1997 Press Releases

USAID funds Educational Programs for South African children
November 7, 1997: The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Children's Television Workshop (CTW) today announced a project to bring Sesame Street to South African children. The "South Africa Sesame Street Project" will be funded in part by a five-year, $5 million USAID grant and is intended to provide culturally relevant educational programming to the children of South Africa.

USAID holds briefing in Durban
November 5, 1997:  The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will hold a briefing on its international development programs at the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza (Durban) on Thursday, November 6. The conference is being hosted by U.S. Consul General Fred Hassani. The briefing will be opened by welcoming remarks from U.S. Ambassador James Joseph and will be followed by presentations from various USAID staff.

USAID pledges additional support ACCORD
October 31, 1997:  The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide new support to the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD). At ACCORD’s launch of its new African Conflict Prevention Centre, USAID will pledge a R 5.5 million grant and, in addition, intends to provide a significant financial endowment for development of the Centre.

United States and South Africa sign over R220 million in Bilateral Agreements
October 8, 1997: Deputy Finance Minister Gill Marcus and U.S. Ambassador James Joseph signed bilateral agreements totaling over R 220 million in U.S. development assistance to the South African government. This commitment is part of a broader assistance package being provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to South Africa since 1985. Over R 4.6 billion has been provided to South Africa since the mid-1980s. Prior to 1994, USAID’s assistance to the people of South Africa was provided exclusively through non-governmental organizations. Starting in 1994, USAID began to offer development assistance to the South Africa government as well as continuing its support to NGOs.

USAID provides R1.9 million to the Amy Biehl Foundation Trust
September 18, 1997: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) today agreed to provide R 1.9 million to the Amy Biehl Foundation Trust in support of the Trust’s work to reduce community violence in townships and informal settlements around Cape Town. The funds will be used to provide training for community health workers. The Trust was recently established by the Biehls as a South African NGO and will work with other South African NGOs to design the training which will be held in mid-1998.

USAID provides R23.5 million for Infrastructure Development to Low-Income Communities
August 26, 1997: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) today announced the approval of a guarantee for the Infrastructure Finance Corporation (Inca) that will provide a R 23.5 million loan at market rates from commercial banks in the United States. This program will allow South African local governments to borrow funds from Inca for infrastructure development in low-income communities.

USAID provides assistance to Curriculum 2005
August 5, 1997:  Education Minister Sibusiso Bengu will launch the Curriculum 2005 newspaper supplements describing the department’s new outcomes based education framework. The twelve issue-specific newspaper supplements, which are funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will be circulated throughout the country over the next twelve weeks. Aaron Williams, USAID Mission Director, will attend the launch.

USAID provides R4.5 million for Environmental Management Initiatives
July 24, 1997:  Through a grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Director Generals of the Department of Constitutional Development & Provincial Affairs and the Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism agreed to set aside R4.5 million for urban environmental management initiatives. A Memorandum of Understanding between the two departments was signed on 22 July in Pretoria.

Local Government Study Mission, led by Minister Valli Moosa, in the United States
June 23, 1997:  A delegation of South Africans is visiting the United States (22 June - 3 July) to undertake an inquiry of local governance. The delegation is led by M. Valli Moosa, Minister for Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development. The twelve member delegation was drawn from the White Paper Political Committee (WPPC), which was established to assist him in drafting a new national policy on permanent local government structures and financing systems.

South Africa - United States Engineering Links Project Underway
June 5, 1997:  In an announcement in Pretoria and Washington today, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) pledged over 3 million rand to link four American engineering schools with South African partners. The institutions involved on the American side include the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Howard University. A consortium of South African counterparts acting through the Peninsula Technikon include the Technikon Northern Transvaal, Mangosuthu Technikon, Eastern Cape Technikon, ML Sultan Technikon and Technikon South Africa.

USAID Loans FNB $30m for Joint Housing Program (June 1997)
June 1997:  First National Bank and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have completed the first of two phases of a $ 30 million loan program aimed at providing housing related finance to lower income wage earners in South Africa.