WASHINGTON, DC - A seasoned hand at the U.S. Agency for International Development with experience in several regions of the world, Michael T. Harvey, has been sworn in as Mission Director for the West Bank and Gaza. Hilda Arellano, Counselor for the Agency, administered the oath at a ceremony on August 19.

Mr. Harvey's responsibilities as Mission Director will include overseeing $393 million in annual programs focusing on water and sanitation, infrastructure, education, health care, economic growth, and democracy. Programs also include continuing USAID assistance for basic human needs in both the West Bank and Gaza, including emergency food, health care, and access to safe water and sanitation systems.

Mr. Harvey, who has worked for USAID for over 20 years, just completed service as the Mission Director to Serbia and Montenegro during a remarkable turnaround in U.S.-Serbia relations after the 2008 election of the Serbian government. This closer, more collaborative partnership enabled the USAID assistance program to accelerate reforms across a broad agenda and speed Serbia's accession to the European Union. His previous positions include Deputy Director to USAID's Mission in Iraq, Deputy Mission Director in Jordan, USAID Representative to Tajikistan, Deputy Director of the Program Office in the USAID Mission in Haiti, and Director for USAID's Office of Food for Peace's operations in Ethiopia.

Early in his USAID career, Mr. Harvey was stationed in Washington, where he led U.S. relief efforts to the conflict-ridden Horn of Africa as the Desk Officer for Ethiopia, Sudan, and Somalia for USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance. Before coming to USAID, Mr. Harvey worked in the Office of Press and Public Affairs for the White House Conference on Small Business.

Mr. Harvey graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin and he earned his Master's degree from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.