The head of the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID, announced early Wednesday that he will resign from his role in two months’ time.
“It was with mixed emotions that I informed President Obama and Secretary Kerry that I will step down as administrator in mid-February 2015,” Rajiv Shah said in a statement released by the USAID press office Wednesday morning.
Shah’s announcement came unexpectedly, and in the midst of news from earlier that morning suggesting the US and Cuba could soon “normalize” relations following decades of disputes. Pres. Obama is expected to formally weigh in on the matter later in the day.
Founded in 1861 by then president John F. Kennedy to promote economic prosperity, strengthen democracy, protect human rights, improve global health and achieve other aims between nations, according to the agency’s website, USAID has twice come under attack in recent months, including as recently as last week, for revelations about internally administered programs that involved questionable tactics concerning Cuba.
