KABUL, AFGHANISTAN- Ambassador Randall L. Tobias is visiting Afghanistan on his first trip overseas since he was sworn in on March 31, 2006 as the Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

 

Ambassador Randall L. Tobias is visiting Afghanistan on his first trip overseas since he was sworn in on March 31, 2006 as the Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).  Ambassador Tobias is the first USAID Administrator to hold the newly-created position of Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance.  In addition to his direct responsibilities for USAID, in his new role at the State Department, Ambassador Tobias will be charged with directing the transformation of the U.S. Government’s approach to foreign assistance.  The purpose of Ambassador Tobias’ trip, which he announced at the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy’s 7th Annual Conference earlier this month, is to acknowledge the long-term commitment of the United States to help Afghanistan build a secure and prosperous future.

 

In recent remarks, Ambassador Tobias commented, “Supporting a stable, prosperous and democratic Afghanistan is vitally important to all branches of the U.S. Government and to the American people.” He went on to say, “Afghanistan has suffered three decades of destruction and it will take a long time to fix the damage that has been done – not only to roads and buildings, but to institutions and civil society.”

 

Agreements have been signed and funding provided for a variety of initiatives between the governments of Afghanistan and the United States that support democracy and the process of repair and reconstruction. U.S. development assistance is allocated according to the priorities identified by the Government of Afghanistan for the betterment of its people.

 

During his visit to Afghanistan, Ambassador Tobias will travel to a variety of sites funded by the U.S. Government and meet with Government of Afghanistan officials.