Speeches Shim
It is my great pleasure to join this celebration of the One Health Workforce project. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Korea International Cooperation Agency, KOICA, for funding this activity.
The achievements we will review today could not be realized without the technical support of the Southeast Asia One Health University Network, the collaboration of participating Cambodian universities, key government institutions, and one Health partners.
Through USAID-STRIDE, we worked with 25 U.S. universities to provide technical assistance to Philippine institutions. Working with the excellent talent in here, we have successfully set up Career Centers, Professional Science Masters Programs, Knowledge and Technology Transfer Offices, and strengthened collaboration between government, industry and academia.
The U.S. government recognizes plastic pollution as a critical issue. In 2018, President Trump signed the “Save Our Seas Act of 2018,” which encourages U.S. agencies to work with partner countries, including the Philippines, to address land- and sea-based pollution and improve waste management.
Combatting sea-based pollution is a shared priority for all of us. Every year, eight million tons of plastic waste is discarded into the world’s oceans, eventually making its way into the human food supply, particularly through fish products.
I am very pleased and proud to join you for this important milestone event, which tells yet another Namibian success story. 150,000! This is the magic number we are celebrating today. We are celebrating 150,000 smart male Namibians who have volunteered to get the “smart cut.” Under the leadership and guidance of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, these boys and men received a safe Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC). Their action significantly contributed to the country’s fight against HIV. And yes, these smart boys and men deserve a round of applause.
Under our Cities Development Initiative (CDI), USAID advances the development of cities outside Metro Manila as engines of growth that is inclusive, environmentally sustainable and resilient.
As USAID Southern Africa’s Mission Director, I am excited about the new five-year bilateral grant agreement, the Development Objective Agreement - also known as the DOAG. This agreement provides the framework for USAID’s funding of activities in Eswatini. The majority of USAID’s work in Eswatini focuses on the multi-sector HIV response and is funded through the United States’ President’s Emergency Plan for HIV/AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
It is exciting to be among so many energetic young people who are part of the approximately 50 million Filipinos under the age of 24. This dynamic cohort has the potential to become the country’s next leaders of economic growth, governance, and social development. To unlock the potential of this demographic and maximize the benefits for the country, we need to promote youth’s active participation in the economy and society. This includes expanding their access to education as well as creating greater livelihood and employment opportunities for them.
As I've often said, my own journey in the development field began some 30 years ago when I started off as a teacher in a small village in East Africa, and I was struck, no matter how great the challenges, the global health challenges, the poverty challenges, by the importance of human dignity and human liberty, and the challenges that so many families face day in and day out. We're in the hope business. We're the ones who help others to achieve what they can achieve.
Finally, to provide a little extra incentive and reward to all of you for your hard work, I have one last announcement. We are expanding upon the Mary A. Reynold Award for Innovation in Acquisition and Assistance by doubling the award amount and increasing the number of awardees. We want to elevate the visibility of your best ideas, so they can be adapted and applied across the Agency and elsewhere.
The U.S. government is proud to have partnered with Philippine government agencies led by the Department of Education and TESDA, the local governments, the private sector, and educational institutions to provide opportunities for youth in Mindanao where more than 3 million children and youth are either out of school or out of work. Supporting these young people in realizing their potential will pay dividends for years to come as they will become leaders who shape the country’s future.
We started our Local Works journey through a comprehensive listening tour, talking to more than 500 people in 10 regions in the Philippines. . While we are used to engaging with people in the field, the open format allowed us to explore beyond the traditional boundaries of USAID assistance, learn more about challenges, and discover community assets and good local development models.
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