WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) today released the following statement on the nomination of Gayle Smith to be Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID):
“Gayle Smith is a terrific choice by the President to be the next USAID Administrator. Gayle has been a leader in our government’s efforts to shift our approach to international development from handouts to smart investments that work hand in hand with other nations to build their economic capacities, leveraging taxpayer dollars more efficiently in the process. She has a keen understanding of the need to innovate and modernize foreign assistance and throughout my time in office, she has been a strong partner in this important work. As she has said so well, ‘Development was something we do for the poor. [Today] it's something we do with the poor.'
“During her time in the Administration, Gayle has worked closely with former USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah to prioritize our support for African countries and to help revolutionize how we engage with the continent. Her lifetime of experience reporting on global issues and working with NGOs, the private sector, and within government has allowed her to develop all of the key skills one could ask for in the person who will lead our government's foreign assistance agenda. I am thrilled by her nomination to be USAID Administrator, am eager to vote for her confirmation, and look forward to working with her in her new role.”