WASHINGTON, D.C. - MARCH 9, 2009 - Today, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Counselor Lisa Chiles administered the oath of office to William Hammink as the agency's new director in Sudan. Sudan is facing a critical time in its development, and the U.S. government is continuing its commitment to supporting the peace process and saving lives. The U.S. government is the largest donor to Sudan, and Hammink will manage USAID's program, which amounts to nearly a billion dollars a year.

"Our Sudan program is the largest and most complex in Africa, and it remains a top priority of this Administration. Bill possesses all of the tools needed to lead USAID's mission in Sudan - the qualifications, the expertise, and the know-how," said Counselor Chiles during remarks at the ceremony.

Hammink is a career Senior Foreign Service Officer with more than 28 years at USAID working on international development and humanitarian programs. His most recent role was as deputy assistant administrator in the Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade. Appointed to this position in September 2007, Hammink provided senior policy advisory and management services in sectors related to agriculture, economic growth, development credit and education. He co-chaired USAID's food security task force and served as the USAID representative to the G-8 food security experts group.

From 2006-2007, Hammink was the director of the Office for Food for Peace, managing over $2 billion in U.S. food aid and testifying before three committees in Congress on the reauthorization of the Farm Bill. Prior to this, he was the USAID director in Ethiopia, managing one of the largest USAID programs in sub-Saharan Africa. In Ethiopia, Hammink led the humanitarian response during two major crises affecting over 13 million people, and designed and implemented a USAID strategic plan to integrate relief and development programs, while starting a new multi-donor, government-led productive safety net program to alleviate chronic food insecurity and jumpstart rural growth. Managing a significant increase in funding for HIV/AIDS under PEPFAR, Hammink also led the mission during the 2005 post-election violence and disturbances.

Hammink, who received bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Minnesota, joined USAID in 1981 and has served in six posts on three continents: Swaziland, Senegal, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Russia, and West Bank/Gaza. He is married to Marie-Eve Hammink, and they have two adult children.

For more information about USAID and its programs in Sudan, please visit: www.usaid.gov.