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Post a commentKey foreign-aid post gets nominee
WASHINGTON - The Obama administration yesterday nominated a former executive with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to run the top U.S. foreign-assistance program, ending months of speculation and complaints about who would take the vacant post.
President Obama chose Rajiv Shah, 36, a doctor and a senior official at the Agriculture Department dealing with food security, to run the U.S. Agency for International Development. Obama, in a statement, said Shah would bring "fresh ideas" and an "impressive background" to the post.
Shah's selection, which the Senate must confirm, would end a 10-month leadership vacuum at USAID, which has operated with an acting director since Obama took office despite his campaign pledges to have the agency play a greater role in foreign policy.
Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton call USAID crucial to deploying their preferred "smart power" foreign-policy strategy, which envisions more equal roles for diplomacy and development alongside defense. They plan to double the amount of foreign aid.
At the Agriculture Department, Shah manages a budget of more than $2.6 billion and more than 10,000 staff around the world. Earlier, he held several posts at the Gates Foundation, including managing its $1.5 billion contribution to a global vaccination fund.
