FAQ SIV SIGN UP CONTACT US JOBS GLOBAL OFFICES Who We Are Our Work Publications News Careers News Keep up to date with the latest developments at DAI. You may also want to check out our social media channels—Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter—or sign up for our newsletter. Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta Foundation Awards DAI DAI has been recognized by the Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) with an award as part of the foundation’s 10-year anniversary celebration of making a difference by reducing poverty, powering coastal communities, catalyzing youth employment, fostering stability, empowering local organizations and enabling development in the Niger Delta region. Read More DAI Magister Facilitates Landmark Nigeria FinTech Transaction for Baxi We are delighted to report that DAI—through DAI Magister, the investment fundraising and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) advisory arm of DAI Capital—served as co-advisor for Capricorn Digital (trading as Baxi) in its recently announced purchase by MFS Africa. Read More DAI Projects Presenting at COP26 in Glasgow At least nine DAI-led projects and a number of technical experts are participating in the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP) convention in Glasgow, starting October 31 and running through November 12. COP is the decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and this convention is the overarching international agreement on taking action to address climate change. Read More DAI Joins Race to Zero Campaign, Accelerating Company’s Trajectory to Net Zero In March, DAI signed up to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) as part of a company-wide effort to reduce corporate greenhouse gas emissions and curb climate impact—all with an eye to supporting the global commitment agreed in Paris to reach Net Zero by 2050. Read More DAI-Led Project Wins United Nations Award for Climate Finance Two investment projects of the World Bank-funded Finance for Jobs (F4J) program in Palestine have won an award from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat (UN Climate Change) in the category, “Financing for Climate Friendly Investment.” Read More The Centre for Local Business Development Completes Phase One of Accelerate-Her Guyana’s Centre for Local Business Development, managed by DAI since its launch in 2017, has completed the first phase of its cutting-edge women’s entrepreneurship program, Accelerate-Her. Read More New Laws in Serbia Promise to Advance the Energy Transition DAI is implementing Technical Assistance for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Sources, a European Union project that contributes to the security of energy supply, a more competitive energy market, and sustainable energy development in Serbia. Read More DAI’s Bobby Jefferson Elected to Another Term on SID-Washington Board of Directors We are delighted to announce that Bobby Jefferson—Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for DAI Global Health—has been elected to the Society for International Development-Washington, D.C. Chapter (SID-W) Board of Directors. Jefferson first joined the Board last year. Read More DAI is Launching a New Supplier Management Portal Enabling Supply Chain Diversification and Localization DAI will launch an innovative digital tool to help diversify and localize corporate supply chains. The Supplier Management Portal (SMP), launching in the third quarter, is a cloud-based platform that connects large-scale buyers to local small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Read More DAI Sponsors STEM Course with Snipes Academy DAI recently sponsored a STEM coding camp in partnership with North Carolina-based Snipes Academy of Arts and Design for 10 elementary school-aged girls. Read More DAI and HomeBiogas Partner to Improve Access to Clean Energy and Reduce Carbon Emissions DAI, through its Sustainable Business Group, has signed a memorandum of understanding with HomeBiogas, a global leader in biogas systems Read More DAI-managed Centre for Local Business Development Launches Women’s Entrepreneurship Programme in Guyana Guyana’s Centre for Local Business Development has launched a cutting-edge women’s entrepreneurship programme, Accelerate-Her. Read More DAI’s Sarah Helmstadter is Founding Member of Industry Task Force on Race and Equity DAI’s Senior Vice President of Global Workforce Sarah Helmstadter is part of a new Task Force on Race and Equity in International Development. Read More DAI Attends Virtual 2021 European Development Days DAI is pleased to have been present at the European Development Days (EDD) on June 15–16. Read More DAI’s Nitish Debnath Appointed to One Health High-Level Expert Panel on Zoonotic Diseases Dr. Nitish Chandra Debnath, DAI’s Country Team Lead for the Fleming Fund Bangladesh program, is one of 26 global experts selected to serve on an expert panel convened to advise leading global health agencies on the development of a plan to avert disease outbreaks with the potential to trigger pandemics. Read More DAI to Establish Land Registration System in Northwestern Pakistan DAI is partnering with the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to establish a land record and registration system in seven districts of the Merged Areas of northwestern Pakistan. Read More Paul Violette to Lead DAI’s Sustainable Cities Practice DAI is delighted to welcome to the firm Paul Violette, a global thought leader in the field of environmental sustainability. Read More Connecting Public and Private Responses for the COVID-19 Global Recovery—Lessons for a More Inclusive and Sustainable Way Forward DAI and the European Centre for Development Policy Management will host a series of webinars designed to engage and inform global development stakeholders seeking a more inclusive and sustainable way forward from the COVID-19 crisis. Read More James E. Watson Joins DAI to Head U.S. Programs DAI is pleased to welcome to the firm James E. Watson II, an accomplished executive who as Vice President for U.S. Government Programs will oversee a project portfolio encompassing 89 long-term initiatives in