WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Assistant Administrator for Asia Jonathan Stivers will travel to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyz Republic to oversee U.S. assistance programs, meet with USAID staff, government officials, implementing partners and civil society leaders.

In Kazakhstan Stivers will visit the National Tuberculosis Center, where USAID-supported technology is diagnosing tuberculosis more quickly than traditional methods (two hours instead of six weeks traditionally) and enabling faster treatment. Such technology is critical to furthering Kazakhstan's development, as the country has the 27th highest burden of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in the world.

In the Kyrgyz Republic, Stivers will visit USAID-funded nutrition, agriculture and food security projects, as well as a parliamentary strengthening project which supports the only democratically elected parliament in the region.