and medium holder farming in Angola. This $6 million investment will help raise the income of Angolans, turn back hunger, and drive sustainable development. It will bolster Angola's efforts to rebuild a once vital agricultural sector destroyed by war, which again can be a source of broad-based prosperity.
Equally important is a model of the global architecture of cooperation we are building through partnership with and beyond government. The partnership between USAID, Chevron and CLUSA represents a new approach to development assistance on the part of the Obama Administration. While we will continue to provide emergency food aid to address immediate crises, we are focused on helping countries build mechanisms that sustain progress in agriculture over the long term.
One key element of that strategy in Angola and across Africa will be to (inaudible) small holder farmers to provide access to credit and financial support, to pursue initiatives that link farmers to (inaudible) facilities and markets, (inaudible) strategies that preserve natural resources, and extend the benefits of research and technical assistance to increase crop quality and yields.
President Obama pledged $3.5 billion for agriculture development and food security at the recent G-8 meeting (inaudible). In addition, other G-8 nations pledged $17 billion in funding, for a total of more than $20 billion.
Helping small farmers in Africa is not only about giving those farmers a better life by increasing (inaudible) local production of food and jobs and therefore economic development in the countries of Africa like Angola. It also helps the rest of the world, because most of the arable land left in the world is on the African continent. Countries in Africa that are now importing food can become exporters. Countries that cannot now feed themselves will once again be able to do so.
And nowhere is the promise of agriculture as a key to a diversified economy greater than right here in Angola. Angola has 16 million people in a country that is twice the size of Texas. It has nearly half the water that is available in southern Africa. So agriculture is one of the areas that I know the Government of Angola— and we have the minister of agriculture with us—is working on to provide more opportunities for the people of Angola.
And so, again, let me thank and congratulate CLUSA, Chevron, and USAID for their partnership on this issue. Let me especially thank Chevron for recognizing that it is important to give back to the countries where the natural resources come from. So now let me ask the partners to sign the Memorandum of Understanding. I will witness it, along with the foreign minister, the minister of petroleum, and the minister of agriculture. The minister of energy is also here. So we have many witnesses (inaudible) this very important partnership.
Remarks by USAID Acting Administrator Fulgham, August 9, 2009Footnote 9
Administrator Alonzo Fulgham delivered these remarks in Washington, DC
Administrator Fulgham. Good morning! Bonjou! Prime Minister Pierre-Louis, Dr. Moise, Dr. Lauredan, distinguished colleagues and friends of Haiti, I am honored to be here today and I thank you for the opportunity to join this gathering.
This is a very fitting forum for the subject I want to address today-the critical need to find new ways to work more effectively, together, to bring about lasting change in Haiti.
The United States enjoys many ties with Haiti, and as a member of the community of democracies, we are committed to helping the Haitian people and their democratically-elected government build a more prosperous nation and a brighter future.
U.S. assistance programs currently work to strengthen governance; improve security and stability; foster economic growth; provide basic education and health services; improve access to affordable food; and reduce disaster vulnerability.
This year, the United States will provide over $300 million dollars in assistance to directly support the national development priorities identified by the Government of Haiti.
We want to work with you-our partners in the Haitian Diaspora—to work faster, harder, and smarter to advance sustainable development in Haiti.
As some of you may know, I began my career in international development as a Peace Corps volunteer -from 1984 to 1986—in Haiti. In those early years I worked closely with my Haitian partners in civil society and government, and had the opportunity to travel around the country to provide credit and assist entrepreneurs in developing local handicrafts for export. From Jérémie to Jacmel to Cap-Haïtien, I was impressed then, as I continue to be today, by the talent, creativity, and most importantly-the resolve of the Haitian people to tackle difficult challenges and overcome the obstacles that limit Haiti's future.
But last year, just when it seemed the country was poised for a strong performance on the economic front, rising food prices and four back-to-back storms set back plans and progress-yet again.
In many parts of the country, work had to begin anew on roads, schools, and restoring Haiti's agricultural productivity. All of this amounted to a $900 billion dollar blow to the Haitian economy.
We are all hear to answer the same question—How can we work together to overcome such a huge setback?
Clearly, a renewed and concerted effort from the Haitian government and its international partners is required to regain the hard-earned progress lost to man-made and natural disasters, and to lay the foundation for sustained economic growth.
To that end, the United States Government has responded with additional emergency funding of 166 million dollars for relief, recovery and disaster mitigation programs. Working closely with the Government of Haiti and other donors, these programs are designed not only to provide recovery assistance in the short-term—but also to build the country's long-term capacity to respond to future disasters.
Although still fragile, Haiti's security has improved to the point where the country can focus more of its attention and resources on long-term economic growth. And while our focus must remain on the longer term, let me assure you that our government is possessed by a sense of urgency in our efforts to spur economic development in Haiti. For instance, we will be supporting Haitian plans to take full advantage of the passage of the HOPE II trade provisions by Congress, which are designed to increase employment in Haiti.
With your help, we must explore creative and innovative initiatives to increase both domestic and foreign investment flows to create urgently needed jobs throughout the country. This is vital-not only to maintain continued stability in Haiti, but also to provide opportunities to the hard working Haitian people to mold a better life for themselves and for their families.
In our view, job creation is central to long-term growth. This is an endeavor that will require all of our concerted efforts— and all of our persistence and ingenuity.
In the United States Government we recognize that we, too, need to learn to work together. The ongoing policy review launched by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will help set the parameters and direction of our assistance, and will better align all of our activities with the government's national development plans.
For the first time in my memory, we have a true whole-of-government approach to Haiti's development. To underscore that point, our government recently sent out an inter-agency team to Haiti. Headed by USAID, the team included experts from the Departments of State, Energy and Agriculture.
Among other principals, our team met with the Prime Minister and worked side by side with representatives from each of the ministries. They traveled extensively throughout the country with public officials and leaders from the private sector, exploring areas and sectors where the United States Government ought to concentrate its efforts. Our team continues to maintain a dialogue with the Government of Haiti as they prepare their recommendations.
To further reinforce this message, I will travel to Haiti as soon as I leave you today to continue our ongoing dialogue with the Haitian government and with leaders from the business community and civil society. My trip will also underscore that our government is firmly committed to assisting the people of Haiti to achieve the economic prosperity to which they so fervently aspire and so assuredly deserve.
It is abundantly clear that our collective investments must be focused on helping Haiti to move beyond assistance to genuine economic growth.
As President Obama stated in his speech in Accra, “the true sign of success is not whether we are a source of aid that helps people scrape by—it is whether we are partners in building the capacity for transformational change.” In essence—”Real change”.
Few countries have developed fully without the active involvement of their diaspora. Take Israel, for example, where the active involvement of the diaspora community has contributed not only to that country's economic growth but also to forging a strong and unshakable bond between our nations.
As members of the Haitian Diaspora, I ask you to continue to play a partnership role in achieving transformational change for Haiti.
Let me offer a few examples of how that might happen.
Last week, the U.S. Agency for International Development launched a Haitian Diaspora Marketplace program, providing $2 million to support investments by members of the Haitian Diaspora in small and medium enterprises in Haiti. The goals of this program are to spur economic growth, create sustainable jobs, and support productive investments in the Haitian economy. This program is implemented in partnership with one of the leading banks in Haiti, the Sogebank Foundation, and is designed so that you, members of the Haitian Diaspora, can participate in funding investment projects in Haiti in manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, construction, information technology, and other areas.
USAID's Mission in Haiti has also launched a project to harness the potential of remittance flows for investment purposes such as savings accounts, collateral for business loans, education loans and scholarships.
In the months ahead, USAID intends to be at the forefront of efforts aimed at making the Haitian Diaspora an even more active participant in the strategic economic development of Haiti. We see you as a unique and valued partner, with many comparative advantages to offer.
Your contribution to Haiti is seen not only in the remarkable level of remittances that are sent to Haiti each year, but also in your active support for efforts to strengthen good governance in Haiti through advocacy.
I see great promise in Haiti today and I believe that we are witnessing a moment of enormous opportunity. The stars are aligned. In our government, we have a President, a Secretary of State, and a Congress who are deeply and passionately committed to Haiti's long-term development.
And we are seeing that commitment echoed on the international stage as well, particularly through the appointment of President William Jefferson Clinton as UN Special Envoy.
Perhaps most importantly, Haiti is experiencing a period of relative stability, headed by a democratically-elected government committed to rebuilding its future.
Members of the diaspora, the time is now.
We need your help to:
* Continue to let Haitian officials at the local and national levels know that you expect stable and capable government institutions;
* To join forces with NGOs in the fight against corruption; and
* Perhaps most fundamentally, to make your invaluable expertise and experience available to government and civil society organizations in Haiti.
