ACTING DIRECTOR ZAK ANNOUNCES REGIONAL REALIGNMENT
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USTDA Reorganization Designed to Meet the Needs of U.S. Industry and Overseas Partners |
USTDA Reorganization Designed to Meet the Needs of U.S. Industry and Overseas Partners
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA (October 1, 2007) – Today, USTDA Acting Director Leocadia I. Zak announced the realignment of the agency's regional structure. Effective immediately, USTDA program activity will be organized in six regions: East Asia, Europe and Eurasia, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
"This realignment presents an exciting opportunity for us to refocus our results-driven program," said Acting Director Zak in making the announcement. "Specifically, it builds on the agency's success in adapting to meet new challenges and will strengthen the overall impact of our programs."
Through the creation of both an East Asia and South and Southeast Asia region, USTDA has placed increased emphasis on two important markets for U.S. exporters in India and China. In so doing, USTDA has simultaneously created a more focused region in the Middle East and North Africa, reflecting the importance that USTDA places on its support of greater economic development and integration in this important area of the world.
The East Asia region will be led by Geoff Jackson, Director for Policy and Programs and Regional Director for East Asia, who has a long history of project planning and development in the region. Under the leadership of Henry Steingass, the South and Southeast Asia region will continue its robust program of focusing its attention on priority development projects that open markets for U.S. manufactured goods and services. Lastly, Carl Kress, Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, will focus his attention on the creation of greater economic development and the support of Administration priorities, including the Middle East Free Trade Agreement.
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries. The agency funds various forms of technical assistance, early investment analysis, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment. USTDA's strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development. In carrying out its mission, USTDA gives emphasis to economic sectors that may benefit from U.S. exports of goods and services.
