Rajiv Shah

Born :

March 9, 1973

If we continue on the trend we’re on, we can reduce extreme poverty by more than 60 percent-lifting more than 700 million people out of dollar-and-a-quarter a day poverty and back from the brink of hunger and malnutrition. But if we accelerate our progress from 3 percent annual reduction to over 6 percent and focus on key turnarounds in some difficult countries, we could get a 90 percent reduction. We could essentially eliminate dollar-and-a-quarter head count poverty.

keys country people

We need to help companies find profit opportunities abroad, not p... by Rajiv Shah

We need to help companies find profit opportunities abroad, not photo opportunities.

helping opportunity needs

Nowhere is this challenge more critical -- and the need for action more pressing -- than in the Horn of Africa. From Kenya to Ethiopia, Djibouti to Somalia, the devastating consequences of drought, desertification and land degradation are playing out before our eyes. The worst drought in 60 years has placed more than 13.3 million people -- predominately women and children -- in need of emergency assistance.

eye children years

Development is a fundamental part of our national security. It is extreme poverty - the realities of access to water and food - which creates the long-term drivers of our insecurity. Most wars are fought over scarce resources, and that is going to accelerate in the future.

war long reality

Our aid is work for the American people. by Rajiv Shah

Our aid is work for the American people.

aids poverty people

By doing good, we do well. by Rajiv Shah

By doing good, we do well.

doing-good poverty wells

That work has been transformational in helping urban areas really address the challenges that are only going to get more intense as we go forward in time.

These are exceptional leaders who are taking forward and institutionalizing these efforts, with our continued support.

Military engineers oversaw the building of new Ebola Treatment Units ; military logisticians directed the deployment of life-saving resources from across the globe ; and military doctors supported the brave men and women who treated patients every day, just 10 months since the first U.S. government personnel deployed, we have delivered extraordinary results. Across West Africa 10 months ago, cases are down by 80 percent. In Liberia -- once the heart of the epidemic -- we've helped cut down new cases from more than 30 a day to as few as one or two.

It was with mixed emotions that I informed President (Barack) Obama and Secretary (John) Kerry that I will step down as administrator in mid-February 2015.