The Bureau for Asia (ASIA)

Speeches Shim

The proposed Bureau for Asia would align USAID’s structure to fulfill the National Security Strategy, the Administration’s Indo-Pacific approach and strengthen USAID’s ability to prevent and respond to crisis, particularly on a multi-country or pan-Asian regional basis.

Bureau Front Office [Assistant Administrator, four DAAs] - Office of Afghanistan; Office of Pakistan; Program Office (includes COMMS); Office of Technical Services; Office of Administrative Management Services; Office of East Asian Affairs; Office of South and Central Asian Affairs
Proposed org chart for review - August 2018

WHY ARE WE MAKING THESE CHANGES?

The President’s South Asia and Indo-Pacific Strategies have asked the U.S. Government to create a holistic approach to planning and programming for the entire Asian continent. Maintaining an independently managed entity for Afghanistan and Pakistan, separate from the Asia Bureau, complicates USAID’s ability to effectively respond to this task.

WHAT WILL THESE CHANGES DO?

Reintegration of the Office of Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs (OAPA) into the Asia Bureau would enhance the Agency’s ability to coordinate efforts and meet national security and development goals across the entire Asia region.

Reintegrating OAPA into the Asia Bureau would:

  • Support the Administration’s Asia policy priorities
  • Ensure more closely coordinated support for President Trump’s Strategy for South Asia and Indo-Pacific Strategy, which aims to bolster American security and encompasses Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, the Central Asian nations, and East and Southeast Asia
  • Coordinate programs across the Asia region in order to address transnational threats to America’s national security

The reintegrated Bureau for Asia would focus USAID’s investments to address specific bilateral, as well as regional, security concerns; promote U.S. trade and business; and optimize the results of U.S. development and economic assistance in Asia.

This reintegrated Bureau would also formulate, approve and authorize U.S. development-assistance programs and projects, and would approve and direct the allocation of resources among the support Offices and USAID Missions in Asia.

Reintegration would also align USAID’s structure to address national security and longer-term development priorities in South and Central Asia more effectively and strengthen USAID’s ability to prevent and respond to crisis, particularly on a multi-country or regional basis.

HOW WILL WE MAKE THESE CHANGES?

USAID proposes that the Bureau for Asia (Asia) reintegrate the Office of Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs (OAPA).

The Assistant Administrator for Asia would report directly to the Office of the Administrator, and would direct and supervise the activities of the various support Offices and the Bureau’s overseas organizations and USAID Missions.