Kazakhstan, Astana, Sept. 4 / Trend K. Konyrova /
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) stated that on Aug. 31, Andrew Sisson was sworn in Washington as the USAID Mission Director for Central Asia, Assistant on press affairs to the U.S Embassy in Kazakhstan, Perizat Jakupova told Trend .
"Sisson's oath was taken by USAID Acting Administrator, Alonzo Fulgham, who was honorary chairman of the ceremony. On Sept. 3 Sisson began his work at the USAID regional office in Almaty," Jakupova said.
USAID is the U.S leading government agency providing U.S. economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years. The agency operates in 100 countries, including in Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan since 1992. The USAID program aimed at promoting economic growth, improving the quality of health services and education, as well as the development of democratic institutions in Central Asia.
Andrew Sisson is a senior specialist in the U.S. diplomatic service. Sisson was assigned to one of the highest diplomatic rank - the rank of counselor. In June 2009, Sisson completed a two-year work at the National War College, where the USAID sent him. At the National War College, Sisson lectured national security strategy for the students of master's programs - senior military officers, as well as for the specialists of the U.S. Department of State and other countries, the embassy reported.
"Andrew Sisson is a true professional. His experience in development, repeatedly demonstrated leadership ability and integrity - these are invaluable qualities that will contribute to the success of the work, when he will head the Regional USAID Mission in Central Asia," Fulgham said. "I fully support him."
Before the assignment to the National War College, Sisson helped to create the Office of the Director of Foreign Assistance and served as the first Senior Coordinator for Africa. In 2002-2006, Sisson served as the Mission Director for the Regional Economic Development Services Office for East and Southern Africa (REDSO/ESA), where he oversaw USAID's regional programs and non-presence country programs for Somalia, Sudan, Djibouti and Burundi. His other overseas posts include Rwanda, Ghana, India and Malawi. His most recent posting, completed in June 2002, was to Kosovo where he helped establish USAID's Kosovo mission. This is Sisson's first posting as a Mission Director.
Sisson is an economist and received a bachelor's degree from Williams College, a master's degree from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and a Ph.D. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, based on field research in Cameroon. Sisson's interests cover economical and political development, reconstruction and stabilization.
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