USAID Seminar to Focus on Agency's Work in Complex Environments

WASHINGTON, July 19, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Agency for International Development will continue its series of weekly seminars at the National Press Club. Tomorrow, USAID will hold its third seminar, entitled "Working in Complex Environments: What we know and what we hope to learn."

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The U.S. Government is finding itself working in complex and chaotic environments such as those afflicted by political crises and manmade or natural disasters. Working in such places poses challenges to the standing policies at USAID for program design, implementation, and evaluation. USAID is pioneering several tools for such environments that aim to bring into focus programmatic relevance from the micro to macro level, and to heighten our ability to anticipate the unexpected. The forum will showcase the Agency's current exploration of new tools for working effectively in complex transition environments.

Tomorrow's speakers will include:

Eleanor Bedford, Team Leaders for the Applied Best Practices and Coordination Team, Office of Transition Initiatives, USAID

Christine Gottschalk, Team Leader for the Afghanistan-Pakistan Team, Office of Transition Initiatives, USAID

Christopher La Fargue, Special Projects Officer, Office of Transition Initiatives, USAID

USAID's upcoming seminars will continue to explore a range of development topics, innovative approaches, and diverse experiences among USAID and the development community. More detailed information - including confirmed speakers and panelists - can be accessed online at: http://www.usaid.gov/km/seminars/.

Members of the press interested in covering the seminar should contact Brett Welcher at [email protected] or 202-712-5327.  

The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years.

For more information about USAID and its programs, please visit www.usaid.gov

USAID Public Information: 202-712-4810

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SOURCE U.S. Agency for International Development