The following is attributable to Acting Spokesperson Clayton M. McCleskey:

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Mark Green met today with The Right Honorable Priti Patel, M.P., Secretary of State for the Department of International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom, during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

They noted the longstanding and deep partnership between USAID and DFID, and the potential for increased bilateral cooperation as the world faces unprecedented humanitarian crises.

Administrator Green and Secretary Patel voiced shared concerns about the ongoing crisis and continued violence in Rakhine State in Burma. They stressed the need for unfettered humanitarian access and the cessation of violence, so that much-needed assistance can reach victims.

The Administrator and Secretary discussed humanitarian crises around the world, in particular the dire situations in South Sudan and Yemen. They noted shared interest in efforts to reform the UN, and in ensuring the global humanitarian system is transparent, efficient, and fit-for-purpose. Administrator Green also stressed the need for innovative investments in long-term resilience.

Administrator Green pledged to remain in close coordination with the United Kingdom as the United States responds to natural disasters in Latin America. He also underscored the U.S. commitment to helping the people of the Caribbean region in the wake of devastating hurricanes.