TIRANA, FEBRUARY 17, 2010 On Wednesday, U.S. Ambassador John L. Withers, II hosted a reception at his Residence to introduce the new Mission Director for the U.S. Agency for International Development program in Albania, Mr. Joseph C. Williams.  The reception was attended by Minister of State and Parliamentary Affairs, Genc Pollo, and several cabinet officials.

Mr. Williams is responsible for the overall management and accountability of all USAID programs in Albania. USAID/Albania programs strengthen governmental accountability and transparency, reduce corruption, increase private sector competitiveness, and improve the delivery of quality healthcare.  USAID/Albania also implements the $15.7 million Stage II Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Threshold program in Albania to address additional corruption-related reforms in the country’s public administration and justice systems. 

Before joining USAID, Mr. Williams worked as a lawyer and then in the sugar industry in Swaziland.  Since joining USAID 23 years ago, he has been assigned in Lesotho, Egypt, Nicaragua, Uganda, the Hungary Regional Mission, Nepal, Indonesia, Pakistan and Washington.  His most recent position was as Deputy Mission Director for USAID in Pakistan.

Mr. Williams holds a B.A. and J. D. degree from the University of Tennessee.  He is married to Azza El-Abd, also a USAID Foreign Service Officer, who is assigned to Kosovo as the USAID Deputy Mission Director starting in June 2010.