The Government of Haiti and its people have met many challenges during the last year. And it is thanks to the leadership of the Haitian government, the indomitable will of the Haitian people, the generous spirit of the Haitian Diaspora, and the cooperation of the international donor community that Haiti now stands stronger.
The United States looks forward to continuing to work with the Haitian Diaspora to bring meaningful economic development to Haiti. As the old Creole proverb goes: “Men anpil chay pa lou.” Many hands make the load lighter.
Mèsi ampil. Thank you.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, August 9, 2009Footnote 10
Underscoring President Obama's commitment to supporting growth and development in the Middle East region, USTDA Acting Director Leocadia I. Zak today conferred two grants to further Jordanian priorities in the energy and transportation sectors. In addition, Acting Director Zak announced plans to support a solar energy project in the Ma'an Development Area, a USTDA-funded reverse trade mission to the United States for Jordanian officials on renewable energy, and a regional electricity conference. The implementation of the projects associated with these grants, orientation visit, and conference also represent significant commercial opportunities for the export of U.S. goods and services.
“With these grants and upcoming events, USTDA is pleased to further efforts to develop renewable energy resources and transportation infrastructure in the Middle East as a foundation for economic growth,” said Zak. “We have seen considerable success from our partnerships with other strong project sponsors in Jordan and we look forward to similar results from our actions today.”
The grant signing ceremony was hosted by Her Excellency Suhair Al-Ali, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation (MOPIC), at MOPIC's offices in Amman. Minister Al-Ali and Acting Director Zak signed both of the grant agreements on behalf of the Jordanian and U.S. governments, respectively. Chargé d'Affaires Lawrence Mandel from the U.S. Embassy in Amman signed as a witness to the grant agreements.
The first grant, in the amount of $370,000, will support Jordan's goal of incorporating renewable energy into its electric power grid by funding technical assistance to the National Electric Power Company on the Jordanian electrical system. The assistance will identify newly required reliability assessments, which will provide power to households and protect the system during blackouts and brownouts. It will also support future grid expansion and modernization plans, including actions necessary to accommodate increased use of renewable energy.
Acting Director Zak also announced that USTDA is currently working with International for Energy Technology Industries (also known as Millennium Energy Industries) towards a feasibility study for a proposed Concentrated Solar Power project in the Ma'an Development Area in Jordan, using the technology of US-based eSolar, Inc. The implementation of the facility would further Jordan's goal of increasing its use of clean and renewable sources of energy and decreasing its dependence on imported fossil fuels.
Acting Director Zak also announced that USTDA will fund an orientation visit to the United States for representatives of the Jordanian public and private sector on renewable energy generation projects and increased energy efficiency. The delegates will participate in the PowerGen conference to be held December 8-10, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and will be exposed to U.S. businesses and technologies.
In further support of energy development, Acting Director Zak unveiled plans to sponsor a regional electricity conference in Cairo, Egypt in 2010. The conference will examine issues and projects in electricity generation and distribution in the Middle East and North Africa, including capacity building, transport, storage, water needs, and electricity interconnection. Projects from throughout the region, including Jordan, will be highlighted during the planned conference.
In addition to the activities launched today promoting the development of abundant and reliable power resources, USTDA awarded a $418,010 grant in the transportation sector to the Aqaba Development Corporation for a feasibility study on a Vessel Traffic System (VTS) and an Integrated Port Communications Information System at the Port of Aqaba. The VTS will promote trade by tracking vessel movements and providing navigational safety in the Gulf of Aqaba. The Jordanian government will provide additional resources toward the completion of the study.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, August 12, 2009Footnote 11
Today, USTDA awarded separate grants to PT Medco Downstream Indonesia (Medco) and Persatuan Perusahaan Air Minum Seluruh Indonesia (PERPAMSI) that underscore the Obama Administration's support for the comprehensive partnership between the United States and Indonesia. In addition, these grants further advance the President's vision of supporting clean energy development and environmental programs that provide for a healthier future for people around the world. The grants encourage energy diversification and improved water supply services in Indonesia, while opening commercial opportunities for U.S. firms associated with the implementation of each project.
USTDA Acting Director Leocadia I. Zak signed the grants at separate ceremonies held in Jakarta. Mr. Djatnika S. Puradinata, President Director, signed on behalf of Medco, while Mr. H. Azhar Latif, Secretary General signed on behalf of PERPAMSI. Deputy Chief of Mission Ted Osius, from the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, signed as a witness to the Medco grant agreement.
The $320,924 grant to Medco will fund a feasibility study for a sweet sorghum-based ethanol production facility in Papua Province, Indonesia. The proposed facility will provide an important energy source to meet growing transportation fuel demand in Indonesia and improve infrastructure related to the industry such as roads, irrigation systems, power generation and public facilities. Medco and NEAtech will contribute additional resources toward the completion of the project.
“Because studies have shown that sorghum is environmentally sustainable, USTDA is supporting the development of an ethanol production facility that uses sorghum as its feedstock,” said Acting Director Zak. “USTDA support for this project will encourage expansion and progress in the development of the biofuels industry, which will in turn stimulate the usage of clean energy and stimulate job growth.”
Through a separate $266,824 grant to PERPAMSI, USTDA will support a pilot project at a regional water company to demonstrate technology solutions to minimize water losses as Indonesia seeks to expand potable water supply to under-served communities. Nobel Systems, Inc., the contractor chosen by PERPAMSI, will contribute additional resources toward the completion of the study.
“Indonesia has made clean, efficient water supply a priority,” said Acting Director Zak. “This grant will help Indonesia reach its goal of increasing clean water delivery coverage and service quality to millions of new customers as the government seeks to reach an additional 78 million people within the next seven years. With the help of this USTDA-funded study, water companies will be able to minimize future water losses due to such causes as leaks, metering, lack of billing and collection, and illegal connections, thereby providing clean water to more customers.”
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, August 13, 2009Footnote 12
USTDA awarded a grant today under the agency's African Trade Lanes Partnership to the Namibia Airports Company Limited (NAC) to update the master plans for modernizing and expanding Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA) and Eros Airport (Eros). In particular, the USTDA-funded study will examine proposed upgrades to key airport facilities, systems, and operations to meet growing demand for air traffic services.
A signing ceremony to confer the $393,810 grant was held at the American Cultural Center in Windhoek. U.S. Ambassador to Namibia Gail Dennise Mathieu and NAC Acting Chief Administrative Officer Matti Asino signed the grant agreement on behalf of the U.S. government and NAC, respectively. USTDA Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa Paul Marin and NAC General Manager of the Commercial Services Department Sikongo Haihambo signed as witnesses to the grant agreement.
“Helping the Namibia Airports Company develop a well-designed plan to improve its infrastructure is one important component in our partnership with Namibia—a partnership rooted in promoting the economic prosperity of all Namibians,” said Ambassador Mathieu.
Spurred by strong economic growth, especially in the tourism sector, Namibia has experienced a significant rise in demand for air traffic services. To accommodate existing and future air traffic needs, the NAC intends to modernize and expand HKIA and Eros airports. The NAC is seeking private sector expertise and investment to elevate these airports to international standards and convert them into profitable enterprises.
“By serving the capital, Windhoek, Hosea Kutako and Eros Airports are of such cardinal importance for tourism and economic development of the country,” said Advocate Asino. “NAC expresses gratitude for the generous grant from the USTDA that will realize the capacity expansion of its infrastructure.”
The USTDA-funded feasibility study will help the NAC to achieve these goals by updating the master plans for both airports. Some of the major capital improvements under consideration are: expansion or construction of a terminal building; expansion of the baggage handling system; fuel storage upgrades; cargo facilities expansion; and upgrades for navigational aids.
The grant was awarded under USTDA's African Trade Lanes Partnership, which was launched in 2008 to support a coordinated intermodal transportation infrastructure program to help Africa take better advantage of AGOA benefits. The initiative is designed to promote regional cooperation and connectivity in all modes of transportation, including aviation, maritime, land, and rail.
The NAC has selected The Louis Berger Group, Inc. of Morristown, New Jersey, to perform the feasibility study based upon previous technical work the firm has conducted for the upgrade of Namibia's Walvis Bay International Airport. The Louis Berger Group will contribute additional resources toward the completion of the study.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, August 13, 2009Footnote 13
Today, USTDA awarded a grant to the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) to improve waste management practices in the oil and natural gas sector. The grant builds on previous USTDA grants to SOCAR by funding a feasibility study for SOCAR on the development of a facility to process and securely store waste and by-products related to oil and gas production.
“Today's grant marks a significant step for Azerbaijan in achieving its pollution control goals,” said USTDA Acting Regional Director David Hester. “In a country that has an economy that is driven by a vibrant oil and gas sector, USTDA is proud to continue its partnership with SOCAR by contributing to the creation of a new, ecologically sound standard for petroleum waste management.”
