Washington, D.C. - Today, Dr. Rajiv Shah, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator, met with the United Kingdom's (UK) Secretary of International Development Andrew Mitchell, marking Shah's first meeting with the UK's new coalition government leadership.

The meeting provided an opportunity for USAID and the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DfID) to deepen development cooperation on a host of policy issues and to discuss objectives in international development. The UK is a key ally and partner on development issues and today's meeting provided an opportunity to discuss shared priorities in health, agriculture, aid effectiveness, and a renewed commitment to transparency and accountability. They also highlighted the importance of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the importance of the upcoming MDG Summit in September.

"Secretary Mitchell and I have a great deal in common when it comes to our priorities," Dr. Shah said. "I am delighted to have had this opportunity to discuss the way forward on a number of critical issues to both of our governments and the people we serve."