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USAID’s Administrator Visits China, VietnamWednesday, July 09, 2008 Henrietta H. Fore led a delegation of U.S. business leaders and rescue organizations to China to assist in earthquake reconstruction efforts, and then flew to Vietnam to open a new U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) mission and expand USAID programs there. Fore, the Administrator of USAID and Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance, met with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Beijing and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Hanoi earlier this month to ensure their governments’ backing for increased USAID assistance in both countries. Administrator Fore and Johnson & Johnson CEO William C. Weldon led a U.S. delegation to Sichuan province to view the devastation around Yingxiu Township, near the earthquake’s epicenter, and to visit makeshift hospitals and shelters overlooking Yingxiu town. More than 4,800 of the township’s 12,500 residents died in the May 12 earthquake. The death toll from the earthquake exceeds 80,000, approximately 5 million people are homeless, and 15 million have been displaced. Delegation participants included the CEOs of CISCO, Honeywell and Procter & Gamble, who pledged their support of long-term reconstruction efforts, as well as top executives from the American Red Cross, Chevron, aid groups, and the U.S. Government. The U.S. private sector has provided more than $102 million in cash and in-kind contributions since the earthquake. U.S. government assistance to China is approaching $5 million. After meeting Premier Wen in Beijing, Administrator Fore traveled to Hanoi to sign an agreement with Vietnam to extend USAID’s economic assistance programs, confer with top government officials, and review USAID development projects in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The Administrator's meeting with Prime Minister Dung in Hanoi underscored the United States' commitment to supporting Vietnam's economic reforms and expanding those reforms into other areas that are critical to building a more viable society. These include promoting the rule of law, and mitigating such problems as HIV/AIDS and environmental degradation, and providing care for vulnerable populations. Fore's trip to Vietnam followed Prime Minister Dung's recent meeting with President George W. Bush in Washington, highlighting the leaders' commitment to continue developing economic relations and working together to improve health care, education and the environment in Vietnam. This year, USAID will earmark around $70 million for Vietnam, $45 million of which has been allocated for programs to fight HIV/AIDS. During her trip to Vietnam, Administrator Fore met with women leaders to discuss gender issues. She visited USAID-funded information technology classes for the disabled, and rang the gong to launch trading at the Hanoi Securities Exchange Center, underscoring USAID's support for Vietnam's economic governance reforms. USAID helped develop Vietnam's securities laws and regulations, and is now exploring a new framework for mobilizing private capital for infrastructure financing. Administrator Fore highlighted these achievements in meetings with Prime Minister Dung and other top officials. She and Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc signed an agreement to extend and expand USAID projects promoting expanded trade and investment through good governance and enhanced rule of law. The Administrator dedicated USAID's Vietnam Mission with a ribbon cutting and plaque unveiling. USAID/Vietnam's upgrading to Mission status reflects the growing importance of U.S.-Vietnam diplomatic and economic relations, she said. USAID/Vietnam previously was part of the Regional Development Mission for Asia (RDMA), which is based in Bangkok. In Ho Chi Minh City, Administrator Fore visited USAID-supported HIV/AIDS and methadone clinics, underlining USAID's commitment to preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, treating HIV+ people, and helping high-risk populations. She suggested that health officials look to the private sector as a partner in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment to lessen the government’s dependence on international aid. The Administrator toured Saigon Port to study infrastructure problems and conferred with the Fulbright Economics Teaching Program to learn about the needs of higher education in Vietnam. Immediately before leaving for Washington, Administrator Fore met dozens of business, government and development leaders at an informal gathering to encourage their participation in public-private partnerships (PPPs) to simultaneously achieve economic and social development goals. USAID currently has several PPPs in Vietnam. Cargill, Mars and Masterfoods are developing a sustainable, high-value cocoa industry; Microsoft, QUALCOMM and Hewlett Packard are working in ICT training; and Intel has “Last Mile” and satellite ICT connectivity projects. APCO Worldwide is supporting projects for regulatory and administrative reform; NIKE, Maersk and APL are improving Vietnam’s infrastructure; and the US-Vietnam Trade Council is supporting public-private study missions to the U.S. FURTHER READING
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