The $572,068 grant was conferred during a signing ceremony held at SOCAR's offices in Baku. Acting Regional Director Hester and SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev signed the grant agreement on behalf of the U.S. government and SOCAR, respectively. USTDA Country Manager Scott Greenip and SOCAR Vice President for Ecology Mukhtar Babayev signed as witnesses to the grant agreement.
Hydrocarbons represent up to 20 percent of Azerbaijan's gross domestic product and have driven double-digit rates of economic growth for the past nine years. Azerbaijan's 2006 State Ecological Program aims to establish a standardized approach to petroleum waste disposal, committing funds to cleanup efforts and the development of modern waste management facilities. The USTDA grant awarded today supports SOCAR's role in building waste management infrastructure in line with this initiative. By making recommendations for the design, construction and operation of a facility that includes processing, the USTDA-funded study will promote environmental responsibility in the handling of Azerbaijan's petroleum waste, particularly on the Absheron peninsula.
“Enhancing our waste management capabilities is one of the leading priorities in SOCAR's environmental reform program,” said Abdullayev. “We believe that cooperation with USTDA will make a positive contribution in developing this project according to international standards.”
Press Release from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, August 13, 2009Footnote 14
The U.S. Government's Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and Council of the Americas (COA) today jointly hosted a public forum to discuss economic development and long-term poverty reduction in Latin America, featuring keynote speaker Ivonne A-Baki, President of the Andean Parliament and candidate for Director General of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Acting MCC Chief Executive Officer Darius Mans remarked: “Today's conversation underscored that MCC and organizations like Council of the Americas know that development assistance, delivered with accountability, offers an effective way to combat the challenges of poverty in the Americas. MCC is committed to building a framework based on cooperation and country-ownership to reduce poverty through economic growth in the Americas.”
“Although poverty rates in the region have dropped in recent years, much more must be done, particularly in light of the current economic downturn and the risk that levels could go up,” said Eric Farnsworth, vice president and head of the Washington office of the Council of the Americas. “Council of the Americas strongly supports a multi-pronged approach to poverty reduction in the region through economic and investment liberalization and the compacts and threshold programs implemented by the Millennium Challenge Corporation.”
As the keynote speaker, Ambassador A-Baki emphasized Latin America's unique needs and laid out ideas for innovations that can offer unique solutions for the future of the region. Ambassador A-Baki was joined by an expert panel on Latin American affairs including John Sanbrailo, Pan American Development Foundation; Eric Farnsworth, Council of the Americas; and Dr. Kevin Healy, George Washington University and Inter-American Foundation. The panel's conversation focused on the importance of cooperation and consultation among government leaders, civil society, and the people in need of innovative solutions.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, August 15, 2009Footnote 15
Acting Director Leocadia I. Zak reaffirmed USTDA's long-term commitment to Africa's development during a plenary session she co-chaired today with Ethiopia's Minister of Trade and Industry, His Excellency Girma Birru, entitled “Africa: Successes, Challenges and Prospects.” In support of this commitment, Ms. Zak signed a grant agreement with the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) to support the development of regional rail integration. In addition, USTDA announced additional programs it intends to support in the areas of transportation, customs modernization, and meteorology. The grant signing and announcements, which took place during the eighth African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum, are designed to further the establishment of the necessary infrastructure and capacity in sub-Saharan Africa to generate sustainable growth and support enhanced U.S.-Africa trade relations.
“In his speech last month in Ghana, President Obama laid out the commitment of the United States to be a partner and a friend of Africans working for transformational change on the continent,” said USTDA Acting Director Zak. “In many cases, regional solutions to Africa's development challenges hold great promise. By looking broadly at issues that cross borders and pooling ideas and resources, countries can strengthen their connections to the global market and better utilize the trade benefits under AGOA as a catalyst for growth. USTDA is pleased to be an active partner in furthering Africa's infrastructure priorities and in supporting Africa's regional integration efforts.”
Recognizing the importance of transportation infrastructure to trade and economic growth, UEMOA has prioritized the development of stronger regional transportation connections throughout West Africa. The $750,000 USTDA grant awarded today will support this effort by funding a feasibility study on a proposed rail line from Bamako, Mali to Mali's southeastern border with Côte d'Ivoire that would provide a reliable transport link for land-locked Burkina Faso and Niger to the Port of Dakar in Senegal. Acting Director Zak and UEMOA Commissioner Christophe Dabiré signed the grant agreement on behalf of the U.S. government and UEMOA, respectively.
The grant was awarded under USTDA's African Trade Lanes Partnership, which is designed to promote regional cooperation and connectivity in all modes of transportation, including aviation, maritime, land, and rail.
In addition to signing the grant agreement, Acting Director Zak announced the launching of a regional intermodal transportation training program under the African Trade Lanes Partnership. The three-week program will include delegates from Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, and Tanzania, who will attend courses at the Global Maritime and Transportation School at the Merchant Marine Academy in New York. The delegates will also meet with U.S. suppliers and visit a number of maritime ports to see U.S. technologies in operation.
Also under the African Trade Lanes Partnership, Acting Director Zak announced USTDA's intention to award a grant to the Namibia Airports Company to fund a feasibility study on updates to the master plan for Hosea Kutako International and Eros airports. USTDA plans to sign an agreement to confer this grant early next week.
Acting Director Zak also announced USTDA's intention to award a grant for a feasibility study that will assess the systems and facilities requirements of the Uganda Department of Meteorology. Recognizing the importance of timely and informative weather information to the agricultural and aviation sectors, the study will recommend technical solutions necessary to deploy a system that will provide real-time information on weather that will directly affect wide portions of Uganda's economy.
In the customs arena, Acting Director Zak announced USTDA's plans under the agency's Global Customs Initiative (GCI) to fund a training program on customs modernization for the East African Community. USTDA launched GCI in 2006 to improve host country policies, procedures, and regional cooperation; integrate participating countries more closely into the global trading environment; and enhance the global trade and investment climate.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, August 17, 2009Footnote 16
USTDA awarded a $582,853 grant to Vietnam's Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development (MARD) on August 14th to establish the foundation for a disaster management system. The implementation of this program will help to mitigate the impacts from natural disasters, including typhoons with high winds, floods, and landslides that regularly affect the lives of citizens throughout Vietnam. Flooding in particular has had devastating effects on Vietnam's infrastructure and communities, thus emphasizing the need to implement a strategic plan for disaster mitigation. The system will help to forecast floods, assess their potential impacts, and disseminate warnings to the appropriate disaster managers and civil authorities. Acting Director Zak and Director General Le Van Minh signed the grant agreement on behalf of the U.S. government and MARD, respectively. MARD's Minister Dr. Cao Duc Phat and U.S. Ambassador Michael Michalak were present and witnessed the grant signing.
“This USTDA-supported project will strengthen MARD's flood forecasting, early warning and disaster management capabilities, enabling MARD and the Disaster Management Center to develop an effective system that will become a core component of Vietnam's disaster management infrastructure,” Acting Director Zak stated at the event.
MARD is the lead administrative body in Vietnam responsible for flood control programs and oversees the Disaster Management Center, which serves as the executing agency to implement the strategies for the flood and storm control. MARD has chosen the Pacific Disaster Center of the University of Hawaii to provide the technical assistance in the implementation of this disaster management system.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, August 28, 2009Footnote 17
Today, USTDA awarded a grant to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India to help update regulations and practices governing helicopter operations. The USTDA grant, to be carried out under the auspices of the U.S.-India Aviation Cooperation Program (ACP), will aid in the growth and development of India's civil aviation sector by fostering increases in the volume of helicopter operations in the expanding Indian market.
The USTDA grant illustrates the growing working relationship between the Indian and U.S. aviation sectors that will lead to heightened exchange of technology and knowledge, safety standards, and efficiency. This assistance is strongly backed by both governments and endorsed by the two countries' aviation sectors under the U.S.-India ACP.
The grant agreement, valued at $501,849, was signed at an award ceremony at Safdarjang Airport in New Delhi by U.S. Ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer and by Dr. S.N.A. Zaidi, Director General of Civil Aviation.
“Today, the U.S.-India Aviation Cooperation Program expands into a new area,” Ambassador Roemer noted after the signing, “The signing of the Helicopter Aviation Safety Technical Assistance project, led by Bell Helicopter, will provide expertise to improve India's expanding helicopter sector and will expand opportunities for increased trade between our two countries.”
The grant to DGCA will fund technical assistance to improve India's helicopter safety through pilot training and certification, accident investigation training, heliports, and helicopter flight routes.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, August 28, 2009Footnote 18
Today, USTDA awarded a grant to Turkish Coal Enterprises (TKI) to help reduce carbon emissions from the use of coal for energy production. Reflecting the Obama Administration's strategy of leveraging efficiency and renewable energy investments in Turkey, the grant continues USTDA's support for Turkey's energy sector by funding a feasibility study on the development of a coal gasification plant, which would produce pipeline-quality substitute natural gas (SNG) as a cleaner-burning alternative.
