Press Releases

Speeches Shim

Thursday, July 23, 2020 - 7:45am

PRETORIA – As the COVID-19 virus continues to spread in South Africa and globally, handwashing with soap remains one of the most effective preventative actions to curb the spread of the virus. 

The reality on the ground is that nearly one-third of households in South Africa do not have access to adequate handwashing facilities. To help address this critical need, the United States government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has committed R8.6 million ($500,000) to UNICEF to build much-needed handwashing stations within public spaces in communities that lack access to running water, such as health care facilities, schools, transport hubs, and markets. 

COVID Oxygen support to South Africa
Friday, July 17, 2020 - 8:00am

The U.S. government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing an additional US$3.5 million (R59 million) to support the National Department of Health’s (NDoH) oxygen supply, demand, and reticulation strategy and their efforts to procure supplies and equipment needed for critical care beds.  The funds will also be used to support emergency preparedness and planning efforts at the provincial level. 

Ambassador Marks receiving COVID assistance for South Africa
Tuesday, May 12, 2020 - 9:15am

The U.S. government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is donating up to 1000 much-needed ventilators and accompanying equipment to South Africa to assist with its national response to COVID-19.   Ventilators are highly specialized medical equipment used in intensive care units. These are used to support individuals whose lungs are not working adequately despite receiving oxygen. In such individuals, ventilators may be life-saving. As a subset of individuals with COVID-19 become critically ill, intensive care support such as the use of ventilators are an essential part of these patients' treatment to assist them in breathing as they recover. 

Food Assistance distribution in Namibia
Friday, December 13, 2019 - 2:45am

Yesterday, U.S. Ambassador Lisa Johnson joined the UN World Food Programme, the Honorable Governor of Kavango East, and the Office of the Prime Minister to deliver several tons of maize meal, beans, vegetable oil, and salt to Namibians among those hit worst by the drought.  This is the first food assistance of a total of US$8.7 million (N$130 million) in drought relief committed by the United States to the Namibian people.

Namibia and PEPFAR celebrate 150,000 Circumcisions
Thursday, June 20, 2019 - 10:15am

The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) together with the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) have circumcised 150,000 male Namibians since 2009. This milestone was celebrated in Windhoek on 20 June 2019.

CWC workshop in Namibia
Thursday, February 14, 2019 - 10:00am

On February 14, 2018, U.S. Ambassador Lisa Johnson addressed the participants of the Regional Judiciary and Prosecutor Workshop at the Protea Hotel Fuerstenhof in Windhoek. Sponsored by the Combating Wildlife Crime (CWC) in Namibia and the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Area program, which is funded by the U.S. Government through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the workshop was hosted by program implementers, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Namibia and TRAFFIC in collaboration with the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Secretariat.

Lesotho DOAG
Wednesday, October 10, 2018 - 11:45am

In Maseru today, the United States Government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the government of Lesotho signed a five-year bilateral Development Objective Grant Agreement to provide the Framework for USAID’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS relief (PEPFAR) funding for Lesotho. Over the next 5 years, approved total funding levels of up to US$250 million for programming through USAID implementing partners is anticipated.

secure waters in southern africa
Tuesday, July 24, 2018 - 2:00pm

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announces Resilient Waters, a five-year, $32.4 million project to address severe water challenges facing the Limpopo River Basin and Okavango River Basin communities.

US Ambassador at Trade Seminar
Wednesday, June 27, 2018 - 9:30am

U.S. based company, INTL FCStone hosted a landmark seminar that addressed challenges with regional commodities trading and outlined a viable roadmap to strengthen Africa’s ability to trade and drive economic growth.  The seminar was made possible through a Public Private Partnership with INTL FCStone and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

BLSA and USAID partner on Beyond Advocacy Fund
Thursday, June 14, 2018 - 2:00pm

The U.S. Embassy in Pretoria, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and Business leadership South Africa (BLSA) announced a three-year extension of their ground-breaking development partnership, the Beyond Advocacy Fund, with an infusion of an additional $3.6 million in funding.  This partnership tackles some of the most pressing socio-economic challenges in South Africa, such as youth unemployment, access to education, and the promotion of small business development.

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