Speeches
Speech
Welcome, everyone. And what a great GES. First, on behalf of the U.S. government, thank you. Over the last few days we've met entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders from over 150 countries. Some have traveled here from quite literally the other side of the world. Now, there's an old saying that the key to a great dinner is not so much what's on the table as is what is on the chairs. So no offense to the hosts, no offense to the organizers, but the quality and success of a summit is not determined by the smoothness of the program or the quality of the speakers. It is by all of you.
Speech
You know, I often say, as Administrator at USAID, that the purpose of foreign assistance must be to end the need for its existence. And so, our goal, as an Agency, is to work to foster self-reliance and help host countries on their own journey to both self-reliance and prosperity. In this, we have a wonderful strong partner in India. Together, as we have seen here at GES, we are lifting lives. We are creating opportunities. But as you've heard from both Jennifer and Kathy, I think the important thing is doing so, not only here, but jointly, we are doing so in the region and around the world.
Speech
India's drive to conquer and eliminate TB is an inspiration to all of us, and it's a great example of a country and a cause that we hope to lift up. We are excited to see so many across India making the fight against TB their own fight, from those at the top of the government down to the private sector and even into the world of popular culture. Take Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan -- I did my very best -- who, after his own battle with TB, took up the cause and now is a great and powerful champion. He is a champion for the importance of early detection and appropriate treatment. He saw that taking steps early to address the disease saved his life. And today, he is out to show all of us that any person, even the most famous entertainer, but also the most remote villager, is vulnerable to TB, but also with early detection, can stop this global killer dead in its tracks.
Speech
I believe that the USAID development partnership with India -- again based upon the shared vision of the future -- I think can make the countries even closer in the months and years ahead. Part of that shared vision is how both nations seem to advance development.
Speech
I must also say I am honored to be here in Hyderabad because this is clearly a city on the rise. Hyderabad is on the rise because of good leadership. Hyderabad is on the rise because of all of you. You are the power for the good leadership. As we all know, as India's urban centers continue to grow, providing clean water and sanitation for all residents will become an even more important priority. Today, 540 million people in India lack access to safe, affordable, reliable water. But the Government of India has placed water and sanitation at the center of its national development efforts, taking it on at the national, state, and city levels.
Speech
The private sector plays a critical role in striving for the great potential that Afghanistan and its people have to offer. In the most literal sense, this event is about connecting Afghan businesses with Indian investors. With these connections comes an inherent responsibility. Investment is a two way street. If you – as a business person – see an opportunity to import goods or finance a start-up, naturally you are seeking a return on that investment. What might not always be so evident, however, is that you are investing in the success of that society. You are investing in the health of its workers. You are investing in the education of its children. And you are investing in a nation poised to expand and share its wealth of goods, culture, and pride.
Speech
I’m proud to note that under the USAID-supported Ahmedabad Sanitation Action Lab project, more than 130,000 children have benefitted from access to safe drinking water, improved sanitation facilities and the adoption of WASH and Menstrual Hygiene Management practices.
The Urban Management Centre has done outstanding work to raise awareness about menstrual hygiene, providing courses to more than 10,000 adolescent school girls and boys in schools and communities. Globally, girls continue to either drop out of school or miss days every month. This is one way in which we are helping to break the taboo.
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At USAID, we take partnership very seriously and believe that it is part and parcel of how we operate in India. Our mantra has been: “if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to far, go together.”Over the past few years, we’ve worked with more than 100 organizations from the private sector where we co-fund and co-design programs to address development challenges in the area of maternal and child health, tuberculosis, energy, early literacy, WASH, and financial inclusion.
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For decades, USAID has been privileged to partner with India to improve land management. In this arena, Indian agencies and USAID’s joint objectives have focused on improving the productivity and health of natural resources for India’s people, and to share these successes and best practices with others around the world. Those objectives have been consistently realized.
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The Government of India has set a precedent in the world by committing to increase India’s clean energy production by a staggering 175 gigawatts by 2022. Our commitment towards achieving this goal is strong and unrelenting. USAID’s bilateral program with the Ministry of Power, called Greening the Grid, will over the next five years support India’s efforts to manage large-scale integration of renewables into the Indian power grid in a cost-effective manner. And I’m delighted to note that the work under this partnership has already begun in full force.
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Last updated: April 13, 2018
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