The $437,020 grant was conferred during a signing ceremony held at TKI's offices in Ankara. Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara Douglas Silliman and TKI Director General Dr. Selahaddin Anac signed the grant agreement on behalf of the U.S. government and TKI, respectively. Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Commercial Service in Ankara James Fluker and Mr. Muammer Bulut Deputy Director General of TKI signed as witnesses to the grant agreement.
“Today's grant provides an important opportunity for Turkey to reduce carbon emissions as it meets its domestic energy needs,” said Silliman. “In a country where domestic coal resources account for one-quarter of primary energy consumption, the U.S. government is proud to support the development of new technologies that contribute to energy security in an environmentally responsible fashion.”
Currently, Turkey's is meeting its rapid increase in demand for natural gas through imports. The proposed coal gasification project would increase Turkey's energy security by providing a clean, domestic source for natural gas to meet the country's growing energy demands.
Press Release from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, August 28, 2009Footnote 19
The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a U.S. Government agency, works with countries that demonstrate a commitment to democratic performance. Given the recent events in Honduras, MCC continues to carefully examine any actions related to the operations of its $215 million compact with Honduras. In response to the recent events in Honduras, MCC is not moving forward with activities under the compact that were not already underway before June 28.
MCC management is in regular contact with MCC's Board of Directors, chaired by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to keep Board members updated about the impact of recent events on MCC activities. The Board makes decisions related to the suspension and termination of assistance under a compact and is aware of the current state of MCC activities in Honduras. MCC also remains in close contact with other US Government agencies on this matter.
MCC signed a five-year, $215 million compact with Honduras on June 13, 2005. The compact focuses on increasing the productivity and business skills of farmers who operate small- and medium-sized farms, and reducing transportation costs between targeted production centers and national, regional, and global markets. The rural development project is providing farmers with training in the production and marketing of high value horticultural crops. The project also aims to improve farmer access to credit by providing technical assistance to financial institutions. Under the transportation project, the CA-5 Highway is being rehabilitated with upgrades to key secondary roads to improve the access of rural communities to markets.
Press Release from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, September 1, 2009Footnote 20
On August 26th, the U.S. Government's Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) joined with the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to host a public outreach meeting with Salvadoran Diaspora business leaders, the Embassy of El Salvador in Washington and local regional consulates in Virginia, the Salvadoran Foundation for Economic and Social Development (FUSADES), and FOMILENIO, the implementing agency of MCC's $461 million grant with El Salvador, to explore investment opportunities in El Salvador's Northern Zone. The groups met to launch an interactive web portal which highlights the propitious business climate as well as investment and trade opportunities in the region.
The event showcased the positive collaboration between the US Government, the Government of El Salvador, FUSADES and Salvadoran entrepreneurs in facilitating investments and partnerships that will build on MCC's investment in long-term economic growth projects in El Salvador. Of the event, MCC Deputy Resident Country Director Kenny Miller said, “Reaching out to private investors is the only way MCC can guarantee sustainability in our multi-million dollar investments. Our hope is that Salvadoran business leaders living in Washington DC and elsewhere will use this new web portal and look to the Northern Zone to invest back in their homeland and thus leverage our investment to create new jobs and wealth in El Salvador.”
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 1, 2009Footnote 21
Today, USTDA awarded a grant to the Saigon Water Supply Corporation (SAWACO) that will support efforts to protect the Saigon and DongNai river systems, the main water resource of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), and improve the health and living conditions of the surrounding communities. The grant will further these objectives by developing a cost-effective method for treating and disposing of sludge produced by SAWACO water treatment plants located in HCMC. The implementation of the USTDA-sponsored plan will create opportunities for the export of U.S. goods and services.
The $501,377 grant was conferred during a grant signing ceremony held at SAWACO's office in HCMC. The Consul General from the U.S. Consulate in HCMC, Kenneth J. Fairfax, and Mr. Tran Dinh Phu, General Director of SAWACO signed the grant agreement on behalf of the U.S. and Vietnamese sides, respectively.
“The United States and Vietnam share a commitment to protecting our environment,” said Consul General Fairfax. “In this effort, the study funded by the USTDA grant will provide SAWACO with a world-class solution to the treatment and safe disposal of sludge.”
SAWACO is a state-owned entity responsible for operating three larger water treatment plants, as well as smaller satellite facilities, providing water services to approximately six million people in HCMC. Sludge is one of components which need to be treated thoroughly to assure a good environment in the Saigon and DongNai river basins and SAWACO has prioritized the implementation of disposal systems that treat and minimize damage to the HCMC river system. As such, SAWACO is seeking technological solutions and facility designs to treat and dispose of residual solids from their water treatment plants.
According to Sawaco, the Saigon River is a treasure that Sawaco is committed to protecting, Sawaco looks forward to the solution and implementation plan that the USTDA-funded study will provide it.
Press Release from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, September 8, 2009Footnote 22
The Board of Directors of the U.S. Government's Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), chaired by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, approved a five-year, $540 million compact grant to the Republic of Senegal to reduce poverty through economic growth. The compact will focus on road rehabilitation and food security initiatives in some of the poorest regions of Senegal.
“On behalf of MCC, I want to congratulate the people and Government of Senegal for developing an innovative compact that will make a tremendous difference in reducing poverty through economic growth by bolstering food security and transportation connectivity,” said Darius Mans, Acting MCC Chief Executive Officer. “The Senegalese have laid out a clear vision of improving the quality of their lives through a results-oriented plan. MCC welcomes the opportunity to work together to achieve these compact goals.”
The compact will invest in rehabilitating roads in the northern and southern regions of Senegal. Improving these roads is vital to supporting the agricultural sector—by creating reliable, cost-effective, and time-saving means to transport locally-produced agricultural products to domestic and international markets year-round. In addition to getting producers and consumers to markets, these roads will provide access to essential community services, like schools and hospitals.
The compact also will invest in a strategic irrigation and water resources management project. This project will develop up to 10,500 hectares of additional irrigated land in the Senegal River Valley by increasing the volume of irrigation water. This work will prevent the abandonment of 26,000 hectares of existing irrigable land by rehabilitating drainage canals and expanding secure land tenure. The project will maximize the potential of the irrigated zone by increasing crop yields. For a country that currently imports 70 percent of its rice, the irrigation project will move Senegal an important step closer to greater food security.
MCC anticipates signing the compact with the Republic of Senegal on September 16, 2009. The compact will be signed by Senegal Minister of Finance and Economy Abdoulaye Diop and Acting MCC CEO Darius Mans at the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C. Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade and Secretary Clinton will preside at the signing.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 8, 2009Footnote 23
Today, USTDA awarded two grants that continue the agency's support for clean energy and information technology projects in China that represent significant commercial opportunities for U.S. firms. The first grant furthers the objectives of the Obama Administration in the U.S.-China Climate and Clean Energy Partnership by building on previous USTDA success in promoting the use of clean energy technologies in China's coal mine methane (CMM) sector. A separate grant awarded today will advance food security by fostering the development of a rural land registration program in Anhui Province.
The grants were conferred during a signing ceremony held during the U.S.-China Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale. USTDA Director for Policy and Program Geoffrey Jackson and Vice Minister of Commerce Ma Xiuhong signed the grants on behalf of the U.S. and Chinese governments respectively.
“These grants are outstanding examples of the way USTDA's program provides countries with access to U.S. technology and expertise in meeting important development priorities,” said Jackson on today's grant awards.
China has announced plans to increase coal mine methane use to ten percent of the country's total natural gas consumption—more than double the amount in 2006. A $655,185 grant awarded today to the China United Coalbed Methane Corporation (CUCBM) will support this objective by introducing new low-density CMM technologies to China that will strengthen the country's ability to meet its electric power demands while reducing methane emissions. In particular, the USTDA-funded study will develop a strategic framework for the implementation of the technologies in four provinces—Xinjiang, Shanxi, Guizhou and Yunan—known for their rich coal resources.
The grant builds upon previous USTDA's success in fostering the development of a 120 megawatt CMM power facility in Jencheng in Shanxi Province. USTDA funded a study that defined equipment specifications and facilitated the evaluation of supplier bids on the project. The study led to approximately $40 million in U.S. exports that were used in the development of the facility.
CUCBM has selected Stearns, Conrad and Schmidt Consulting Engineers, Inc. (SCS Engineers) of Concord, Massachusetts to perform the study supported by today's grant. Caterpillar Inc. (Peoria, Illinois) will serve as a sub-contractor to SCS Engineers on the study. In addition to the USTDA grant, SCS Engineers and Caterpillar will provide resources toward the study's completion.
