Embassy Iftaar Unites Women and Development

Embassy Iftaar Unites Women and Development (Dept of State)

On Wednesday, August 24, partners with the U.S. Mission’s development agencies – USAID, MCC, USAID, USDA, and Peace Corps – joined host Ambassador Lukens at his residence for an Iftaar along with a speaker on Women and Islam, Dr. Margot Badran.

The economic development of Senegal is an important objective of the U.S. Mission in Senegal; and funding from the American people to assist Senegalese remains a large part of U.S.-Senegal relations.  Partnerships with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academic institutions, religious bodies, and other civil society organizations are a large part of how the U.S. works in Senegal; and the evening was an opportunity to gather some of those partners together during the month of Ramadan to thank them for their friendship and professional collaboration.

For Ambassador Lukens, it was the first dinner that he hosted at his home for Senegalese guests.  He was joined at the head table by Senior Fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Dr. Margot Badran. Dr. Badran has lived, worked, researched, and studied in many countries around the world, including in Africa.  She lived in Cairo during the beginning of the Arab Spring.  Dr. Badran spoke on Women in Islam, her focus. 
“A country of course cannot develop without the involvement of each of its citizens, men and women, boys and girls,” Ambassador Lukens stated in his remarks to his guests.  “Each of my development agency colleagues here tonight look at women’s and girls’ involvement as a guiding objective in their work.”