USAID head Rajiv Shah is quitting

December 17, 2014 22:08

Rajiv Shah, the administrator for the US Agency for International Development, is quitting.

In a statement released Wednesday morning, he said he had "mixed emotions" but did not elaborate on why he was leaving the agency he has led since 2000.

Confirming the report, US President Barack Obama issued a statement: "For the past five years, Raj Shah has been at the center of my administration's efforts to advance our global development agenda as USAID administrator. To be sure, his tasks have never been easyresponding to natural disasters, epidemics, and famine, to name just a few examples. But Raj, the son of proud Indian immigrants, has embodied Americas finest values by proactively advancing our development priorities, including ending global poverty, championing food security, promoting health and nutrition, expanding access to energy sources, and supporting political and economic reform in closed societies."

Shah's announcement follows an announcement by the US government that it would start talks toward restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba.

US officials confirmed on Wednesday that USAID contractor Alan Gross, who was arrested by Cuba in December 2009 and later sentenced to 15 years after authorities said he tried to smuggle illegal technology into the country, was freed from a Cuban prison.

USAID, under Shah, drew intense criticism from some US lawmakers and the Cuban government for its Cuba programs.

An Associated Press investigation this year revealed the agency -- with the help of another Washington-based contractor -- created a Twitter-like service, staged a health workshop to recruit activists and infiltrated the island's hip-hop community.

Shah was honoured as the India Abroad Person of the Year for Public Service 2012.

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