Speeches Shim
Welcome, everyone. And what a great GES. First, on behalf of the U.S. government, thank you. Over the last few days we've met entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders from over 150 countries. Some have traveled here from quite literally the other side of the world. Now, there's an old saying that the key to a great dinner is not so much what's on the table as is what is on the chairs. So no offense to the hosts, no offense to the organizers, but the quality and success of a summit is not determined by the smoothness of the program or the quality of the speakers. It is by all of you.
India's drive to conquer and eliminate TB is an inspiration to all of us, and it's a great example of a country and a cause that we hope to lift up. We are excited to see so many across India making the fight against TB their own fight, from those at the top of the government down to the private sector and even into the world of popular culture. Take Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan -- I did my very best -- who, after his own battle with TB, took up the cause and now is a great and powerful champion. He is a champion for the importance of early detection and appropriate treatment. He saw that taking steps early to address the disease saved his life. And today, he is out to show all of us that any person, even the most famous entertainer, but also the most remote villager, is vulnerable to TB, but also with early detection, can stop this global killer dead in its tracks.
I believe that the USAID development partnership with India -- again based upon the shared vision of the future -- I think can make the countries even closer in the months and years ahead. Part of that shared vision is how both nations seem to advance development.
At USAID, we believe that education serves as a driver for development and poverty reduction. Education is transformational for individuals and societies. It can also create pathways to better health, economic growth, a sustainable environment, and peaceful, democratic societies.
It is because we believe so strongly in the importance of education that the U.S. government works closely with the Philippine government to expand access to inclusive, quality education for all – especially the most marginalized and vulnerable. Experience has shown that education not only raises individual incomes but can also advance inclusive economic growth for the country.
At USAID, we recognize that conserving biodiversity is fundamental to human well-being. It is also critical to our shared mission of helping build prosperous, stable and equitable societies. This approach solidifies our belief that “Conservation is development.”
USAID believes that stewardship of our natural resources is a critical to achieving equitable and sustainable development results. We actively pursue a path to development that enriches natural capital instead of depleting it.
I must also say I am honored to be here in Hyderabad because this is clearly a city on the rise. Hyderabad is on the rise because of good leadership. Hyderabad is on the rise because of all of you. You are the power for the good leadership. As we all know, as India's urban centers continue to grow, providing clean water and sanitation for all residents will become an even more important priority. Today, 540 million people in India lack access to safe, affordable, reliable water. But the Government of India has placed water and sanitation at the center of its national development efforts, taking it on at the national, state, and city levels.
The challenges ahead may appear daunting, but are definitely not insurmountable. The U.S. government remains a committed partner of the Philippine government and the private sector in achieving inclusive economic prosperity in Marawi City and the entire province of Lanao del Sur. Thank you in advance for your close partnership as we together pursue a more stable and prosperous Philippines.
General Santos City has been a steadfast partner of USAID through the years, with various projects supporting infrastructure development, economic growth, environmental protection, education, health and governance. This strong partnership between our two governments helped transform this progressive city into a gateway to the Central Mindanao region.
South Africa is burdened by one of the most severe TB epidemics in the world, while also dealing with the greatest burden of HIV-infected individuals. TB prevalence is the world’s third highest, and millions are living with HIV/AIDS with hundreds of thousands of new infections each year.
I am excited to join all of you at this conference. Having traveled to many parts of this beautiful country, what I have seen over and over again is that agriculture is not just an important sector for the economy, but instrumental to Kenya's achievement of its Vision 2030 goals. Food is a key outcome of agricultural activities, and, in turn, is a key input into nutrition. However, the availability of food from agriculture doesn't necessarily ensure good nutrition.
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