The below is attributable to Acting Spokesperson Pooja Jhunjhunwala:
On May 17, 2021, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power met virtually with Dominic Raab, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs. The two leaders discussed the United States’ and United Kingdom’s respective COVID-19 global response plans in light of surging caseloads in South Asia and President Biden’s initiative to send 80 million vaccine doses overseas over the next six weeks. They also discussed development and humanitarian assistance budget priorities and increased global needs in light of the pandemic; the importance of girls’ education; climate financing and the upcoming 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26); and the growing risk of famine in such countries as Ethiopia and Yemen.
Administrator Power and Foreign Secretary Raab stressed the importance of the strong partnership between the United States and United Kingdom and agreed to continue close cooperation between USAID and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) in areas of mutual interest.