Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan - Today, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Assistant Administrator Javier Piedra met with Kazakhstan International Development Agency (KazAID) Coordinator Rapil Zhoshybaev to strengthen cooperation on development and humanitarian assistance and explore future strategic opportunities for collaboration between the two agencies.

Also in attendance were U.S. Consul General Eric Meyer, USAID Regional Mission Director for Central Asia Christopher Edwards, from the U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan, and Head of Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Official Development Assistance Unit Asset Makhmetov, and Member of the Working Group on the Establishment of KazAID Ainur Tuimebekova, from the Kazakhstan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

During the meeting, Acting Assistant Administrator Piedra reflected upon Kazakhstan’s impressive development journey. He noted that Kazakhstan has transformed in a short span of time, from a recipient of USAID’s assistance in 1992 to now an international donor, partnering with the United States to help other Central Asian countries on their development journey. He discussed the strategic partnership between the United States and the Republic of Kazakhstan based on shared interests and values.

Acting Assistant Administrator Piedra thanked Kazakhstan for its continued partnership and expressed his hope that today’s meeting marks the first step in a long, fruitful collaboration between the two aid agencies. 

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USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. For more information, visit the USAID Central Asia website and Facebook page.  

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