BRASÍLIA, Brazil - USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator Mark Lopes and Minister Marco Farani of the Brazilian Agency for Cooperation (ABC) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create a professional staff exchange program between their agencies. Beginning in April, each agency will host a staff member in their offices to share expertise and collaborate on joint programs to facilitate peer-to-peer learning on donor best practices around the world.

The MOU is the latest in a series of innovative trilateral initiatives between the U.S. and Brazil to tap into each country's development and research expertise and develop joint solutions to common development challenges in the hemisphere and around the world.

"For the United States, the more we can partner with other countries in addressing the world's most intractable problems, the more we advance our national interests by providing paths out of poverty around the world," Lopes said. "With this MOU, we continue to put into practice President Obama's commitment to an equal partnership with the countries of this hemisphere, based on mutual respect, common interests and shared values."

The memorandum was signed during the US-Brazil Economic Partnership Dialogue, where the delegations discussed trilateral development cooperation, Haiti earthquake recovery issues, trade and investment related to upcoming World Cup and Olympic Games, science & technology, biotechnology, among other shared interests.

For more information visit www.usaid.gov.