almost 50 countries. Watson comes to DAI after a distinguished 32-year career with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Read More DAI Commits to Science Based Targets Initiative to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions DAI has signed on to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), part of a company-wide effort to act against climate change. Read More Green Climate Fund Backs Resilience Project Conceived with DAI Support A project designed with DAI’s assistance to mitigate the impact of climate change in four vulnerable Indian Ocean countries has won the support of the Green Climate Fund) (GCF), the largest global fund dedicated to addressing climate change. Read More World Bank Project Funds Climate-Friendly Solar-Powered Schools in Palestine The Finance for Jobs project in Palestine has awarded a grant enabling the installation of solar rooftops on 400 schools across the country, creating a total of 28 megawatts of generating capacity. The rooftop-solar installation is the largest electricity generation project in Palestine. Read More UKaid-funded Land Programme Launches Knowledge Hub The DAI-led Land Investment for Transformation (LIFT) Programme in Ethiopia—one of the world’s largest land tenure projects—has launched a Knowledge Hub to share insights and lessons learned with local and international stakeholders. Read More Jette Findsen Joins DAI to Lead Environment Practice Jette Findsen has joined DAI as Vice President, Environment. At DAI, she will oversee a portfolio of projects and lead DAI’s strategy for climate change programs with the U.S. Government. Read More Centre for Local Business Development Hosts Virtual Guyana Supplier Forum 2021 Guyana’s Centre for Local Business Development—managed by DAI since its launch in 2017—recently hosted the 2021 Guyana Supplier Forum. Read More New Public Health Emergency Coordination System Will Strengthen Pandemic Response in Southeast Asia DAI is supporting ASEAN to establish a Public Health Emergency Coordination System to strengthen a unified regional response to future pandemics. Read More President of Pakistan Calls for Massive Effort to Tackle Antimicrobial Resistance Even as the world mobilizes to confront the immediate challenge of COVID-19, the imminent and long-term threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains a pressing concern. President Dr. Arif Alvi of Pakistan affirmed his country’s commitment to tackling AMR at a recent meeting with representatives of the Fleming Fund Grant. Read More DAI’s Krista Baptista to Serve on Digital Impact Alliance Digital Principles Advisory Council Krista Baptista, the head of DAI’s Center for Digital Acceleration, has been chosen to serve on the United Nations’ Digital Impact Alliance Digital Principles Advisory Council. Read More DAI Wins Place on U.S. Government’s OASIS Contract The U.S. General Services Administration has awarded DAI a place on the One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Solutions (OASIS) contracting vehicle, one of a family of indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts that “provide flexible and innovative solutions for complex professional services.” Read More DAI Closes 2020 with Local Donations Supporting Schools, Food Security, Refugees and the Homeless, and Victims of Sexual Assault At the close of a pandemic-stricken year that has proven challenging to so many people in so many ways, DAI offices around the world made charitable contributions totaling $18,000 to local service organizations. We would like to thank all of these organizations for the work they do to support our communities. Read More DAI Submits Its 2020 Communication on Progress to the UN Global Compact DAI is delighted to submit its latest Communication on Progress to the United Nations Global Compact. Read More DAI Partners with U.K.-Based Trees for Life to Promote Forests, Mitigate Emissions As part of a broader commitment to mitigate its environmental impact, DAI today announced a new corporate partnership with Trees for Life, a British conservation charity focused on restoring the Caledonian forest and rewilding the Scottish Highlands by planting native trees, nurturing seedlings, encouraging forest regeneration, and reintroducing missing species. Read More Two Health Innovations Supported by USAID Jalin Project Win Awards Two innovations supported by the DAI-led, U.S. Agency for International Development-funded Jalin project recently received Indonesia Healthcare Innovation Awards in the categories of “Healthcare Movement for Healthy Women Workers” and “Information and Communication Technology in the Health Sector.” Read More DAI Magister: The Leading Capital Advisor and Investment Bank for International and Emerging Markets A strategic partnership between DAI and Magister will help Magister accelerate its growth in frontier and emerging markets, in addition to its European tech franchise, and support DAI’s efforts to mobilize commercial capital in the places that need it most. Read More DAI’s Zaki Raheem on Global Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Leadership in a Post-Crisis Economy At the Global Accelerator Network (GAN) November Roundtable, GAN CEO Patrick Riley hosted a timely discussion on “How to Become a Global Ecosystem Leader to Accelerators in a Post-Crisis Economy” with panelists JF Gauthier, Founder & CEO of Startup Genome, and DAI’s Zaki Raheem, Senior Specialist for Enterprise Development and Entrepreneurship. Read More DAI Raises $7,500 for the Linda Norgrove Foundation DAI’s annual fundraising events for the Linda Norgrove Foundation, a grant-giving trust that provides funding for women, families, and children in Afghanistan, got creative this year in the face of restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic and raised more funds than ever before. Read More New U.S. Government Activity to Boost Sustainable Private Investment and Domestic Resource Mobilization in Senegal’s Agriculture Sector The new, five-year, $15 million Feed the Future Senegal Policy Systems Services, administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development, aims to strengthen Senegal’s