US global aid chief to resign; oversaw secret Cuba programs
Source: Associated Press
US global aid chief to resign; oversaw secret Cuba programs
By JACK GILLUM and DESMOND BUTLER
Associated Press
December 17, 2014 Updated 2 hours ago
WASHINGTON The head of the nations global development agency said Wednesday he will step down from his post in February, following an announcement by the U.S. government that it would start talks toward restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba.
Rajiv Shah, the administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development, gave no public reason for leaving the agency hes lead since 2000. In a statement released Wednesday morning, he said he had mixed emotions but did not elaborate.
Shahs announcement also came hours before U.S. officials confirmed on Wednesday that USAID contractor Alan Gross was freed from a Cuban prison. He was arrested in December 2009 and later sentenced to 15 years after Cuban authorities said he tried to smuggle illegal technology into the country.
USAID, under Shah, drew intense criticism from some U.S. lawmakers and the Cuban government for its Cuba programs. An AP 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 islands hip-hop community.
Read more: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2014/12/17/4032862/us-international-aid-head-to-step.html#storylink=cpy
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)elias49
(4,259 posts)I think most people would consider what Shah was doing was spy-craft!
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)Kerry is amazing.
And yes, this was probably part of the agreement, as a good will and good faith effort to show that we're serious about normalizing relations.
flamingdem
(39,313 posts)Now that's Legacy!
flamingdem
(39,313 posts)I do recall he tried to reduce USAID funding for Cuba.
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)And this seems to be part of that overall re-imagining of US foreign policy.