For Immediate Release
November 3, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
USAID In Burkina Faso Commemorates Agency’s 60th Anniversary and
Decades of Development Progress
Today the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) commemorates a major milestone, marking 60 years since it was founded by President John F. Kennedy on November 3rd, 1961. USAID in Burkina Faso joins a global celebration to mark the Agency’s 60th anniversary. USAID has built its reputation as the world’s leader in international development by partnering with countries around the world to strengthen communities and improve lives.
We recognize the multifaceted crises currently unfolding in Burkina Faso, notably violent extremism, internal displacements, food insecurity, disease, and climate change. We reiterate our commitment to work with the Burkinabe government and people to tackle these challenges together.
USAID’s long-standing partnership with Burkina Faso has resulted in several significant achievements. Since 2020 alone, USAID-funded humanitarian assistance programs have targeted over 650,000 people for emergency assistance in Burkina Faso.
Every year since 2018, USAID and the Burkinabe Ministry of Health, through the National Malaria Control Program, have protected 400,000 children under the age of five through seasonal malaria prevention activities. Over the past 5 years, USAID has provided malaria-prevention treatments for 1.5 million pregnant women as well as 2.5 million insecticide-treated bed nets to pregnant and breastfeeding women.
USAID’s Resilience in the Sahel Enhanced (RISE) Program began implementation in 2014 in Burkina Faso and has increased crop production for 75% of participants along with access to safe drinking water for more than 85,000 people. The RISE program, currently in its second phase, continues to build on its initial successes such as these.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. government through USAID has provided nearly $14 million in COVID-19 related assistance and approximately 300,000 doses of vaccines through the COVAX mechanism, with more on the way.
Country Representative for Burkina Faso, Karen d’Aboville, noted that USAID is delighted by its strong collaboration with the government and people of Burkina Faso. She remarked “USAID remains committed to working closely with our Burkinabe partners to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance as well as support for democratic institution building, agricultural development, health, and nutrition.”
For more information, please visit (https://www.usaid.gov/burkina-faso).