Shah Confirmed as USAID Administrator
Dr. Rajiv Shah was confirmed by a voice vote in the Senate on Christmas Eve, as one of the chamber’s final acts of the 2009 legislative session. Shah received bipartisan support throughout his confirmation hearing, and is now poised to lead USAID. During our Tribute Dinner last month, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton introduced Dr. Shah by saying, “Together, we will ensure that USAID is once again, the premier development agency in the world.”
During his confirmation hearing, Shah assured the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that he will report directly to Secretary Hilary Clinton, and work “closely with the White House, State Department, heads of other agencies and Congress on all aspects of foreign assistance reform.”
One of his first leadership roles will be as a co-chair of the State Department’s Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR), which is currently underway.
Prior to Shah’s nomination, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) and Ranking Member Richard Lugar (R-IN) had both expressed their concerns about the lack of an Administrator for USAID to the President, and during the hearing, Kerry assured Shah that he would be leading USAID at, “a moment when people across government recognize that empowering our development agencies and giving them the resources they need is absolutely essential to achieving our larger foreign policy goals.” Kerry and Lugar are co-authors of the “Foreign Assistance Revitalization and Accountability Act,” S. 1524, which calls for a stronger, more robust USAID.
Acting USAID Administrator Alonzo Fulgham discussed the growing momentum for enhancing U.S. foreign assistance in his announcement to USAID’s employees about Dr. Shah’s confirmation, saying, “There is broad recognition across our government – from the White House to Capitol Hill to the State Department and the Department of Defense– that development plays a vital role in our foreign policy . . . we are well-positioned to offer the development perspective in policy deliberations and in the implementation of programs that make development a reality for those around the world who aspire to a better life.”
