Statement by the Vice President and Dr. Jill Biden on USAID Administrator Raj Shah

Jill and I want to thank Raj Shah for the leadership and determination he has shown through five years as one of the most effective USAID Administrators in our nation’s history.

Both of us have had the honor of working directly with Raj on issues like food security, disaster relief, Ebola response, economic development and human rights.

This year, Jill traveled with Raj to Zambia to promote women’s empowerment. In August of 2011, Jill and Raj traveled to the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya, 50 miles from the Somali border where hundreds of thousands of people were fleeing starvation conditions. Raj led the effort to raise awareness for the humanitarian crisis and to provide support for the relief efforts.

He never let up and never lost sight of the need for long term solutions, instead of short term assistance. He never stopped looking for ways to bring in new partners and innovate to do things better, more efficiently, and with greater accountability.

Raj Shah’s efforts will live on long after he leaves his position. We wish Raj, Shivam, and their children all the best in the new year.