Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Chief Innovation Officer Dr. Maura O’Neill and Mobile Solutions Director Priya Jaisinghani will address the 2013 Skoll World Forum in Oxford, England. 

The Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship is the premier international platform for advancing entrepreneurial approaches and solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. Each year in Oxford, nearly 1,000 distinguished delegates from the social, finance, private and public sectors convene in Oxford for three days of critical debates, discussions and work sessions aimed at innovating, accelerating and scaling solutions to social challenges.

 In 2012, USAID announced a Global Development Alliance (GDA) with the Skoll Foundation.  Through this partnership, Skoll and USAID will identify and co-invest in high-impact social entrepreneurs and support them in scaling up innovative business models that demonstrate the ability to deliver sustainable development impact in areas such as education, water, and food security.

Dr. O’Neill will participate in a panel discussion that will focus on the international community’s next generation development goals and measures for aid effectiveness.  Entitled, “Developing the Development Model: Reengineering Aid for the 21^st Century”, the speakers will address critical questions around aid effectiveness, the importance of partnering with beneficiary communities to move beyond a cycle of dependency and new development innovations that do a better job of building a future where aid is no longer necessary.

Ms. Jaisinghani will serve on the panel discussion, “Mo(bile)mentum: Accelerating Mobile for Development” that will showcase platforms for data collection and payments services that can accelerate social and economic development for communities around the world.

Dr. O’Neill’s and Ms. Jaisinghani’s discussions will highlight the impact future forward innovations and mobile projects have had on effectively transforming better, faster, smarter aid assistance. Dr. O’Neill’s panel session is scheduled to take place on Friday, April, 12.  Priya Jaisinghani’s session is scheduled on Thursday, April 11.  Additional information can be accessed from the Skoll World Forum website.

WHO: 

Dr. Maura O’Neill, USAID Chief Innovation Officer
Priya Jaisinghani, USAID Mobile Solutions Director

WHEN:

Friday, April 11 and 12, 2013

WHERE:

Said Business School
Oxford University
Oxford, England

Reporters interested in arranging an interview with Dr. O’Neill or Ms. Jaisinghani, please contact usaidpressofficers@usaid.gov or 202-712-4230.

**Dr. O’Neill’s panel discussion will be live streamed at http://skollworldforum.org/forum-2013/live/ on Friday, April 12 12:30-14:15 (London) [7:30-9:15 AM (DC)]