USTDA also awarded a second grant today, in the amount of $478,440, to the Anhui Agricultural Commission to fund technical assistance in the development of a rural land registration and certification program (RLRCP). China has prioritized the establishment of an RLRCP as key to achieving food security and agricultural growth. Creating certified property rights for citizens is a top priority in Anhui Province, where the economy is dominated by small-scale agriculture. The USTDA grant will further the establishment of an RLRCP by defining the land registry system requirements, developing software configurations and providing public outreach and training to stakeholders.
The Anhui Agricultural Commission has selected International Land Systems Inc. (Silver Spring, Maryland) and its U.S. partners, Trimble Navigation Limited (Sunnyvale, California) and ESRI (Redlands, California), to provide the USTDA-funded assistance. In addition to the USTDA grant, International Land Systems and its partners will provide substantial resources toward the completion of the technical assistance program.
Press Release from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, September 9, 2009Footnote 24
The Board of Directors of the U.S. Government's Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) today reviewed the status of its poverty reduction grants worldwide and stressed the importance of country-led development and accountability in leveraging these funds to spur economic growth. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton chaired the meeting after recently returning from a trip to Africa that included meetings with leaders of Cape Verde and Kenya, which are MCC partner countries, and of Liberia, which is developing an MCC threshold program. MCC's Acting Chief Executive Officer Darius Mans informed the Board that MCC was on target to reach its 2009 goals for both disbursements and contract commitments. MCC is rapidly approaching cumulative disbursements of $1 billion and contract commitments of $2 billion focused on programs to reduce poverty around the world. The MCC Board also previewed the September 16 signing of a $540 million poverty reduction compact with the Republic of Senegal, which will invest in the country's agriculture and transportation sectors.
“Today's Board meeting is a reminder that MCC funds are earned and not automatic,” said Acting CEO Darius Mans. “Our country partners propose projects that matter to them because they matter to their people, but there is an ongoing responsibility that rests with country leaders.” Mans continued, “Good governance and accountability are at the heart of our poverty reduction programs, and governments that are inconsistent in these areas jeopardize not only MCC funding, but also the long-term impact that good policies can have on growth in their local economies.”
MCC's Board today announced that, given recent events in Honduras that are inconsistent with a commitment to democratic governance, MCC will terminate two planned activities in the transportation sector totaling approximately $11 million from its Compact with Honduras. As a result of the meeting, MCC also will put on hold approximately $4 million of its contribution for work on the CA-5 road project jointly funded with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI). MCC will continue with existing activities for which funds have been contractually obligated and with the administration of the Compact with Honduras to ensure proper use of funds. MCC also will continue to monitor the situation in Honduras in close coordination with the State Department and other U.S. Government agencies.
During the meeting, MCC's management updated the Board on a Compact under development with Moldova that will spur growth and reduce poverty through investments in the transportation and agriculture sectors.
The Board also discussed its ongoing poverty reduction compact with Mongolia. In April 2009, the Government of Mongolia notified MCC that it would not be able to implement the $188 million rail component of its $285 MCC compact. MCC management updated the Board on the proposed use of approximately $52 million of these funds to expand three current projects, given the strong economic rates of return and strong opportunities to reduce poverty. The projects include health, vocational training and property rights activities. MCC management expects to make a recommendation to the Board on these and any other projects at or before the December 2009 Board meeting.
MCC's Board also reviewed the process undertaken to terminate its poverty reduction compact with Madagascar. MCC and MCA-Madagascar, the entity implementing the program, are on track to complete the closeout of activities. Previously, MCC's Board of Directors had voted to terminate the compact with Madagascar due to a significant pattern of actions inconsistent with MCC's policy criteria that occurred when the country experienced an undemocratic change of government earlier this year. At today's meeting, the Board noted that the compact had achieved significant results in helping to reduce poverty in the country by increasing land security and investments in farms and businesses and modernizing the country's financial sector in an effort to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of Madagascar's poor. The Board expressed regret that conditions in the country did not permit MCC to bring the full compact program to completion.
The Board also discussed recent events in Niger that could signal that the country is moving away from the positive reform agenda that made it eligible for an MCC threshold program. The pattern of actions being pursued by Niger may be inconsistent with MCC's eligibility criteria, and MCC will raise these concerns with the Government of Niger. MCC emphasized that disregard for democratic norms and constitutional order not only will preclude the country from eligibility for future MCA compact funding, but also jeopardizes the $23 million threshold program focused on girls' primary education and land rights currently being implemented. Finally, the Board approved two congressional reports related to the annual selection process. The Board's next regularly scheduled meeting will take place in early December; at that meeting, the Board will select countries as eligible for MCC funding.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 11, 2009Footnote 25
Today, USTDA awarded a grant to United Medical EAD, a leading private provider of healthcare in Bulgaria, to assist the company in evaluating its expansion plans. This project presents significant opportunities for the export of U.S. goods and services, including the development of modern state-of—the-art small hospital and clinical facilities in Bulgaria.
The $268,825 grant was conferred during a signing ceremony held at the Hilton Hotel in Sofia. Chargé d'Affaires John Ordway, from the U.S. Embassy in Sofia, and Executive Director Andrey Markov signed the grant agreement on behalf of the U.S. government and United Medical, respectively. Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Health Valeriy Mitrev, and Senior Commercial Officer Scott Pozil, from the U.S. Commercial Service in Sofia, signed as witnesses to the grant agreement.
“Today's grant represents an opportunity to improve access to high quality healthcare in Bulgaria, while promoting international best practices and the use of modern medical equipment,” said Ordway.
The Bulgarian government has placed a high priority on encouraging growth in the availability of private sector health services. United Medical has developed a successful model for clinical services, and seeks to expand its clinic base and develop two new hospitals. The USTDA grant will support this effort by funding a study that will evaluate United Medical's short-term expansion plans, including the standardization of the company's facility design and equipment requirements in order to meet international accreditation standards.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 15, 2009Footnote 26
USTDA awarded a grant today to the Ghana Airports Company, Ltd. (GACL) to help meet the projected demand for aviation services at Kotoka International Airport in Accra. The grant, which was awarded under USTDA's African Trade Lanes Partnership, will fund technical assistance to GACL in refurbishing the airport passenger terminal. The implementation of the project presents a significant opportunity for the export of U.S. goods and services.
The $650,000 grant was conferred during a signing ceremony held at the U.S. Embassy in Accra. Deputy Chief of Mission Julie Furuta-Toy from the U.S. Embassy in Accra and GACL Managing Director Doreen Fianko signed the grant agreement on behalf of the U.S. government and GACL, respectively. USTDA Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa Paul Marin and GACL Chairman of the Board Wg. Com. Andy Mensah (Rtd.) signed as witnesses to the grant agreement.
“When President Obama was in Ghana he said that history shows that countries thrive when they invest in their people and in their infrastructure,” said Marin. “This investment will help prepare Ghana to meet increased demand for air traffic in region.”
Ghana has experienced strong increases in air passenger traffic over the past 10 years, with international passenger traffic at Kotoka International Airport growing at double digit rates since 2004. GACL recently completed a 15-year master plan, which projects that the airport will need the capacity to handle 2 million passengers per year, up from 1 million in 2007, by 2024.
“The ongoing growth in air passenger traffic at Kotoka International Airport means that improvements to the passenger terminal are needed to keep capacity in line with usage,” said Fianko.
GACL plans to refurbish the airport passenger terminal and requires the schematics and design documents to determine what goods and services to procure. The USTDA grant will support this effort by funding engineering services and the preparation of documents through the design development phase. In addition to the USTDA grant, GACL will contribute additional resources toward the completion of the assistance.
Today's grant complements a separate USTDA grant awarded earlier this year to the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). Under that $295,000 grant, USTDA is funding technical assistance to the GCAA that will include a recommendation on the location and technical specifications for a new Air Traffic Control Center at Kotoka International Airport.
The grant was awarded under USTDA's Africa Trade Lanes Partnership, which was launched in 2008 to promote regional cooperation and connectivity in all modes of transportation, including aviation, maritime, land, and rail.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 15, 2009Footnote 27
Today, USTDA awarded a grant to the Rio Grande do Sul State Government in Brazil to fund a modernization plan that will guide the expansion of aviation transportation services throughout the State. The plan's implementation presents numerous opportunities for the export of U.S. goods and services.
The $630,000 grant was conferred during a signing ceremony held at the office of the Governor of Rio Grande do Sul. USTDA Country Manager Gabrielle Mandel and Governor Yeda Crusius and Secretary Daniel de Moraes Andrade of the State Secretariat for Infrastructure and Logistics (SEINFRA) signed the grant agreement on behalf of the U.S. and State of Rio Grande do Sul governments, respectively. Rodrigo Mota, USTDA Brazil Country Representative, signed as a witness to the grant agreement.
“In today's global economy, aviation infrastructure is a critical foundation for economic growth,” said Mandel. “USTDA is pleased to support this project, which will strengthen important regional aviation links in the State of Rio Grande do Sul.”
