USAID official visits Phl

MANILA, Philippines - Visiting US Agency for International Development (USAID) Deputy Administrator Donald Steinberg will share his insights on recent changes in global aid architecture and its implications for development cooperation in Asia in a Development Partners Session during the annual Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) 45th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors.

Steinberg is in Manila from May 3-5 as part of the US delegation to the ADB annual meeting.

While in the Philippines, Steinberg will also travel to Batangas to formally launch USAID’s Cities Development Initiative (CDI), an integral part of the US-Philippines Partnership for Growth (PFG). CDI takes a unique and cross-cutting approach to promoting inclusive growth in strategically selected cities that include Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, and Batangas.

Steinberg, together with USAID/Philippines Mission Director Gloria D. Steele, will also sign bilateral agreements with the Philippine government to affirm USAID’s support for PFG and continued support for Mindanao development and assistance for conflict-affected areas.

The PFG mobilizes the resources of both governments to address the most serious constraints to economic growth and development in the Philippines. The initiative will help the Philippines move to a higher, sustained and more inclusive growth trajectory in line with other high-performing emerging economies.

Steinberg provides overall direction and management for USAID. He is also engaged in the integration and mainstreaming of gender and disabilities into USAID, and enhanced dialogue with development partners, including civil society, business, foreign donors, international institutions, Congress, and other US government agencies.

He previously served as Deputy President for policy at International Crisis Group, where he directed policy, advocacy, and reporting for this nonprofit organization seeking to prevent, contain and resolve deadly conflict.

In his nearly 30 years with the US government, he served as Director of the State Department’s Joint Policy Council, Deputy White House Press Secretary, National Security Council Senior Director for African Affairs, Special Haiti Coordinator, US Ambassador to Angola, and Special Representative of the President for Humanitarian Demining. Other diplomatic postings included officer-in-charge at the US Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, Mauritius, Brazil, Malaysia and the Central African Republic.