USAID & AMCHAM India to Partner for India’s Development
Both USAID and AMCHAM India said they will collaborate to combine US Government and American private sector resources to address India’s development challenges in a few sectors.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the American Chamber of Commerce in India (AMCHAM India) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen the growing partnership between the US Government and US private sector to address India’s development needs.
Interestingly, the move coincided with the launch of the high-level Indo-Pacific Business Forum in Washington, D.C. which in turn is expected to bring together key US Cabinet Secretaries and senior leaders from government and business to discuss how government tools and policies can facilitate private sector partnerships to unleash the full potential of the Indo-Pacific region, including supporting India’s rise as an important power in a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Both USAID and AMCHAM India said they will collaborate to combine US Government and American private sector resources to address India’s development challenges in the following sectors: maternal and child health; tuberculosis; HIV/AIDS; energy/environment and forestry; water and sanitation; gender and women’s empowerment; and issues concerning youth.
Advocating the need for such partnership, Mark Anthony White, USAID Mission Director to India, said that the signing of this MOU not only demonstrates their common desire to address India’s development issues, but also their willingness to collaborate in areas of common interest. The relationship with AMCHAM has been nurtured in numerous ongoing projects between USAID’s implementing partners and US companies. This MOU is a natural progression of the relationship between the two and will undoubtedly ensure the continuation of the two organizations’ work in achieving the Government of India’s and USAID’s development objectives. Including enterprise-based development to USAID’s portfolio not only ensures board participation but also bodes well for sustainable impacts, he said.
As agreed under the partnership, USAID will now identify and share innovations that benefit the base of India’s population pyramid, while AMCHAM India will explore integrating its member companies’ corporate social responsibility funding with USAID/India’s programs. A total of 312 US companies are members of AMCHAM India.
Ranjana Khanna, Director General CEO, AMCHAM India, said that the US companies are among the largest contributors to corporate social responsibility efforts in India. They share best business practices, the latest technologies and innovative concepts that have made significant and positive impacts in rural and urban communities in India. By establishing effective relationships such as with USAID, AMCHAM hopes to establish a new phase of public-private partnerships that better enable our member companies to promote sustainable development, she said.