The following is attributable to Spokesperson Clayton M. McCleskey:

On Thursday, U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Mark Green and U.S. Ambassador Steve King met with Czech Republic Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek in Prague, the minister's first meeting with U.S. officials since taking office earlier this week.

The Administrator welcomed the Czech Republic's interest in closer cooperation between USAID and the Czech Development Agency, especially in the Sahel, a region of mutual interest and concern. They both noted the importance of programs that support democracy and human rights. They also discussed how to best leverage resources to meet growing humanitarian and development challenges, including by exploring innovative ways to mobilize private sector resources. The Administrator and Minister agreed to pursue opportunities for collaborative projects that would effectively leverage U.S. and Czech development expertise. The Administrator thanked the Czech Republic for its partnership and the strong U.S.-Czech friendship.