Dr. Jaidev “Jay” Singh is a career Senior Foreign Service Officer and currently serves as the United States Agency for International Development’s Country Representative in Jamaica (USAID/Jamaica) where he manages a diverse portfolio that builds on the over six decades of friendship and partnership between the United States and Jamaica by working , among other initiatives, to increase public and private investments in human capital, citizen security, health care, cybersecurity, renewable energy and climate change while boosting private public partnerships to advance mutual and bilateral interests in regional, national and economic security.
Prior to being named Country Representative at USAID/Jamaica, Dr Singh served as Mission Director at USAID/Azerbaijan from 2018-2022. He has also served in several senior leadership roles in Washington, D.C. and in various Missions overseas where he managed strategically important relationships with bilateral and multilateral development partners to achieve development and humanitarian goals. During his time at USAID’s Bureau of Policy, Planning and Learning, he co -authored USAID and the Department of State’s 2018-2022 Joint Strategic Plan.
Dr Singh’s other foreign service assignments include Bosnia-Herzegovina, Japan, South Sudan, Djibouti, Kenya and Afghanistan. In his foreign service career, he has specialized in combating violent extremism, conflict and stabilization, and strategic transition, as well as donor and interagency assistance cooperation. Over his career, Dr. Singh has spearheaded several interagency strategies related to conflict, natural resources and combating terrorism in coordination with the Departments of Defense and Departments of State. He was awarded the Joint Services Commendation Medal for his service to the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, one of the first civilians at the task force to receive this award, and has received several Superior Honor Awards over his career.
Dr. Singh holds a doctorate from the University of Washington, Seattle, and master’s degrees in business administration and international diplomacy. He has broad experience in the field of international affairs and development, including with the World Bank, International Finance Corporation, the U.S. Institute for Peace, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Project).