The below is attributable to Spokesperson Jessica Jennings:
Today, USAID Administrator Samantha Power attended meetings and events at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, New York.
Administrator Samantha Power met with the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to discuss key priorities for the U.S.-Kazakhstan bilateral partnership, including accelerating Kazakhstan's economic modernization, supporting civil society, and advancing the process and goals set out in President Tokayev's reform agenda, including the expansion of inclusive and responsive democratic governance.
The Administrator also met with Tony Elumelu, head of the Tony Elumelu Foundation and one of Africa’s leading investors and philanthropists, to discuss joint goals of investing in entrepreneurship and supporting young entrepreneurs and small businesses in particular, as well as young leaders who are working to address the climate crisis and develop clean energy.
The Administrator delivered remarks at “Doing Aid Better: Actions to Support Local Leadership in Policy, Funding, and Practice,” organized by Peace Direct and hosted at the International Peace Institute. This event convened donors, philanthropies, and Global South leaders for a conversation about how the international community can shift power to local actors and orient aid policy and programs around the goals of locally led development. In her remarks, Administrator Power encouraged donors and foundations from the Global North to make their own commitments to advance locally led development. She also launched a new Africa Localization Initiative to invest in local leadership and expertise in Sub Saharan Africa.
Administrator Power met with Unilever CEO Alan Jope to discuss USAID’s ongoing collaborations with Unilever and the potential for expanding this work in areas including agriculture, reducing plastic waste, and women’s economic empowerment.