Washington, D.C. - Carey N. Gordon was sworn in yesterday as the first United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Representative to the Kyrgyz Republic. The oath was administered by USAID Assistant Administrator for the Asia Bureau, Nisha Desai Biswal.

As the USAID Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic, Gordon will oversee USAID's programs to support the Kyrgyz Republic's transition towards a stable and prosperous democracy, to advance the health care system, to improve the energy sector and to strengthen agricultural policy and practices, helping farmers to become more productive and bolstering food security.

During the ceremony, Gordon remarked: "I am delighted that I have been given the opportunity to establish the first independent USAID Office in the Kyrgyz Republic and to work with my Kyrgyz Government colleagues to advance the progress and development of the Kyrgyz Republic. This is a time of great opportunity in the Kyrgyz Republic."

During his distinguished career with USAID, Gordon has served at various overseas posts. Most recently he was the Acting Country Program Director in the Kyrgyz Republic and oversaw the assistance program's response, not only to the spring and summer 2010 violence and displacement of people, but also the very positive parliamentary elections and a range of other development programs. Prior to his service in the Kyrgyz Republic, he served as Deputy Mission Director in Bangladesh, Director of the Regional Procurement Office in Thailand, and also as Contracting Officer or Specialist in Cambodia, Cote d'Ivoire, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan. Prior to his career at USAID, Gordon was a private attorney in Cleveland, Ohio.

Gordon received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the Ohio State University, a Master of Arts in Chinese Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and a Juris Doctor degree cum laude from Cleveland State University.

To learn more about USAID and its programs around the world, please visit www.usaid.gov.