agricultural and food policy systems by working with the Government of Senegal, the Senegalese private sector, and civil society to create an enabling environment that contributes to accelerated and inclusive growth. Read More DAI’s Bobby Jefferson Named to SID-Washington Board of Directors The Society for International Development-Washington, D.C. Chapter has named DAI Vice President Bobby Jefferson to its Board of Directors. Jefferson is DAI’s lead development technologist and serves as Chief Technology Officer for DAI Global Health. Read More DAI’s Eunice Heredia-Ortiz Wins the 2020 Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement DAI’s Eunice Heredia-Ortiz, a senior governance specialist in public finance and fiscal transparency, this week won the 2020 Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement from her alma mater, Georgia State University (GSU) for “garner[ing] an exemplary and longstanding professional reputation of achievement worldwide.” Read More DAI Facilitates Inclusive Education Webinar DAI recently celebrated International Literacy Day 2020 by facilitating a webinar—Inclusion and Education: All Means All—co-hosted by UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report and the Comparative and International Education Society’s Inclusive Education Special Interest Group (SIG). Read More DAI Leaders Address “Mentoring Male Teens in the Hood” Program in Baltimore, Md. On August 15, DAI President and CEO Jim Boomgard joined Joe Abah—DAI’s Country Director for Nigeria—in addressing a small group of young men and their parents as part of the “Mentoring Male Teens in the Hood” (MMTH) Program, a long-standing effort to provide young men in Baltimore with guidance and mentoring. The group gathered in the New Shiloh Family Life Center in West Baltimore. Read More Case Study Highlights Impact of Guyana’s Centre for Local Business Development A new case study, presented at last month’s Society of Petroleum Engineers’ virtual International Conference on Health, Safety, Environment, and Sustainability, outlines the strategies that helped the Centre for Local Business Development support economic inclusion in Guyana. Read More DAI Staff in the U.S. Office Raise More Than $23,000 for Local Charities DAI staff in the U.S office have raised more than $23,000 for 15 local charities and businesses suffering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More SID Hosts Panel on Race and Diversity in Global Development At an online panel hosted this week by the Society for International Development’s Washington, D.C. chapter (SID-W), DAI Global Health Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Bobby Jefferson facilitated a timely conversation around the topics of achieving racial equity and inclusive development in technology. Read More DAI to Implement USAID Market Systems and Partnerships Program DAI will implement the Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships (MSP) program, a flexible buy-in mechanism that will support the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in actively integrating private sector engagement and market systems development approaches into its programming across the globe. Read More An Anti-Racist Company: CEO Jim Boomgard Lays Out Vision for DAI’s Racial and Social Justice Initiative The recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery have refocused the world’s attention on racial inequity and injustice. These instances, hideous enough on their own, are an external, violent expression of the pervasive racism and discrimination that is seared into our societies. Read More Joe Abah Appointed to Governance Working Group for Federal Ministry in Nigeria The Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning Ministry has appointed DAI’s Nigeria Country Director, Dr. Joe Abah, as a member of the Governance, Institutions, Administrations of Justice, Anti-Corruption and National Orientation Technical Working Group. Read More DAI Announces $1 Million Commitment to Support Racial and Social Justice DAI condemns the murder of George Floyd, stands alongside the black community and all those who resist injustice, and avows that Black Lives Matter. And although words are important at this critical moment, we know that we must express this solidarity in actions as well as words. Read More Webinar Series: Connecting Public and Private Responses to COVID-19 and its Impact on Global Development DAI and the European Centre for Development Policy Management announced a series of webinars designed to engage and inform global development stakeholders seeking to mount an effective response to the COVID-19 crisis. Read More DAI Names Sarah Helmstadter to Lead Global Workforce Function DAI is pleased to announce the appointment of Sarah Helmstadter to lead its company-wide commitment to nurture people and talent. Read More DAI Names Jakob Zeidler to Lead EU Business Unit DAI has named Jakob Zeidler to lead its European Union (EU) Business Unit, which focuses on delivering development programs for the EU. Read More USAID-Assisted Palestinian Firm Pivots to Meet Critical COVID-19 Needs A Palestinian clothing maker that was assisted in 2018 by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has pivoted to producing face masks and other critically needed equipment in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More USAID Program Develops Tool to Support COVID-19 Tracking in Haiti The Haiti Strategic Health Information Systems (HIS) program has developed a COVID-19 tracker as a mobile application with two modules—one to enroll and monitor confirmed cases, another for contact tracing. The tracker has also been built so its data will be shared on the HIS national dashboard, and to allow for cross-border interoperability with other countries. Read More Gunning Community Service Award Helps Filipino Families Affected by Typhoons A 2019 recipient of DAI’s community service award is helping marginalized people in the Philippines become more self-sufficient. Read More DAI to Support Enterprise Development Center in Mozambique DAI has won a contract award from ExxonMobil to establish an Enterprise Development Center (EDC) in Mozambique. The