Five Reasons to Congratulate the New USAID Administrator

Congratulations and Welcome to the New USAID Administrator Gayle E. Smith

Back in late November, I read with enthusiasm and optimism about the appointment of the new USAID Administrator Ms. Gayle E. Smith.

I have been meaning to congratulate the new USAID Administrator for the last two months but with travel, the launch of my new book and working with my online students, and the holidays, I have had to postpone my congratulations. So I will do it here, now (better late than never!). I hope you join me in wishing her the best too.

Here are five reasons why I am enthusiastic and want to wish her the best on her new post:

1. She has the opportunity to set the pace for USAID to align its programs with the SDG agenda and account for the huge contribution the USG make in Global Health.
2. She has an innovative vision about how to modernize foreign assistance and understands the Principles of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness.
3. She understands how to account for results and not outputs. I think that focus on strategic results that demonstrate that the health system in the countries where we work are able to function better and deliver more and better services is essential to achieve sustainable impact.
4. She does not make or accept excuses for poor results. She wants to find out the root causes and deliver systemic reforms that develop countries’ capacities.
5. She knows the strengths of USAID and will build on lessons learned to ensure a coordinated USG development agenda.

With all that, the impact she and her agency will have on the global health development agenda can be exponential, a quantum leap.

I can’t wait to contribute and be part of such a visionary effort. The world will never be the same.

Godspeed, USAID Administrator Smith.