In 2003, SEINFRA established an airport development program for the modernization of air transport in the state, focusing on increased regional connectivity, particularly for emergency response, as well as promoting tourism and trade. To meet these objectives, the USTDA grant will fund a technical assistance consultancy that will help create a roadmap for the development of the state's regional airport system through 2019. The modernization plan will address investments including runway pavement, air navigation equipment, emergency response and security equipment.
Brazil was named USTDA's 2008 Country of the Year as a result of the success of the agency's program in advancing mutual economic benefits and U.S. policy priorities. Brazil is one of USTDA's largest regional partners and the agency has invested in 92 priority projects there since 1981. Over the years, these investments have facilitated $549.9 million in U.S. exports.
Press Release from Millennium Challenge Corporation, September 16, 2009Footnote 28
Today, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Acting Chief Executive Officer Darius Mans and Senegalese Minister of Finance and Economy Abdoulaye Diop signed a five-year poverty reduction compact granting $540 million to the Republic of Senegal for road rehabilitation and food security initiatives in some of the poorest regions of Senegal. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal presided at the signing held at the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C.
“It is a pleasure to join Secretary Clinton, the chair of our MCC Board, to sign a ground-breaking poverty reduction compact with Senegal,” said Mr. Mans. “Senegal's compact was developed by the Senegalese and will be implemented by the Senegalese. It is a bold example of a country taking control of its future.”
“MCC compacts come with great responsibility—and today offers us an opportunity to re-affirm that we will work together, as governments, civil society groups, and development professionals to closely monitor the compact process and to ensure transparency, accountability, integrity, and results that will benefit the people of Senegal” said Mr. Mans.
MCC's compact with Senegal will focus on road rehabilitation in the northern and southern regions of the country. Improving these roads is vital to supporting the country's agricultural sector by creating reliable, cost-effective, and time-saving transport for locally-produced agricultural products to domestic and international markets year-round. In addition to getting producers and consumers access to markets, these roads will provide access to essential community services such as schools and hospitals.
The Senegal compact also will invest in a strategic irrigation and water resources management project to improve crop yields. The project will rehabilitate drainage canals, increase the security of land tenure, and develop up to 10,500 hectares of additional irrigated land in the Senegal River Valley. The irrigation project will move Senegal, a country that currently imports 70 percent of its rice, an important step closer to greater food security.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 17, 2009Footnote 29
Today, USTDA awarded a grant to the Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo (the state regulators of water quality and industrial emissions in the State of São Paulo), to identify technological solutions to reduce wastewater from industrial production. Applications for such technologies in Brazil represent significant opportunities for the use of U.S. goods and services.
The $683,000 grant was conferred at a signing ceremony held at CETESB headquarters in São Paulo. U.S. Consul General Thomas J. White and CETESB Director Fernando Cardozo Fernandes Rei signed the grant agreement on behalf of the U.S. government and CETESB, respectively. USTDA Country Manager Gabrielle Mandel and CETESB International Cooperation Department Manager Fatima Carrara signed as witnesses to the grant agreement. USTDA Brazil Country Representative Rodrigo Mota was present at the grant signing ceremony.
CETESB monitors environmental quality (air, ground and water) in the State of São Paulo and has prioritized the reduction of wastewater from industrial processes. The USTDA grant will support this effort by funding an evaluation of new technologies that will minimize water consumption and reduce industrial wastewater generation, thereby establishing cleaner methods of industrial production. The technical assistance will complement CETESB's environmental licensing renewal process, designed to decrease the use of raw materials, reduce water and energy consumption, and lessen waste generation and atmospheric emissions.
Brazil was named USTDA's 2008 Country of the Year as a result of the success of the agency's program in advancing mutual economic benefits and U.S. policy priorities. Brazil is one of USTDA's largest regional partners and the agency has invested in 92 priority projects there since 1981. Over the years, these investments have facilitated $549.9 million in U.S. exports.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 18, 2009Footnote 30
Today, USTDA continued its commitment to advancing Sichuan Province's ability to address disasters following the devastating earthquakes of 2008 by awarding a grant to the Sichuan Provincial Department of Health to strengthen the province's emergency medical response capabilities. The grant reflects the agency's strategy of focusing on projects in China that will create export opportunities for U.S. goods and services.
The $294,119 grant was conferred during a grant signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Health International Communication Center in Beijing, China. USTDA Director for Policy and Program Geoffrey Jackson and Sichuan 120 Emergency Operations Center Chairman Su Lin signed the grant on behalf of the U.S. and Chinese governments respectively.
“Today's grant demonstrates USTDA's commitment to support Sichuan province develop world-class emergency response and health care systems by providing access to U.S. technology and expertise,” said Jackson.
The USTDA grant will be used to develop a curriculum and implement a train-the-trainer program at the Sichuan 120 Center. The technical assistance will provide the Center's personnel with emergency medical services (EMS) training in general pre-hospital care and train trainers to spread this information first to EMS professionals and then to fire, police and other emergency service providers and the general public.
The assistance builds on the success of a USTDA-funded orientation visit to the United States for administrative leaders from the Sichuan 120 Center that contributed to the acquisition of Motorola radio equipment. Today's award also follows recent USTDA grants to support Sichuan's efforts to develop emergency response and healthcare systems after the earthquake, including technical assistance on earthquake aftershock prediction and helicopter search and rescue training.
The Sichuan 120 Center is responsible for commanding, dispatching, organizing and coordinating all provincial daily emergency care as well as large-scale “sudden occurrences,” and was one of many centers that responded to calls following the Sichuan earthquake.
Press Release from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, September 22, 2009Footnote 31
Today the U.S Government's Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and InterAction hosted a public dialogue on “Country-Led Development: Proven Partnerships in Fighting Global Poverty” during this important week of the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York. The symposium featured a high-level discussion among world leaders on the importance of country-led development and country ownership as keys to meaningful and impactful poverty reduction and development assistance.
Joining in the discussion were President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso, President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, Prime Minister Sali Berisha of Albania, Foreign Minister Jose Brito of Cape Verde, Minister of Mining and Political Affairs Alpha Kanu of Sierra Leone, and President of Africare Julius E. Coles.
MCC Acting Chief Executive Officer, Darius Mans, opened the discussion stating that “MCC provides technical assistance to our partners, as needed, but day-to-day program implementation and management is country-led, not MCC-led. We cannot have sustainability without country ownership and today's dialogue highlights this important principle. I am thrilled to join InterAction in welcoming such a prestigious group to talk about this critical component of poverty reduction”
The U.S. Government and civil society organizations have joined the international community in recognizing country-led development as a best practice in delivering smart aid. MCC partner countries have been putting this concept to work in countries around the world by designing, developing and implementing their grant programs, which are focused on reducing poverty through economic growth.
Sam Worthington, CEO of InterAction, the largest coalition of NGOs active in fighting global poverty said, “We applaud the country-led development structure that the MCC employs, which ensures government input and guidance in program development, enhances aid effectiveness, and requires civil society be consulted in the beginning of the process. It is our hope that this event signals the beginning of an enhanced tripartite relationship between host countries, donor countries and civil society.”
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 23, 2009Footnote 32
USTDA awarded a grant yesterday to the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (DGAC), Guatemala's civil aviation authority, to further efforts to modernize the country's airport and aviation infrastructure. USTDA has identified this project as having significant potential for mutual benefit, given the importance of this sector to the Guatemalan economy and corresponding U.S. technology and expertise in this sector.
The $509,000 grant was conferred at a signing ceremony held at DGAC's headquarters in Guatemala City. U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala Stephen G. McFarland and Director General of Civil Aviation Juan José Carlos signed the grant agreement on behalf of the U.S. and Guatemalan governments, respectively. USTDA Country Manager Keith Eischeid and Vice Minister of Communications Estuardo Villatoro signed as witnesses to the grant agreement.
The USTDA-funded feasibility study will support the DGAC's efforts to modernize Guatemala's airport and civil aviation infrastructure by assessing proposed improvements at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, as well as upgrades at the airports in San José on the Pacific Coast and Puerto Barrios on the Caribbean Coast. The study will also examine the expansion of Guatemala's national civil aviation radar system.
The Government of Guatemala has established the modernization of the country's airport and aviation infrastructure as a priority in its efforts to promote growth through increased trade and tourism. Since 2002, the Government has invested more than $150 million in new construction and enhancements at airport facilities. The DGAC intends to continue this undertaking with plans to improve aviation safety and airport operational efficiency and increase air cargo trade.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 24, 2009Footnote 33
Today, USTDA awarded a grant to JSC United Telecom of Georgia (UTG) to expand the country's access to high-speed Internet and fixed-line telephone services. The grant reflects USTDA's strategy of supporting projects in Georgia that represent significant commercial opportunities for U.S. firms by funding a feasibility study on a proposed national fiber optic ring.
