USAID Steps Up to the Plate

Talk about trial by fire. Rajiv Shah has been on the job for just a matter of days when the earthquake in Haiti hit and by all accounts, he’s done a fantastic job coordinating logistics- no easy task. I’ll admit I was initially really disappointed that Dr. Paul Farmer hadn’t been selected as head of USAID- I’ve always been a fan of his. And I had some doubts about Dr. Shah’s ability to take on the largest development agency perhaps on the planet. But, I have to say, I’ve been impressed. It’s still early and there are a lot of hurdles and despite everyone’s best efforts, things will not go perfectly- the realities of this situation will make that impossible. However thus far the US-led effort has been unbelievably impressive.

This excerpt is from today’s WaPo:

…Shah, the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, has wowed the White House and State Department, with top officials in both places praising his steady leadership and command of the evolving operations in Port-au-Prince.

“Dr. Shah has been excellent,” said Denis McDonough, National Security Council chief of staff, who has worked closely with Shah since Tuesday when the earthquake struck. “Focused. Calm. Facts-based.”

Shah joined the administration last year as the undersecretary of agriculture for research, education and economics, but he soon was recruited by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to head USAID. The Senate confirmed his appointment Dec. 24 and he was sworn in one week ago.

Shah has collaborated with former president Bill Clinton’s charitable foundation on international aid efforts over the past decade, and Clinton said Shah is up to the task of leading the recovery in Haiti.

“He has the background and deep understanding of the region to effectively lead the U.S.’s response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti,” said Clinton, who serves as the U.N. special envoy to Haiti. “I know he’s going to do a good job and make a real difference for the people of Haiti during their time of great need.”
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After the earthquake, Shah raced to understand the ramifications of the catastrophe. With the scope of the damage unknown — it was not even clear whether the Port-au-Prince airport runways were operable — Shah stayed at work until 2 a.m., developing plans to send help. He was back before dawn, aides said, standing on a stool in the White House press briefing room for live television interviews on the morning news shows. It was his first time doing live TV, but he did not appear nervous.

Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell (D), a former boss, saw Shah on NBC’s “Today” show. “He’s extraordinarily competent, extraordinarily bright and also extraordinarily articulate,” said Rendell, on whose gubernatorial transition committee Shah served.

‘Superstar’ in action

As the day progressed, aides said, Shah shuttled between the White House and USAID’s disaster headquarters and remained in close contact with top officials, including the president and the secretary of state, using a Bluetooth device. Extra staff had to be brought in to answer Shah’s phones. Shah has been “unflappable,” said a senior aide to the secretary of state, who called Shah “a superstar waiting to be discovered.”

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