Center will provide small- and medium-sized Mozambican enterprises with skills to participate in a variety of growth industries in the country. Read More DAI’s Nigeria Country Director, Joe Abah, Joins the Nigeria Digital Identity for Development Project Steering Committee The government of Nigeria has inaugurated a steering committee to drive the country’s digital identity programme. President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Dr. Joe Abah, DAI’s Country Director for Nigeria, as a member of the committee, which has the mandate to fast-track the implementation of Nigeria’s Strategic Roadmap for accelerating digital identity development. Read More DAI Makes Its 2019 Communication on Progress to the UN Global Compact DAI is delighted to make its latest Communication on Progress to the United Nations Global Compact. Read More Human Dynamics Founder Bernhard Hulla Joins the DAI Board DAI is delighted to welcome Bernhard Hulla to the DAI Board. Read More Project-Supported Tunisian City Named a Frontrunner in Global Climate City Challenge The city of Monastir, Tunisia—supported by a European Commission project—was recently named at a special event at the UN Climate Change Conference as one of the five frontrunners and role models for climate action. Read More DAI Acquires Leading European Development Consultancy, Human Dynamics DAI today announced the acquisition of Human Dynamics, a pre-eminent supplier of international development services in the European market. Read More DAI Project Supports Key Investment Forum in Northern Iraq DAI is supporting the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to bring together international and diaspora investors with local businesses to showcase the investment potential of northern Iraq at the Ninewa Investment Forum on December 3-5 in Erbil, Iraq. Read More USAID Administrator Mark Green Visits Kosovo Governance Project USAID Administrator Mark Green recently visited the Municipality of Pristina Procurement Office in Kosovo, to discuss developments in procurement and transparency. Read More New Study Confirms Efficacy of Malaria Treatment Technique Research from a project in Zambia supported by DAI Global Health along with consortium partners Development Data, Disacare, and Transaid International has confirmed that a pre-referral treatment by community health volunteers can increase survival rates for children with severe malaria. Read More DAI Names Keith Smith to Lead HMG Business Unit DAI has named Keith Smith to lead its HMG Business Unit, which focuses on delivering UKAID and implementing bilateral development investments for Her Majesty’s Government, principally the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Read More DAI Raises $5,000 for Linda Norgrove Foundation DAI hosted four fundraising events this month for the Linda Norgrove Foundation, a grant-giving trust that provides funding for women, families, and children in Afghanistan, focusing on education, health, childcare, and scholarships to help Afghan women go to university. Read More DAI and IntraHealth Employees Recognized for Their Community Service DAI is delighted to announce the winners of this year’s David H. Gunning Award for Community Service. They are Joanne Symons, who works on the Strengthening Democratic Governance and Accountability Project in Sri Lanka, and Najalynn Caraway, an administrator with DAI affiliate IntraHealth International, based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, but pursuing her community service through a nonprofit in the Philippines. Read More DFID Women for Health Programme Takes Stock, Looks Forward The U.K. Department for International Development’s Women for Health Programme (W4H) has published a new report reflecting on the progress and lessons learned over seven years of improving women’s health and supporting women health workers in northern parts of Nigeria where female nurses and midwives are desperately needed. Read More DAI to Share Water and Sanitation Experience at UNC Water and Health Conference Members of DAI’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) team will participate in the University of North Carolina (UNC), Chapel Hill’s 2019 Water and Health Conference: Where Science Meets Policy on October 7–11. Read More DAI to Share Lessons on Community Mapping at Peacebuilding Event Leaders from DAI’s Center for Secure and Stables States will participate in technical sessions and will hold a panel discussion at the annual PeaceCon event October 3–4 in Washington, D.C. PeaceCon is hosted by the Alliance for Peacebuilding, a network of organizations working to end conflict, reduce violence, and build sustainable peace. Read More Egyptian Parliamentarians and Ministry Officials Lead Roundtable at DAI on Program-Based Budgeting DAI hosted a 16-person delegation from the Parliament of Egypt and Egypt’s Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Planning, Monitoring, and Administrative Reform for a roundtable on program-based budgeting. Read More DAI Names Tine Knott to Lead U.S. Government Business Unit DAI today announced the appointment of Tine Knott to lead its U.S. Government Business Unit. As Senior Vice President, Knott will oversee DAI’s largest business unit, which is responsible for designing, marketing, and delivering DAI’s development solutions for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the State Department, and other U.S. agencies. Read More DAI’s Environment Team Welcomes New Leadership in Water, Land Practices DAI is pleased to announce the appointment of two new global practice leads in its Environment Sector: Darren Saywell as head of the Water practice and John Leckie as head of the Land Tenure and Property Rights (LTPR) practice. Read More DAI Hosts Literacy Day Panels and Book Launch in Pakistan On September 12, DAI will host a panel event to commemorate International Literacy Day in Islamabad, Pakistan. Later the same day, DAI’s Vice President for Technical Services Brigit Helms will discuss her recent book—“Access for All: Building Inclusive Economic Systems.” Read More DAI Joins Global Forum on Cyber Expertise DAI’s Center for Digital Acceleration (CDA) is