The $336,300 grant was conferred during a signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Energy in Tbilisi. The Chargé d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, Kent Logsdon, and UTG Chief Executive Officer George Gugunishvili signed the grant agreement on behalf of the U.S. government and UTG, respectively.
The USTDA-funded study will assess a proposal to establish a national fiber optic ring in Georgia that incorporates portions of an existing east-west fiber optic line. The development of the ring will provide a more reliable network and will extend advanced telecommunications services to presently unserved areas in southern Georgia.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 24, 2009Footnote 34
Reflecting the Administration's commitment to strong bilateral relations between the United States and the Kyrgyz Republic underpinned by a solid economic foundation, USTDA Acting Director Leocadia I. Zak met with His Excellency Igor Chudinov, Prime Minister, today to discuss areas for potential cooperation. Their Excellencies Kadyrbek Sarbaev, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Marat Sultanov, Minister of Finance; and Zamira Sydykova, Ambassador to the United States, also attended the meeting at USTDA headquarters.
“USTDA has been active in the Kyrgyz Republic, particularly in the electric power sector. We admire the Kyrgyz Republic's achievements and hope to continue our cooperation in the future,” said Zak..
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 25, 2009Footnote 35
USTDA awarded a grant to the Ugandan Ministry of Water and Environment to strengthen the capacity of the Uganda Department of Meteorology (UDM) to make accurate and timely weather information available to a large audience of stakeholders, including agriculture and aviation users. The grant will fund an assessment of Uganda's forecasting needs and identify the equipment, facilities and staff necessary to meet those goals, thereby creating opportunities for the export of U.S. manufactured goods and services.
U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Jerry P. Lanier and the Minister for Finance, Planning and Economic Development, the Honorable Sydda Bbumba, signed a grant agreement to confer the $270,000 grant award.
“As in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the livelihood of many Ugandans is greatly dependent on rainfall,” said Lanier. “Improved weather forecasting will bolster Uganda's agricultural production by giving farmers access to information that will allow them to plan planting, irrigation and harvesting in a more effective manner.”
“Better forecasting will also strengthen aviation services by providing pilots with detailed weather information affecting their flight plans.”
Remarks by Secretary of State Clinton, September 26, 2009Footnote 36
Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered these remarks during the UN General Assembly in New York, NY
Secretary Clinton. It is a great pleasure for me to be joining Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and all of you to exchange ideas and join forces against one of the most urgent threats facing our world: chronic hunger, and all of the consequences that it causes, some of which we saw in the short film leading into our conference today.
I wish that we had time to acknowledge every head of state and government minister here today, as well as all the representatives from foundations, non-governmental organizations, universities, and the private sector. But there are far too many of you—which is the good news, that we have such an extraordinary turnout. And so, let me join with the Secretary General in welcoming and thanking all of you for taking time out late on a Saturday afternoon to be here.
Yesterday, at the Clinton Global Initiative, I discussed the principles that the Secretary General referred to: how we are going to fight hunger together and begin to alleviate and decrease poverty through sustainable agricultural development. We want to make sure that enough food is available, and that people have the resources to purchase it. That is a key foreign policy objective of President Obama and our administration. This is an issue that affects all of us, because food security is about economic, environmental, and national security for our individual homelands and the world.
As the Secretary General mentioned, five principles were embraced at the G8 summit in Italy. And these principles will guide our efforts.
The first of these principles is the need to invest in country-led plans. Few people know better the complex obstacles that hinder a country's food supply than the people who actually live and work in that country. And we will have the greatest chance at success if we pursue partnership, not patronage.
Second, we will address the underlying causes of hunger, by investing in everything from research to better seeds to insurance programs for small farmers to large-scale infrastructure projects that create sustainable, systemic change. And we will put women at the heart of our efforts, because most farmers of small holdings in the world are women.
Third, we will improve coordination at every level. Too often in the past, we have worked in silos, duplicating some efforts and overlooking others. Now we want to bring every partner from every sector together around a virtual one table across the world to discuss each country's plan, and then devise a way of executing it.
Fourth, we will leverage the benefits of multilateral institutions to support and help fulfill the country plans, because these institutions have the reach and resources to do more than any single country could do.
And, fifth, we pledge a long-term commitment, based on accountability. Now, we know that this is going to take years, and even decades, before we reach the finish line. But we have to stay committed. Because what we have seen, as illustrated in the film, is that international support for agriculture has declined, while contributions to emergency aid have increased.
We will continue, of course, to invest in the crises and the emergencies, but we want to begin to try to alleviate the crises and the emergencies by once again enabling people to feed themselves. Now, together, these principles represent an approach based on investments in our collective future. And they will help us achieve broad-based results that last.
Now we are going to hear from some people who have both experience and perspective about this effort. I am going to ask every speaker to limit their remarks to two or three minutes, because we have so many people who wish to speak. And I know that's difficult. But we will take any prepared remarks that are longer than that, and we will compile them and distribute them so that you will be able to see the full context of each speaker's presentation.
Let me begin with Rwanda, a stand-out example in country-led planning. And President Kagame will speak to this principle. Rwanda completed a compact and strategy through the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program. And the government of Rwanda followed through on its plan, and used its own resources to do so.
So I have the great honor of introducing the President of Rwanda.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 28, 2009Footnote 37
USTDA continued its support for the Government of Yemen's efforts to bring electricity to its rural areas by awarding a grant to the Ministry of Electricity and Energy (MOEE). The grant will fund the second phase of a technical assistance project to consolidate responsibility for all rural electrification projects within the Rural Electrification Agency (REA). USTDA has identified this effort as having significant potential for mutual benefit, given the importance of this sector to the Yemeni economy and corresponding U.S. technology and expertise.
The $259,382 grant was conferred at a signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation. U.S. Ambassador Stephen A. Seche and Deputy Prime Minister Abdulkarim al-Arhabi signed the agreement on behalf of the U.S. and Yemen Governments, respectively. USTDA Country Manager Taraneh Bastani and Minister of the Ministry of Electricity and Energy Awad al Soqatri signed as witnesses to the grant agreement.
“We're proud that the United States Trade Development Agency is continuing to support Yemen's National Rural Electrification Program,” Ambassador Seche stated. “Improving access to electricity is essential to improving people's lives and creating new economic opportunities in this country.”
Implementation of the National Rural Electrification Program will bring significant and widespread developmental benefits to Yemen. The expansion of access to electricity in rural areas of the country is a necessary prerequisite for increased agricultural productivity, job creation, income generation, and general economic development. Businesses and residential consumers that rely on expensive private generators for electric service during typical “brownouts” or on low energy value/high cost traditional energy sources, such as kerosene, will see significant cost savings with reliable grid-based power available 24 hours per day.
The USTDA grant will be used to define a detailed and definitive transition plan for the REA to effectively manage all rural electrification activities in Yemen. It will also help the MOEE and REA to establish the utilities responsible for the rural electric networks.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 28, 2009Footnote 38
USTDA furthered the Administration's strategy of advancing greenhouse gas reduction investments by awarding three separate grants to support specific solar and coal seam methane projects in Jordan, India and Georgia. USTDA also announced plans to sponsor an orientation visit to the United States for Georgian officials on the development of the country's first major underground natural gas storage facility. USTDA has identified these activities as having significant potential for mutual benefit, given the importance of clean energy production to each of the countries, and corresponding U.S. technology and expertise in this sector.
“U.S. firms are world leaders in the application of clean energy technologies. These grants and the orientation visit are outstanding examples of the way USTDA's program provides countries with access to state-of-the-art U.S. equipment, technology and expertise in meeting important development priorities,” said USTDA Acting Director Leocadia I. Zak.
In the Middle East, USTDA is supporting the development of Jordan's clean energy resources with a $738,492 grant to Millennium Energy Industries (MEI). The grant will fund a feasibility study on the construction of a five megawatt (MW) concentrated solar power plant demonstration project in Jordan's Ma'an Development Zone. This pilot project is designed to advance the development of one or more 46MW facilities, using technology supplied by eSolar Inc. of Pasadena, California.
“MEI looks forward to working with USTDA and eSolar toward the successful implementation of solar power in Jordan. This project in Ma'an will help achieve Jordan's goal of increasing its use of clean and renewable sources of energy and decreasing its dependence on imported fossil fuels,” said MEI Chairman Ennis Rimawi.
In South Asia and the Caucasus, USTDA awarded grants to reduce methane emissions by capturing coal bed methane and coal mine methane (CBM/CMM) to produce energy. The grants include a $524,819 award to AES (India) Private Limited (AES India) to fund a feasibility study on a proposal to capture and use CBM/CMM from the company's coal mine block in Chhattisgarh, India. The innovative project will demonstrate the practical opportunities for U.S. and India technical and business cooperation in reducing the release of potent greenhouse gases as India expands its domestic energy production. It also supports recent U.S. and Indian government commitments to cooperate on climate change strategies while supporting continued economic and energy sector growth.
