WASHINGTON, D.C. - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed hope that Rajiv Shah, as the head of US Agency for International Development (USAID), would advance the agenda of development as a core pillar of the US foreign policy.

“Dr Raj Shah is a leader in the development community, an innovative and result-oriented manager, and someone who understands the importance of providing people around the world with the tools they need to lift themselves out of poverty and chart their own destinies,” Clinton said.

President Obama had announced nomination of Shah - a longtime development worker who now serves as chief scientist at the Department of Agriculture – as the Administrator of USAID; which has an annual budget of $20 billion and is considered as a crucial tool to boost USA image overseas.

“By nominating Raj to lead the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), President Obama has reaffirmed that development must be a core pillar of American foreign policy,” said Clinton.

She had recently expressed her displeasure on the key administration post lying vacant for too long, particularly at a time when the Obama Administration was putting a lot of emphasis on development as a tool of foreign policy.

A trained medical doctor and health economist, Raj has the skills and experience to lead a reinvigorated USAID in the 21st century, Clinton said.

“He has a record of delivering results in both the private and public sectors, forging partnerships around the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and developing innovative solutions in global health, agriculture, and financial services for the poor,” Clinton said.

“He has led and worked with many of the initiatives that are defining best practice in the field of development, including the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria, the Alliance for a Green Revolution for Africa, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,” she said, adding Shah’s tireless efforts to immunize children around the world have helped save countless lives.

As Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics and Chief Scientist at the US Department of Agriculture, Shah currently manages more than 10,000 federal employees and a budget of more than $2.6 billion, and works closely with Congress, the State Department, the White House, and the international development community on issues ranging from health and nutrition to bio-energy and climate change.

If confirmed, Clinton said, Shah will bring an impressive record of accomplishment and a deep understanding of what works in development to his role as USAID Administrator. (PTI)