pleased to announce it has become a member of the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE), a global platform for countries, private companies, and international organizations to exchange best practices on cyber capacity building. Read More DAI Education Lead Sakil Malik Stresses Holistic Approach to Inclusive Education at Literacy Summit DAI’s Senior Global Practice Leader for Education, Sakil Malik, was a keynote speaker at the recent 11th Pan-African Literacy for All summit in Kampala, Uganda, where he emphasized the importance of inclusive education. Read More DAI Names Zan Northrip to Lead Donor-Focused Business Group DAI today announced the appointment of Zan Northrip to lead three business units that focus on serving international development donors. In this newly created position—Executive Vice President, Development Partners Group—Northrip will ensure that DAI is generating and capturing synergies across its U.S., U.K., and European operations, and applying the best of each client’s practices to the broader donor-focused portfolio. Read More DAI’s Chris LeGrand Unveils New Book on Business Leadership Chris LeGrand, President of DAI Global Health, last week published a book that lays out the seven essential dimensions needed to develop a “Complete Business Leader.” Read More DAI’s Dezhi Yu Presents Best Practices of Public-Private Partnerships in Land Administration In August 2019, DAI Strategy Analyst Dezhi Yu attended the Annual Meeting of International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) Commission 7, to present his modeling experience in land administration public-private partnerships (PPPs). Read More DAI’s Mustapha Issa Emphasizes Transparency and Security in Land Rights Tech Webinar DAI recently collaborated with New America’s Future of Property Rights program and Esri to provide insight into the implementation experience of the Feed the Future Tanzania Land Tenure Assistance (LTA) project, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Read More PDO Selects DAI to Develop First Phase of Multisector In-Country Value Strategy for Oman DAI and Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) are delighted to announce that PDO has awarded a contract to DAI to conduct the first phase of a study that will establish a comprehensive “in-country value” (ICV) strategy for Oman, encompassing sectors beyond the traditional ICV arena of oil and gas. Read More DAI Appraised at CMMI Maturity Level 3 DAI is delighted to announce that an internal unit has been appraised at CMMI Maturity Level 3. Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) is a capability improvement framework that provides organizations with the essential elements of effective processes that ultimately improve their performance. Read More Nigeria Country Director Participates in Governance Lecture At the 13th Annual ǼLEX Lecture, held in Lagos in July, DAI was represented by Nigeria Country Director Dr. Joe Abah, who, alongside other governance experts, debated about the drivers of a strong democracy—strong men or strong institutions. Read More Code Partners Launches Summer Course with City of Takoma Park, Maryland Preteens in Takoma Park, Maryland, now have access to a new, free course to learn coding skills this summer, thanks to a partnership between Code Partners and the City of Takoma Park’s Department of Housing and Community Development and Recreation Department. Read More DAI’s Georgia Taylor Leads Panel on Gender Equality, Trade, and Global Market Systems WTO Aid for Trade Conference Georgia Taylor, Technical Director at DAI Global Health, will lead a discussion on promoting women’s economic empowerment and justice in global market systems at the Aid for Trade Global Review 2019 in Geneva on July 4. Read More Joe Abah to Co-Chair Nigerian Economic Summit Group’s Governance and Institutions Steering Committee Nigeria Country Director Dr. Joe Abah was recently named as Co-Chair of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and will serve on its Steering Committee on Governance and Institutions. Read More DAI Expands ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 Certifications for Brussels DAI’s Brussels office has earned the right to display the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification marks to demonstrate its conformance to these international standards. At the same time, DAI Europe’s headquarters in Apsley, United Kingdom, achieved recertification in both ISO standards. Read More New CSIS Report Looks at Incorporating Political Economy Considerations into DRM Strategies Helping developing countries put their finances in order has shown to be cost-effective development assistance. For example, the government of El Salvador has generated $2.4 billion of additional state revenue through a decade of tax system reform assistance by the U.S. Agency for International Development. Read More DAI Research Cited in UN Gender Declaration Research conducted by DAI on how voluntary sustainability standards can be used to promote gender equality in global value chains was recently cited at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s Declaration for Gender Responsive Standards and Standards Development. Read More DAI Global Health Joins with IntraHealth to Build Capacity of Local Partners in HIV Control DAI Global Health is set to help implement the new Accelerating Support to Advance Local Partners (ASAP) project, a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) initiative to prepare Sub-Saharan organizations and governments to serve as prime partners for USAID and U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) programming. Read More DAI Global Health, IntraHealth Return from WHA72 That Spotlighted Primary Healthcare, Community Health Workers Teams from DAI Global Health and its affiliate, IntraHealth International, returned from the 72nd World Health Assembly (WHA72) in Geneva, Switzerland, praising the body’s resolutions to broaden access to primary healthcare and strengthen support for the local health workers—frequently women—who deliver that care. Read More DAI to Present at European Development Days DAI is pleased to have been