New USAID Director Helps Inaugurate U.S.-India Summit on Public-Private Infrastructure Partnerships

February 9, 2005

NEW DELHI -- The importance of investing in India's infrastructure is the theme of a two-day U.S.-India summit on public private infrastructure partnerships being held in New Delhi this week. George Deikun, the new Director for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in India, joined Indian business, finance and government leaders today to address the India's critical infrastructure deficit at a conference organized by the Indo-US Chamber of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi.

"Adequate infrastructure is essential to a vibrant society," said Deikun. "India cannot realize its vision and growth targets without a rigorous attack on the issue." Conference participants explored how Indo-U.S. public-private partnerships could help overcome the shortfall.

According to Deikun, attracting private investment to public works - roads, ports, airports and facilities for health and education - will lay the foundation for the bricks and mortar to follow. The U.S. welcomes the opportunity to collaborate on ways to draw in business and civil society to the effort. Building comprehensive, people-to-people relationships between the countries to solve development challenges is at the core of USAID's mission in India.

The two-day summit involves American and Indian business leaders, donors, banks, investors, Indian government leaders, and others interested in a spurring greater investment in the development of India's development.

Mr. Deikun's remarks were his first public comments as USAID India's newly arrived Director. He began his duties as the senior leader of the U.S. development agency in India on Monday. He has more than twenty-five years of experience at USAID, having also served as Director for the Central Asian Republics, Russia, and Haiti. He brings specialty experience in urban development and finance to the post.