Joe Biden Names Former UN Ambassador Samantha Power To Lead USAID

US President-elect Joe Biden named Samantha Power, the former US Ambassador to the United Nations, as his choice to lead the US Agency for International Development (USAID)on Monday. He cited her deep experience in addressing crises around the world as a reason for the choice.

Biden’s transition team made a statement that Power will support the international community. She will work towards confronting their biggest challenges which include- Covid-19, climate change, global poverty, and democratic backsliding.

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The transition team added that Power is a crisis-tested public servant and diplomat.  She has been a leader in marshalling the world to resolve long-running conflicts, respond to humanitarian emergencies, defend human dignity, and strengthen the rule of law and democracy.  Under former Democratic President Barack Obama and then-Vice President Biden, she served as US ambassador to the UN from 2013 to 2017.

During Obama’s presidency, Power also served as a White House national security staffer. She has been a former journalist. Her book A Problem from Hell which is a study of US failure to prevent genocide won her a Pulitzer Prize.

Previously, Biden nominated Indian-American Vanita Gupta to be the next associate attorney general. He also nominated Judge Merrick Garland for the position of the attorney general.

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Vanita who is forty-six years of age is the first woman to head the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.  If confirmed by the US Senate, she would become the highest-ranking Indian-American in the department of justice. She will also be the first woman of colour to serve in this role. Read more about it here

These announcements come amidst violent protests and rioting at the US Capitol Hill which shook the nation. Ashli Babbitt, a war veteran, was reportedly shot dead by Capitol Police. She was declared dead when taken to the local hospital. Read more about it here