Similarly, in Georgia, USTDA expanded its commitment to the Georgian International Energy Corporation (GIEC) as it progresses with plans to capture CBM in the Vale coal basin to produce energy. This $284,342 commitment builds on a previous USTDA grant to GIEC that is funding a feasibility study on the potential for CBM production in the Tkubuli-Shaori coal basin.
USTDA will also promote the development of the clean energy sector in Georgia by sponsoring a reverse trade mission to the United States for Georgian officials looking to construct the country's first major underground natural gas storage facility. The visit, scheduled to take place in January 2010, will enable Georgian officials to observe American storage facilities, and will introduce them to U.S. firms capable of providing related technology, equipment and services. The delegates will also study U.S. gas storage laws and regulations.
Press Release from the U.S. Agency for International Development, September 28, 2009Footnote 39
On Friday, a public-private partnership with General Mills, a leading U.S. food company, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was announced at the closing of the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Health Initiative. This partnership will improve the capacity of small and medium-sized food businesses across sub-Saharan Africa to produce healthy, fortified food products.
The partnership links the technical and business expertise of General Mills and up to nine additional food companies and associations with up to 200 small and medium-sized mills and food processors in 15 sub-Saharan African countries, with the goal of improving those companies' ability to produce high-quality, nutritious and safe food at affordable prices. The partnership, which could potentially reach a value of $21 million, also benefits an estimated 1.6 million smallholder farmers who supply these businesses.
“This Partnership provides us with a practical way to further our mission of Nourishing Lives in Africa,” said Peter Erickson, General Mills SVP of Innovation, Technology & Quality. “We have already witnessed the great things that can happen when we connect our employees with small, but talented and growing, food processors in Africa and we are excited to see this initiative grow.”
A key component of the United States global Food Security initiative is to help countries link small farmers to local markets to increase family income and food security. By improving the manufacturing and business practices of these local firms strengthens the local markets and enables production of better quality food products at lower costs.
“This partnership ties in with our mission to stimulate economic development, improve the capacity of agricultural processers, and support the health and wellness of farmers and small and medium-sized business owners across sub-Saharan Africa,” said USAID Acting Administrator Alonzo Fulgham. “We have high hopes that this collaboration will encourage sustainable economic and social growth in some of the world's neediest countries.”
Through PEPFAR, America supports life-saving antiretroviral treatment for over two million people in Africa, but some of the patients are severely malnourished. As part of these patients' prescription, PEPFAR includes therapeutic and supplemental foods to ensure the effectiveness of the drugs, but sometimes has to rely on expensive imports. This partnership allows PEPFAR teams to source those foods locally, stimulating the local economy and promoting food security in areas heavily affected by HIV/AIDS.
“If PEPFAR HIV/AIDS programs and broader health and development efforts are going to be sustainable, they must be owned and led by partner countries,” said Ambassador Eric Goosby, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator. “This partnership with General Mills and USAID will support local food companies to help meet the nutritional needs of people living with HIV/AIDS, while bringing health benefits to the larger population through improved nutrition and broader economic development.”
The long-term vision shared by General Mills and the U.S. Government is for the partnership to engage multiple food companies and food related associations, making available industrial expertise to processors in Africa. The core expertise of their food scientists, process engineers, and operations managers can transform the African agribusinesses, making operations more efficient and expanding potential markets and product offerings.
The U.S. Government works across agencies addressing health and development to connect General Mills and other partner food companies to the beneficiary small and medium-sized enterprises on the ground. Over three years, the consortium of companies is expected to contribute up to 218,000 labor hours worth up to $17 million. General Mills' total contribution is expected to be $5.4 million, comprised of cash and 65,000 labor hours. The U.S. Government commitment is initially expected to be $1.8 million, potentially ramping up to $4 million as more companies join the consortium.
Press Release from the U.S. Agency for International Development, September 30, 2009Footnote 40
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Standard Chartered Bank of Zimbabwe (Stanchart) signed an agreement that will enable the bank to expand its lending by $20 million over five years. The program, made possible under USAID's Development Credit Authority, is targeted at the agricultural sector and will allow Stanchart to increase the number of loans it makes directly to farmers and enterprises. The ultimate objective is to provide inputs and technical assistance to small holder farmers that will allow them to increase productivity and production.
“The credit authority is being established as one of several assistance programs, above and beyond U.S. humanitarian aid to Zimbabwe, which have come about because of President Obama's commitment to provide agricultural and other assistance to the people of Zimbabwe. The President made this commitment to Zimbabwe's Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, during the prime minister's June 2009 visit to Washington, D.C. The assistance demonstrates the will of the American people to assist Zimbabwe to restore its once vibrant agricultural sector,” said Donald Petterson, Chargé d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy.
Stanchart Head of Origination & Client Coverage Samuel Nhakaniso signed on behalf of Stanchart while USAID was represented by Mission Director Karen Freeman. The ceremony was also attended by senior U.S. Embassy officials and representatives of Stanchart.
Freeman also announced that USAID will separately provide approximately 13,000 vulnerable households with seeds and fertilizer for the coming agricultural season through $1.7 million in funding to the Food and Agriculture Organization and NGOs.
USAID's Development Credit Authority Program is already operational in over 23 countries worldwide, assisting thousands of enterprises to access the financing they need to grow their businesses.
Press Release by the U.S. Agency for International Development, September 30, 2009Footnote 41
The U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Mission Director in Amman, Jordan, Jay L. Knott, signed five agreements Sept. 28, providing $411.4 million in grants from the United States to Jordan.
At the signing ceremony, U.S. Ambassador to Jordan R. Stephen Beecroft emphasized the strong, mutual partnership between the United States and Jordan. “This year, the U.S. and Jordan celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic and development ties. We are impressed by the commitment of the people and Government of Jordan to implement a bold reform and development agenda to improve the lives of Jordanians—especially the poor, young and underprivileged.”
The USAID agreements signed today include:
$54.9 million to spur trade, increase investment, and create job opportunities for Jordanians;
$64.2 million to increase water supplies and improve management of Jordan's scarce available water;
$22.3 million to support King Abdullah's vision for political development in Jordan;
$71.8 million to support Jordan's education reform initiatives, $29.7 million to enhance the public health sector, and $9 million to improve skills of youth in underprivileged areas and alleviate poverty;
A $159.5 million cash transfer to assist the Jordanian Government decrease its international debt and advance its reform initiatives.
The U.S. assistance program to Jordan is amongst the largest in the world. The program is founded upon a strong partnership linking the Jordanian and American people, and the U.S. commitment to Jordanians as they seek to improve their living conditions through economic opportunities. Since 1952, U.S. economic assistance to Jordan has totaled almost $6 billion.
Press Release from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, September 30, 2009Footnote 42
The Millennium Challenge Corporation's (MCC) Acting Chief Executive Officer Darius Mans and other senior MCC officials are joining the Corporate Council of Africa (CCA) and over 1,500 private and public sector leaders in supporting major African investment and business opportunities at CCA's 7th Biennial U.S.-Africa Business Summit September 30-October 1. Despite recent global economic trends, Africa continues to show potential as a leading foreign direct investment destination for American businesses. The continent is seeing increasingly higher levels of investment in industries such as infrastructure, financing, tourism, agribusiness, health and energy. MCC considers the role of the private sector a key component in maximizing economic growth and poverty reduction in Africa.
This year's Summit features an MCC workshop on investment and contracting opportunities open to international and local businesses. MCC officials are also speaking in workshops on the role of infrastructure in development assistance, the structuring of public-private partnerships for project development, safe water and transportation priorities. With substantial investments in health, education, microfinance and infrastructure, MCC's partner countries are building new markets, enhancing the environment for private sector investments and removing barriers to growth. MCC is devoting unprecedented resources to help partner countries in Africa positively transform the lives of the poor and catalyze long-lasting economic progress. Africa is the largest recipient of MCC's development assistance with well over $5 billion in poverty reducing grants over the past four years.
“MCC recognizes that long-term poverty reduction must include a vibrant private sector and welcomes the private sector's constructive engagement with MCC in Africa and around the world” said MCC Acting CEO Darius Mans. “MCC recognizes Africa's enormous promise. Working together with the private sector, we can help our partners achieve a more prosperous future for the people of the continent,” Mr. Mans added.
The Summit features a historic number of corporate sponsors and includes participation from prominent members of President Obama's administration such as Johnnie Carson, Assistant Secretary of State for Africa; Ron Kirk, United States Trade Representative; Neal Wolin, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Treasury; and Bud Philbrook, Deputy Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services. Heads of State also participating at this year's Summit are Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Ghanaian President John Atta Mills, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso, Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Nguema Obiang and Sao Toméan President Fradique de Menezes.
