Washington, DC — The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition released the following statement from Executive Director Liz Schrayer on President Obama’s announcement of Dr. Rajiv Shah to be Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development:

“The USGLC applauds the President’s nomination of Dr. Rajiv Shah to be USAID Administrator as yet another example of the President’s commitment to elevating our civilian-led, smart power tools.  With a robust International Affairs Budget request for FY 2010, a pledge to double foreign assistance by 2015, a Presidential Study Directive on Global Development and the State Department’s Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review, the Administration continues to demonstrate the essential role development and diplomacy play in our foreign policy.

“Rajiv Shah is a fresh and dynamic addition to President Obama’s foreign policy team.  Dr. Shah will bring expertise and energy to a critical agency in need of strong, empowered leadership.  His career in global development, global health and agricultural development give him real perspective to lead USAID.  He is already an important player in the Administration’s food security initiative, and his additional background in fighting global poverty and promoting global health make him an ideal candidate for this important post.

“The USGLC’s broad, bipartisan coalition welcomes Dr. Shah’s nomination to be USAID Administrator, and we look forward to working with him to strengthen the role of development.”

The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (www.usglc.org) is a broad-based influential network of 400 businesses and NGOs; national security and foreign policy experts; and business, faith-based, academic and community leaders in all 50 states who support a smart power approach of elevating diplomacy and development alongside defense in order to build a better, safer world.

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