Statement on the Confirmation of Gayle E. Smith as Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This evening, a large bipartisan majority of senators came together to confirm Gayle Smith as Administrator of USAID. Gayle has dedicated her life to helping the vulnerable, and she will now bring her legendary drive, rigor, and compassion to a leadership role of huge importance to the United States and all we care about in the world.

Gayle will confront the largest displacement crisis since World War II; but she will do so having already helped spearhead U.S. responses to major global humanitarian crises such as Syria and South Sudan, the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, the horn of Africa famine, and the Haiti earthquake. Gayle will confront humanitarian and economic development architectures that are crying out for greater resources and coherence, but she will take on these challenges having already helped orchestrate President Obama’s Policy Directive on Global Development, and having helped transform how the U.S. government promotes development and strengthens governance around the world.

Gayle is a formidable leader and team-builder. The corps of dedicated development professionals at USAID – and all of her colleagues across the U.S. government – will benefit from her decades of experience supporting those confronting poverty and conflict. She will be a truly exceptional USAID Administrator.

Source: U.S Department of State

By

Robert Williams

Editor in Chief