Press Releases

May 15, 2015

We were deeply saddened to learn today that the missing U.S. military helicopter carrying six U.S. Marines and two Nepalese soldiers went down while delivering humanitarian aid to survivors of the earthquakes in Nepal. This tragedy is a testament to the deep commitment of dedicated service members who risk their own lives to save vulnerable people around the world.

May 12, 2015

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Associate Administrator Eric Postel will visit Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone May 13-20. His trip will focus on USAID's development assistance supporting post-Ebola recovery efforts in West Africa.

May 5, 2015

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Susan Markham will travel to Cambodia May 5-8.

Acting Administrator Alfonso Lenhardt announced an additional $11 million in assistance for Nepal earthquake response and recove
May 5, 2015

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Administrator Alfonso Lenhardt announced an additional $11 million in assistance for Nepal earthquake response and recovery efforts, bringing the total U.S. humanitarian assistance for this disaster to nearly $26 million.

May 4, 2015

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Administrator Alfonso Lenhardt will travel to Nepal today to assess the damage caused by the April 25 earthquake and to demonstrate USAID's continued support to the people of Nepal. USAID's Assistant Administrator for Asia Jonathan Stivers will accompany him.

April 30, 2015

"I am pleased that President Obama has announced today his intent to nominate Gayle Smith as USAID Administrator. I know our entire USAID family will welcome Gayle to lead our Agency at this time of unprecedented need around the globe.

April 28, 2015

Acting Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Alfonso Lenhardt, will deliver remarks to announce the release of the 2015 Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR) report today at 4:00 p.m. in the press briefing room at the Department of State.

April 27, 2015

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced an additional $9 million in assistance for the Nepal earthquake response and recovery efforts, bringing total USAID humanitarian funding to $10 million. USAID has also activated search and rescue teams from Fairfax County, VA and Los Angeles County, CA as part of its Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART).

April 25, 2015

Our thoughts are with the people of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh in the aftermath of the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck central Nepal today, affecting more than 6.6 million people and causing widespread damage and destruction. USAID is deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to the region and is providing an initial $1 million in emergency assistance as we assess humanitarian needs in cooperation with the Government of Nepal.

April 24, 2015

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced today a three-year Worker Empowerment Program in Bangladesh to support labor rights, union organizing, and women's empowerment in the ready-made garment sector. The announcement coincides with the second anniversary of the April 24, 2013 Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Dhaka that killed over 1,100 workers and injured over 2,500.

April 24, 2015

The United States announced the commitment of more than $16 million in new humanitarian assistance for nutrition, shelter, water and health services for people suffering from the ongoing effects of the conflict that began in South Sudan in December 2013.

April 23, 2015

On behalf of USAID, our deepest condolences go out to the family of American aid worker Dr. Warren Weinstein who was killed in the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan while being held hostage by al-Qa'ida.

April 22, 2015
U.S. and international community awarded for groundbreaking desalination technologies

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), in partnership with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of The Netherlands, announced today the winners of the Desal Prize, the second call for Securing Water for Food: A Grand Challenge for Development.

April 22, 2015

Today, on the 45th anniversary of Earth Day, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the Wildlife Crime Tech Challenge to combat illegal wildlife trade. USAID invites organizations and individuals to submit innovative science and technology solutions to help combat the illegal trade in marine and terrestrial wildlife. Successful applicants could win up to $500,000 as well as technical assistance and networking opportunities to scale their solutions.

April 20, 2015

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Administrator Al Lenhardt is in Colombia through April 21. He is accompanied by Acting Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean Beth Hogan.

Associate Administrator Mark Feierstein announced plans to spend $126 million to help rebuild West African health systems impact
April 18, 2015

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Associate Administrator Mark Feierstein announced plans to spend $126 million to help rebuild West African health systems impacted by the Ebola outbreak at the Global Citizen Concert on the National Mall. The funds will help Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea restart critical health services that stopped due to the Ebola outbreak, including vaccinations, water and sanitation services, prenatal and maternal health care and nutrition, and programs to prevent and treat malaria and other infectious diseases.

April 17, 2015

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced today a new approach to purchasing and distributing life-saving medicine and health supplies. USAID will use data analytics and innovative tools to drive-down the price of medicines and increase delivery speed. As funding for global health has remained relatively stable over the past several years, this new approach will enable USAID to reach millions more patients with the same amount of resources.

April 14, 2015

On Thursday, April 16, USAID Assistant to the Administrator for Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs Donald L. "Larry" Sampler will participate in a panel discussion on private sector growth and investment at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. As international aid decreases, Afghanistan and Pakistan will increasingly rely on foreign investment and private sector development to fuel economic growth. Sampler will speak about USAID’s efforts to support entrepreneurs, connect investors with local businesses, and assist in creating a supportive environment for private sector growth.

April 10, 2015

The White House announced at the Seventh Summit of the Americas that starting this year, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will invest $35 million in a new higher education program designed to strengthen the capacity of technical training institutions in the region to provide market-relevant training for disadvantaged populations in Central America and the Caribbean.  

April 10, 2015
Coordinator role will increase engagement between USAID and higher education community

Dr. Barbara O. Schneeman is the U.S. Agency for International Development’s first Higher Education Coordinator for this administration. In this role, Dr. Schneeman will work with the higher education community to improve awareness of USAID opportunities and increase engagement avenues for the agency. She will champion higher education as a tool to solve development challenges and drive economic growth.

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