James Hope

Speeches Shim

James M. Hope, USAID Mission Director to Ukraine and Belarus
Mission Director

James Hope is a Senior Foreign Service Officer with more than 25 years of experience working on international development programs with USAID.

He assumed the duties of the Mission Director in Ukraine in July 2020. 

Before arriving in Ukraine, Mr. Hope served as Mission Director in South Sudan and Kosovo.

During his leadership of the South Sudan Mission between 2019 and 2020, Mr. Hope coordinated funding for health care, access to clean water and sanitation, assistance to the survivors of gender-based violence, and support for the transport of humanitarian workers and relief supplies.  USAID's humanitarian food assistance alone reaches more than 1.3 million South Sudanese each month.

During his service with the Kosovo Mission, Mr. Hope oversaw the process of planning and developing the $49 million Threshold Agreement Program for Kosovo, approved in June 2017 by Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Board of Directors, as well as the establishment of the Kosovo Credit Guarantee Fund (KCGF).  The KCGF is designed to increase lending opportunities for Medium and Small Micro Enterprises (MSMSs) from local financial institutions, which will create jobs, increase local production, strengthen the social safety net, reduce poverty, and enhance opportunities for underserved economic sectors and populations.

Before his time in Kosovo,  Mr. Hope served as Deputy Mission Director in Kabul, from 2013-2014, and Deputy Mission Director at USAID/Kenya from 2008-2013, where he helped oversee a $500 million annual program. Kenya is a focus country for Presidential and Agency initiatives including Feed the Future, Global Health (PEPFAR), and Global Climate Change. USAID’s Kenya programs focus on advancing democratic transition, reducing the impact of HIV/AIDS, strengthening health services, increasing food security and enhancing quality of early grade reading and teaching. A high-visibility youth program encourages young Kenyans to participate in the governance process and develop useful work skills.

Mr. Hope also chaired the Horn of Africa Joint Planning Cell (JPC) to develop innovative approaches for drought resilience by linking humanitarian and development assistance.

From 2007 to 2008, Mr. Hope was the Director of the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Office at USAID/Afghanistan. He led a $250 million program involving over 50 field-based staff focused on improving security, extending Afghan government reach, and promoting development. He worked closely with other government agencies, the U.S. military, and NATO.    

Mr. Hope served at USAID/Indonesia from 2004-2007 where he led a $157 million Presidential foreign policy initiative to improve basic education in Indonesia. He also worked on tsunami recovery. From 2001to 2003 Mr. Hope served as Deputy Program Officer at USAID/Indonesia.

Prior to joining USAID’s Foreign Service, Mr. Hope worked as a contract Program Officer for USAID/Bosnia from 1995 to 1999, supporting implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords and post-war recovery and reconstruction.

From 1994 to 1995, he worked at USAID/Poland, supporting a $60 million annual program to support Polish transition to democracy and economic reforms.

Mr. Hope was born in New York, grew up in Boston, and currently calls Austin, Texas home. He received a Bachelor’s degree in History from American University and a Master’s degree in Russian and East European Studies from Yale University. He speaks Polish and received a State Department Fascell Fellowship to serve at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw from 1990-1993. He is married to Beata and they have two children, Katherine and Leon.