USAID and MTV EXIT Release Animated Film to Raise Awareness about Human Trafficking

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

"Intersection", a hard-hitting animated film about human trafficking and sexual exploitation, premiered on March 20 on MTV channels in Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.  This latest release in the MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) campaign, produced in partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), features the voice of Thai film star Ananda Everingham.

“We’re using a different medium, animation, to alert young people about the risks of human trafficking,” said Olivier Carduner, USAID’s Mission Director for Asia.  “It adds to the body of work – documentaries, music videos, film shorts, concert specials and public service announcements – that MTV and USAID have aired to reach potential victims and to promote law enforcement and victim outreach efforts.”

USAID Supports Campaign at Bangkok's Airport to Thwart Wildlife Traffickers

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

USAID is supporting the training of 250 airport security and law enforcement officials to prevent wildlife trafficking at Bangkok’s international airport, a key transshipment point for endangered species. 

The “Wildlife Trafficking Stops Here” campaign, which is teaching officials to identify and intercept smuggled wildlife, is the first large-scale education program of its kind ever held at a major Asian airport.  Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport serves more than 30 million passengers a year.

Investors Eye Clean Energy Opportunities in Southeast Asia

Friday, March 13, 2009

Opportunities to finance clean energy projects drew more than 120 industry experts and investors to the Asia Forum for Clean Energy Financing today.  The conference showcased projects that evolved from a competition, sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other groups, to select the best clean energy business models and proposals from countries in the ASEAN region.

USAID and Thai Government Join Forces at Bangkok's Airport to Thwart Wildlife Traffickers

Thursday, March 12, 2009

USAID is supporting the training of 250 airport security and law enforcement officials to prevent wildlife trafficking at Bangkok’s international airport, a key transshipment point for endangered species. 

The “Wildlife Trafficking Stops Here” campaign, which is teaching officials to identify and intercept smuggled wildlife, is the first large-scale education program of its kind ever held at a major Asian airport.  Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport serves more than 30 million passengers a year.

The campaign part of a multi-faceted effort aimed at thwarting wildlife traffickers in the region.  In addition to the training sessions, photos of endangered animals are being projected on TV monitors above check-in counters, and anti-trafficking placards are being posted throughout the airport. 

USAID Workshop Helps Lao National Assembly Prepare for WTO Accession

Monday, February 09, 2009

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is sponsoring a workshop for the Lao National Assembly to help parliamentarians learn from the experiences of Cambodia and Vietnam in their joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) and their implementation of U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) commitments. 

The two-day workshop is part of the USAID-managed Laos BTA/WTO Project, which is funded by the U.S. Government through the U.S. Embassy in Laos and is supporting Laos’ WTO accession and BTA compliance. 

U.S. and Laos Launch Second Phase of Trade Project

Monday, February 09, 2009

The United States and Laos today launched the second phase of a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) project to help Laos meet the requirements to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), comply with obligations under the Lao-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), and fulfill its commitments to the ASEAN Economic Community. 

The project is managed by USAID and funded by the U.S. Government through the U.S. Embassy in Laos.

Malaria Parasite Resisting Effective Drug Therapy, the New York Times Reports, Citing USAID Expert

Sunday, January 25, 2009

The parasite that causes the deadliest form of malaria is showing the first signs of resistance to the best new drug against it, the New York Times reported on January 26, citing recent medical studies and interviews with medical experts including Dr. John MacArthur of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Dr. MacArthur raised concern last April, on World Malaria Day, noting that scientific evidence is emerging that malaria parasites from Cambodia’s border with Thailand are increasingly tolerant to artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), one of the most effective therapies against multi-drug resistant malaria.