Press Releases

August 11, 2014

The situation is extremely dire for the tens of thousands of innocent people in northern and central Iraq under assault by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Working in support of the Government of Iraq, the United States is providing humanitarian aid to those in need, particularly the men, women, and children trapped on Mount Sinjar without food, water, and shelter. To help manage and coordinate the U.S. government’s humanitarian aid effort and responding to the request of Ambassador Beecroft, I am deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team to Iraq. 

August 9, 2014

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is working to provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to the tens of thousands of innocent children, women, and men displaced by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s (ISIL) assault on Sinjar and surrounding areas of northern Iraq.

August 8, 2014

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) officials announced this week more than $12 million in additional funding to help curb the West African Ebola outbreak. Since the outbreak was first reported in March 2014, USAID has committed a total of $14.55 million to support the response. 

August 5, 2014

Today at the first-ever U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit in Washington, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the following

August 5, 2014

As part of the U.S. Africa Leaders Summit, earlier today, the Government of Sweden formally announced a commitment to catalyze investments of one billion dollars to President Barack Obama’s Power Africa initiative. The commitment from Sweden represents, for example, grants for distribution and transmission projects, and guarantees and loans for Power Africa projects.  Sweden’s engagement and financial guarantees, along with those from the United States, will unlock additional private sector investment that is so critical for transforming the energy sector in Africa.

August 5, 2014

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will be deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to West Africa to coordinate the U.S. Government’s response to the Ebola outbreak, which has so far sickened more than 1,600 people, including nearly 900 who have died from the disease.

August 5, 2014

Today at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, U.S. and African officials announced that more than $10 billion will be realized through responsible private investments as part of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, which President Obama launched at the 2012 G8 Summit at Camp David. These new investments are expected to create about 650,000 jobs and reach over 5 million smallholder farmers in initial New Alliance and Grow Africa countries.

August 4, 2014

Today at the first-ever U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit in Washington, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the following:

August 4, 2014
Partnership will build resilience to chronic stresses and increasing shocks across Africa and Asia

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and The Rockefeller Foundation announced today a $100 million Global Resilience Partnership that lays out a bold new vision for building resilience to chronic stresses and increasing shocks in communities across Africa and Asia.    

August 4, 2014

The United States has a long history of confronting human rights abuses, connecting the oppressed to the outside world, and helping people have a say in how they are governed.

August 1, 2014

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today that the federal government met its small business federal contracting goal for the first time in eight years, awarding 23.39 percent in federal contracts to small businesses totaling $83.1 billion of eligible contracting dollars.

August 1, 2014
Development Experts, Finalists, Awardees Converge at DevelopmentXChange

The Saving Lives at Birth: A Grand Challenge for Development partners today announced 30 Round 4 award nominees at the closing forum of the annual DevelopmentXChange where the innovators showcased innovative ideas to save the lives of mothers and newborns in developing countries, and competed for funding to realize and scale their vision.

Jul 31, 2014
MEDIA ADVISORY

On FRIDAY, August 1, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Rajiv Shah will host an Africa Leaders Summit Signature Event in coordination with the White House, entitled “Faith Works: Honoring the Contributions of the Faith Community to Peace and Prosperity in Africa.”

Jul 29, 2014
MEDIA ADVISORY

On FRIDAY, August 1, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Rajiv Shah will host an Africa Leaders Summit Signature Event in coordination with the White House, entitled “Faith Works: Honoring the Contributions of the Faith Community to Peace and Prosperity in Africa.”

Jul 28, 2014
​​President Obama Announces Four Regional Centers in Town Hall

President Barack Obama today announced that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will invest more than $38 million toward four regional Leadership Centers that will train thousands of Africa’s emerging leaders and foster connections, creativity, and collaboration in sectors critical to Africa’s growth and development. USAID's investment was more than matched by African and American companies and foundations, including a $10-million, five-year commitment by The Mastercard Foundation, a premier partner. The President made the announcement during a town hall event for 500 Mandela Washington Fellows, a program for distinguished African youth that is part of the President’s Young African Leaders Initiative, or YALI.

Jul 27, 2014
MEDIA ADVISORY

On Aug. 1, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Rajiv Shah will host an Africa Leaders Summit Signature Event in coordination with the White House, entitled “Faith Works: Honoring the Contributions of the Faith Community to Peace and Prosperity in Africa.”

Jul 24, 2014

Today, the Republic of Tunisia closed on its offering of a $500 million sovereign bond issuance guaranteed by the United States of America, acting through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).  

Jul 22, 2014

Today, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Rajiv Shah announced over $4.8 million this year to fund programs in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Tanzania, and Yemen to end child, early, and forced marriage. Congressional leaders have also recognized the importance of these efforts, and USAID will work alongside lawmakers to increase the agency’s support next year to prevent child, early, and forced marriage. These efforts will also leverage $32 million as part of integrated USAID programs to address democracy and governance, early grade reading, and end child, early, and forced marriage.

Jul 21, 2014
Major awards with 19 partners to support global HIV and AIDS response

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced today three major HIV and AIDS awards, funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), to support global efforts to help end extreme poverty by creating an AIDS-free generation. The new programs support implementation of the PEPFAR Blueprint: Creating an AIDS-Free Generation to expand evidence-based HIV interventions, reach and serve populations at greatest risk, and strengthen shared responsibility among all of those affected by HIV and AIDS.

Jul 18, 2014

We are deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of 298 people, including infants, who were aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. As reports continue to come in, it is clear that we lost close friends in the global health community who were on their way to the International AIDS Conference in Melbourne. 

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