Press Releases

Leveraging Effective Application of Direct investments (LEAD) Business Plan Competition

sgruber — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 15:21:38 +0000

Leveraging Effective Application of Direct investments (LEAD) Business Plan Competition

Friday, October 5, 2012

The USAID LEAD (Leveraging Effective Application of Direct Investment for Haiti) program, in association with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Professional Activities for Northern Haiti (CCIPN), selected four entrepreneurs as the winners of the Business Plan Competition. On Friday, September 14, the USAID LEAD (Leveraging Effective Application of Direct Investment for Haiti) Program, in association with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Professional Activities for Northern Haiti (CCIPN), awarded four matching grants to businesses which are now expected to create a total of 442 long-term jobs.

Dr. Andrew Sisson Sworn In as New USAID Mission Director in Indonesia

sgruber — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 15:34:04 +0000

Dr. Andrew Sisson Sworn In as New USAID Mission Director in Indonesia

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Dr. Andrew Sisson was sworn-in today as the new U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director in Indonesia. US Ambassador Scot Marciel administered the oath at the US Embassy in Jakarta. “I look forward to working side-by-side with the Indonesian government, local leaders, the private sector, civil society, donors and other partners to help create opportunities for improving people’s lives,” said Dr. Sisson.

Global Impact Investing Network Expands Collaboration with Omidyar Network, USAID, and The Rockefeller Foundation to Support Growth of the Impact Investing Field

sgruber — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:44:41 +0000

Global Impact Investing Network Expands Collaboration with Omidyar Network, USAID, and The Rockefeller Foundation to Support Growth of the Impact Investing Field

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Omidyar Network, The Rockefeller Foundation, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced today a collaboration to promote impact investing by supporting research, outreach, and other field-building activities undertaken by the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN). Together the partners have committed $6.5 million to support the GIIN’s work to increase the accessibility of impact investing.

USAID Program to Strengthen Communities Threatened by LRA in Central African Republic

sgruber — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 20:09:28 +0000

USAID Program to Strengthen Communities Threatened by LRA in Central African Republic

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced a new award today that will help communities in the Central Africa Republic (CAR) reduce their vulnerability to violence from the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The Secure, Empowered, Connected Communities (SECC) program will support communities to develop and implement security plans and reduce their isolation and vulnerability through communications technology and skills building. The three-year award advances community-driven solutions to complex and enduring problems. The program will be implemented by Catholic Relief Services.

USAID and Acumen Partner to Spur Private Debt Capital for Social Enterprises in Developing Countries

sgruber — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 19:05:45 +0000

USAID and Acumen Partner to Spur Private Debt Capital for Social Enterprises in Developing Countries

Friday, September 28, 2012

Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Acumen Fund, a nonprofit global venture fund addressing poverty across Africa and South Asia, announced a collaboration to facilitate the flow of up to $15 million in private debt capital to social enterprises working to provide critical goods and services to the underserved across these regions.

Under this agreement, USAID’s Development Credit Authority will partially guarantee loans made from banks or nontraditional capital providers to approved social enterprises within Acumen’s portfolio. Acumen will leverage its investment expertise and global networks to aid its investees in sourcing and securing loans that will qualify under the terms of this agreement.

USAID and Global Community Make Huge Strides toward 2015 MDG Deadlines

sgruber — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 16:06:59 +0000

USAID and Global Community Make Huge Strides toward 2015 MDG Deadlines

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

USAID, together with development partners around the world, is making significant strides in achieving the ambitious goals set to meet the needs of the poor by 2015 by the Millennium Development Challenge under the United Nations. USAID and its British counterpart UK Department for International Development (DFID) hosted an event on Wednesday, Sept. 26 in New York, NY during the UN General Assembly (UNGA), that celebrated their joint work aimed at meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

New Partnership Expands Access to Contraception for 27 Million Women and Girls in Low-Income Countries

sgruber — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 17:11:36 +0000

New Partnership Expands Access to Contraception for 27 Million Women and Girls in Low-Income Countries

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

A new partnership announced today at the United Nations will make a safe, effective, long-acting, reversible method of contraception available to more than 27 million women in the world's poorest nations.

The new partnership is a joint effort of the Clinton Health Access Initiative, the Governments of Norway, the United Kingdom, the US and Sweden, The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, other groups and the German pharmaceutical firm Bayer HealthCare AG, which is the manufacturer of the contraceptive device.

G8 and African Leaders Announce Expansion and Progress of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition

sgruber — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 01:05:07 +0000

G8 and African Leaders Announce Expansion and Progress of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

The United States Government, along with other G8 members, hosted a side event today at the United Nations General Assembly in New York to announce that Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Mozambique have joined the G8’s New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. In addition, USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah announced that 21 additional private sector companies, most of them African companies, have signed letters of intent, committing themselves to invest an additional $500 million in African agriculture.

High level partners come together at UNGA to reaffirm commitment to build resilience

sgruber — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 12:41:07 +0000

High level partners come together at UNGA to reaffirm commitment to build resilience

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Today, as the United Nations General Assembly is underway, the Rockefeller Foundation, USAID, and the United Nations Foundation hosted a high level event highlighting the new international commitment to building resilience for vulnerable communities. Rockefeller Foundation President Dr. Judith Rodin and USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah welcomed expert speakers including Valerie Amos, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator; Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director, World Food Programme; and Heikki Holmås, Minister of International Development of Norway. Two panels featured rich discussion of key alliances and innovations newly enabling relief and development actors to come together to build resilience and help sustain development gains.

USAID, Qtel, AusAID and GSMA launch GSMA mWomen Design Challenge

sgruber — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 15:54:23 +0000

USAID, Qtel, AusAID and GSMA launch GSMA mWomen Design Challenge

Monday, September 24, 2012

U.S. Agency for International Development Chief Innovation Officer and Senior Counselor Maura O’Neill, Qtel Group CEO Dr. Nasser Marafih, Australian Agency for International Development Assistant Director General Jenny Da Rin and GSMA Development Fund Managing Director Chris Locke today announced the launch of the GSMA mWomen Design Challenge: Redefining the User Experience at this year’s Social Good Summit in New York. The GSMA mWomen Design Challenge is seeking to engage the global digital design community for solutions that will make the smartphone user experience more intuitive, particularly for women in developing countries who, because of lack of opportunity, struggle with technical literacy.