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White House Author

Rajiv Shah

Former Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Dr. Rajiv Shah served as the 16th Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and led the efforts of more than 8,000 professionals in 80 missions around the world. During his tenure, Administrator Shah managed the U.S. Government's response to the devastating 2010 earthquake in Port-au-Prince, co-chaired the State Department's first-ever review of American diplomacy and development operations, and spearheaded President Obama's landmark Feed the Future food security initiative. He also led “USAID Forward,” an extensive set of reforms to USAID's business model around seven key areas, including procurement, science & technology, and monitoring & evaluation.

Before becoming USAID's Administrator, Dr. Shah served as Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics and as Chief Scientist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At USDA, he launched the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, a new scientific institute that significantly elevates the status and funding of agricultural research.

Prior to joining the Obama Administration, Shah served for seven years with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation where his positions included Director of Agricultural Development in the Global Development Program, and Director of Strategic Opportunities.

Follow USAID on Twitter @USAID.

Rajiv Shah's Posts

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Advancing Women's Potential Around the World

Across the world, the work of USAID is grounded in the fundamental principle that investing in women and girls delivers exponentially greater dividends for peace, security, and prosperity.
March 5, 2014 at 9:30 AM ET

U.S. Support for Yemen’s Transition

The USAID Administrator shares an update on how U.S. support is helping the people of Yemen implement long-overdue political, military, and economic reforms.
September 7, 2012 at 12:22 PM ET

Improving the Quality and Effectiveness of International Development Aid

The United States — the world’s largest donor of foreign assistance — will join the International Aid Transparency Initiative, taking our standard of transparency to a new level by committing to publish up-to-date information in a common, open format that makes it easy for anyone around the world to find, use, and compare information about our aid spending.
December 1, 2011 at 8:49 AM ET

FWD the Facts about Famine, War, and Drought in the Horn of Africa

Dr. Rajiv Shah, Administrator of USAID, announces the launch of the FWD Campaign to raise awareness of the crisis in the Horn of Africa and fight the famine that faces more than 13 million people.
September 20, 2011 at 11:16 AM ET

On the Ground in the Horn of Africa

Dr. Jill Biden and USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah visit the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya to underscore the commitment of the U.S. Government to respond to the immediate crisis of famine. The United Nations estimates that over 12.4 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian aid, including food, water and medical care, across the drought-stricken eastern Horn of Africa.
August 9, 2011 at 5:58 PM ET

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