selected to host a lab and a stand at the annual European Development Days (EDD) event in Brussels on June 18–19. Read More DAI Board Named Private Board of the Year for 2019 DAI is delighted to announce that the Board of DAI Global, LLC is one of six boards recognized as Private Boards of the Year for 2019, an annual award presented by the publishers of Private Company Director, Directors & Boards, and Family Business magazines. Read More Life-Saving Malaria Project in Zambia Expands A consortium of partners comprising Development Data, DAI Global Health, Disacare, Transaid, and Medicines for Malaria Venture are working with the National Malaria Elimination Centre in Zambia to scale up the highly successful MAMaZ against Malaria (MAM) pilot project. Read More Pape Gaye, CEO of DAI Affiliate IntraHealth International, Wins Prestigious Global Health Award Pape Gaye, the CEO of DAI Global Health affiliate IntraHealth International, has been named winner of the Global Health Champion award by the Triangle Global Health Consortium. Gaye will receive the honor at the Consortium’s annual awards gala on May 7, in recognition of his lifelong commitment to advancing global health. Read More ActionAid UK Paper Highlights Barriers to Justice for Women and Girls Hurt by Violence ActionAid UK this week released a global positioning paper on violence against women and girls around the world—and the barriers to justice they face. To author this work, the international human rights organization turned to DAI’s Sarah Maguire, Director of the company’s Governance team at DAI Europe. Read More DAI and Partners Host Inclusive Education Panel DAI’s education practice recently hosted panel discussions and a networking event on the subject of inclusive education. While the discussions were wide-ranging, there was consensus that education programs should make inclusion integral to their activities. Read More DAI Presents at the 2019 World Bank Land Conference DAI land tenure experts attended this year’s World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty and presented recent work in Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, and Tanzania. Read More Haiti Marks World TB Day by Closing in on 30,000 Patients Enrolled and Monitored The Haiti government’s tuberculosis (TB) tracker marked World Tuberculosis Day with 29,900 patients enrolled and monitored less than one year after its launch. Read More DAI Global Health Invests in mHealth Leader ClickMedix DAI Global Health and ClickMedix today announced a partnership under which DAI will make a strategic investment in ClickMedix, a leading provider of mobile health and technology services. In turn, ClickMedix will deepen its existing relationship with DAI Global Health to take advantage of DAI’s extensive international network and growing portfolio of projects in global health and digital acceleration. Read More DAI Global Health Event Showcases the USAID P&R Legacy: Governments Better Equipped to Control Infectious Disease The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) launched its Preparedness and Response P&R project five years ago to help select countries tackle deadly infectious diseases. In part because six in 10 infectious diseases in humans are spread from animals, P&R brought together country leaders in the human, animal, and environmental health sectors. Together, they built national One Health platforms to prepare, detect, and respond to disease outbreaks using a multisectoral approach. Read More DAI Global Health Resource Library Now Available Online DAI Global Health is pleased to make available a Resource Library showcasing global health publications from DAI authors and projects, including peer-reviewed articles, technical briefs, and infographics. Read More USAID Launches Roadmap for Attracting Investments in Global Health The U.S. Agency for International Development recently launched the Blended Finance Roadmap for Global Health to help agency units and other donors and partners attract investors for public health initiatives. Read More Presentation Reviews Chevron’s Successful Corporate Social Investment in Nigeria Chevron took a bold step in 2010 by launching the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND). Nine years later, PIND has grown into one of Nigeria’s leading catalysts for economic and social growth. Read More DAI-Implemented Solar Energy Financing Project in Palestine Wins Excellence Award from World Bank Group A DAI-implemented project with the International Finance Corporation and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency to co-finance a solar energy facility was selected for the 2019 World Bank President’s Award for Excellence. Read More DAI Global Health Presents at Africa Health 2019 Andrew Kitua, Africa Regional Director for the Preparedness and Response (P&R) project, will participate in Africa Health Agenda International Conference (AHAIC) in Kigali, Rwanda, March 5–7, to make the case for integrating global health security with Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Read More DAI Begins Work with Shell to Spur Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Local Employment DAI will serve as Shell’s global advisor on the strategy and implementation of LiveWIRE, its flagship enterprise development program focused on stimulating entrepreneurship, driving innovation, and generating meaningful employment in host countries. Read More DAI to Launch USAID Zambia Program to Reduce Stunting in Young Children DAI is set to begin implementation of the Scaling Up Nutrition Technical Assistance in Zambia program. Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the four-year project will support the Government of Zambia to reduce stunting among children under 2 years of age. Read More Liberia Tax Reform Update: Tenfold Increase in Taxes Due Reported Via E-Filing Liberian taxpayers reported $12.5 million in taxes due through e-filing during the fourth quarter of 2018, marking an important milestone for Liberia in its drive for more transparent and robust tax collection and administration. Read More DAI Reports on Progress to the UN Global Compact DAI is delighted to make its first Communication on Progress to the United Nations Global Compact. Read More DAI’s Margie Cook Named Officer of the Order of Australia DAI’s Margie Cook has been named an Officer of the Order of Australia. Cook was recognized on January 26, Australia Day, for her “service to the international community through the promotion of democratic electoral systems, and to human rights,” in a distinguished career that includes work in Afghanistan, Kenya, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe. Read More DAI’s Sakil Malik Presents Recommendations for Improving STEM Education in Oman Sakil Malik, DAI’s Senior Global Practice Lead for Education, has urged leaders in Oman to reconsider how their schools approach teaching science, technology, engineering, and math, known as STEM. Read More Tanzania Land Tenure Project Wins USAID Digital Development Award The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced the Feed the Future Tanzania Land Tenure Assistance (LTA) project as one of the 2018 Digital Development Award winners, also known as the “Digis.” Read More Moroccan Delegation Visits Manchester and Cornwall Seeking Lessons from UK Devolution A delegation from Northern Morocco is visiting England this week to draw lessons from government devolution practices in two distinct parts of the country—Greater Manchester and Cornwall. The delegation represents the Mediterranean region of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceïma (TTAH). The group will conclude its visit December 14 in London. Read More ExxonMobil Supplier Forum in Georgetown, Guyana, Attracts More than 1,200 Local Businesspeople More than 1,200 people representing local businesses attended the Liza Phase I Supplier Development Forum December 3–4 at the Marriott Hotel in Georgetown, Guyana. Hosted by the Centre for Local Business Development and ExxonMobil, the forum discussed the scopes of work of prime contractors and provided 2019 procurement opportunities. Read More Institutionalizing One Health: DAI Global Health's Rob Salerno on Turning Consensus into Action A new article in the peer-reviewed journal Health Security describes ways the World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, World Organisation for Animal Health, and others can work in synergy toward the containment of emerging and endemic diseases. Read More Access for All: DAI’s Brigit Helms Launches Her New Book on Economic Inclusion Brigit Helms’ latest book, Access for All: Building Inclusive Economic Systems, will be launched on December 5 at the Women Impact Investing Network, a Washington, D.C.-based group that builds community, leadership, and knowledge in the impact investing sector. Read More DAI Recognizes Two Employees for Their Community Service DAI is delighted to announce this year’s winners of the David H. Gunning Award for Community Service: Sajina Thapa, a Human Resources Officer on the Paani program in Nepal, and Modeline Acréus, an Infrastructure Program Coordinator for the AVANSE program in Haiti. Read More DAI Bids Fond Farewell to Board Member Marwan Juma DAI Board Member Marwan Juma will be leaving DAI’s Board next month at the end of his term and was bid a fond farewell at the November Board meeting. Read More DAI and Suneratech Establish DAI Global Development Center in Hyderabad DAI Global, LLC, a worldwide leader in international development, with operations in more than 100 countries, and Sunera Technologies, Inc., a leading innovative technology solutions company with offices in Chicago, Illinois, and Hyderabad, India, today announced they have agreed to leverage their long-term strategic partnership to launch DAI’s Global Services Platform in Hyderabad. Read More DAI Global Health Experts Lead Discussions on Closing Nigeria’s Health Financing Gap at CCA Forum Annie Baldridge and James McIntyre-Brown of the DAI Global Health team discussed solutions to Nigeria’s health financing gap at the Corporate Council on Africa Health Forum in Abuja, Nigeria. Read More Sakil Malik to Lead Growing Education Practice at DAI Sakil Malik has been named DAI’s Senior Global Practice Lead for Education. He comes to DAI with more than 20 years of experience working on education initiatives, including in Cambodia, India, Tajikistan, Tanzania, and Timor-Leste. Read More “Finding Outbreaks Faster”: DAI Global Health Presents at Salzburg Global Seminar Dr. Andrew Kitua, DAI Global Health’s Director for the East and Central Africa Region of the Preparedness and Response (P&R) project, and Robert Salerno, DAI’s Technical Integration Manager for P&R, will participate in the Salzburg Global Seminar session “Finding Outbreaks Faster: How Do We Measure Progress?” in Austria November 4–8. Read More Making the Case for Integrating Global Health Security and Universal Health Coverage Initiatives—in The Lancet Jerry Martin, DAI’s Senior Director for Global Health Security, co-authored a Lancet article, “Building the Case for Embedding Global Health Security into Universal Health Coverage: A Proposal for a Unified Health System That Includes Public Health.” Read More DAI Global Health Speaks at Health Systems Research Symposium Last week, several members of the DAI Global Health team were panelists, hosted skills-building sessions, presented posters, and co-hosted a reception with affiliate IntraHealth International at the 5th Global Symposium on Health Systems Research in Liverpool, United Kingdom. Read More DAI’s Fatima Adamu Describes Survivor-Centred Approach at DFID Safeguarding Summit DAI Global Health’s Dr. Fatima Adamu, National Programme Manager for the Women for Health (W4H) programme in Nigeria, spoke today at the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) Safeguarding Summit at the QEII Centre in London. Read More DAI Global Health Presents at Pandemic Policy Summit Two DAI Global Health experts presented at the 4th Annual Pandemic Policy Summit, at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center at Texas A&M University. Read More DAI and EPHI to Collaborate on Health Data Management Center in Ethiopia DAI Global Health and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) have signed a memorandum of understanding under which the parties will collaborate to establish a secure, reliable, and technologically advanced National Data Management Center for Health. Read More DAI Events Raise $5,700 for the Linda Norgrove Foundation DAI hosted a number of fundraising events throughout September to raise $5,754 for the Linda Norgrove Foundation, which provides grants to organizations in Afghanistan that support health care and education for women and children. Read More Kosmos Innovation Center Wins Prestigious 2018 P3 Impact Award The Kosmos Innovation Center in Ghana has been named winner of the prestigious P3 Impact Award for 2018, which was announced September 25 at the Concordia Summit in New York City. The annual award was created by Concordia in partnership with the U.S. State Department’s Office of Global Partnerships and University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business to recognize excellence in public-private partnerships that supports economic growth and other needs in developing countries. Read More DAI Global Health to Present at Fifth Global Symposium on Health Systems Research DAI Global Health will have a big presence at this year’s 5th Global Symposium on Health Systems Research in Liverpool, United Kingdom, by participating in three panels, co-hosting a reception with affiliate IntraHealth International, hosting a skills-building satellite session, presenting two posters, and hosting an exhibition booth. Read More DAI Board Member Maria Otero Honored by Washington Office on Latin America DAI Board Member Maria Otero and her husband Joe Eldridge were honored this week by the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) for their vital contributions to human rights advocacy. Read More DAI Global Health Hosting Panel and Presenting at Triangle Global Health Conference DAI Global Health is hosting a panel and presenting at sessions at the Triangle Global Health Consortium Annual Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, on September 27. Read More Kosmos Innovation Center Named Finalist for the Concordia P3 Impact Award The Kosmos Innovation Center in Ghana has been named one of five finalists for the P3 Impact Award. The annual award, created by Concordia in partnership with the U.S. State Department and the University of Virginia, recognizes public-private partnerships that support economic development. Read More DAI and Corteva Agriscience Form Partnership DAI and Corteva Agriscience, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont, announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in which the two firms commit to work together to sustainably improve the efficiency and productivity of food systems in developing economies. Read More DAI to Present at 2018 SEEP Annual Conference in October DAI is delighted to be presenting three panels at the upcoming 2018 SEEP Annual Conference, “Collaboration for Impact,” taking place in Arlington, Virginia, October 1–3. Read More Governor-Elect Gives Keynote at DAI Board Meeting in Nigeria DAI’s Board was treated to a keynote speech by Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Governor-Elect or Ekiti State, in Nigeria as part of its quarterly meeting, which is held once per year in a country where DAI works. Read More DAI Hosts Third Mandela Washington Fellow DAI is delighted to welcome Soilihi Massoundi as part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. Read More Now Available: The Summer 2018 Issue of DAI’s Developments Newsletter The Summer 2018 issue of DAI’s Developments newsletter is now available and includes stories about Nigeria’s growing competitiveness, investors filling demand in East Africa, the conjoining of experts in technology and global health, and seven more articles. Read More DAI Named USAID’s Large Business Partner of the Year The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has named DAI its USAID Large Business Partner of the Year in recognition of the firm’s work with small businesses in 2017. USAID selected DAI based on its success in partnering with U.S. businesses as subcontractors, both domestically and overseas. Read More Evaluation Shares Lessons Learned from DAI-Led Water Project in Indonesia A recent report that evaluated the sustainability of a DAI-led water resources and natural resource management program in Indonesia from 2004 to 2010 has shown that the majority of the partner water utilities continued to experience success after the donor-funded project ended. Read More Health Partners International Now Doing Business as DAI Global Health One year after the combination of DAI and U.K.-based Health Partners International (HPI), DAI today announced that the HPI brand will be retired and HPI will operate under the DAI Global Health banner. Read More DAI Hosts “Accelerating Competitiveness” Roundtable in Abuja, Nigeria DAI on June 25 hosted a roundtable in Nigeria to discuss ways to leverage the country’s increased competitiveness for agricultural productivity and broad-based economic growth. Read More DAI Health Expert Named Finalist in Global Challenge Our own Dr. Fatima Adamu has been named a finalist in the “Challenging Norms, Powering Economies” Challenge, an initiative of Ashoka, Open Society Foundation, and UN Women. Read More DAI Experts to Present on Climate Resilience at Conference in Guatemala DAI has developed a panel for the upcoming Cracking the Nut conference in Antigua, Guatemala, on June 12 and 13. DAI’s panel is about user-centered design for climate resilience and includes the following experts: DAI’s Rob Ryan-Silva and Jonathan Randall, MateoTech’s Norman Avila, and Anacafé’s Mario Choocoj. Read More USAID Project Named Finalist for Global Financial Inclusion Award Child & Youth Finance International and Argentina’s G20 Presidency have named the Ukraine Financial Sector Transformation (FST) project a finalist for an Economic Citizenship Award in the G-20 Global Inclusion Awards 2018. Read More DAI to Host Online Panel on Energy Access Join DAI on June 14 at 10 a.m. EST for an online discussion about what is necessary for successful mini-electricity grid business models. Read More DAI to Present at European Development Days 2018 DAI is pleased to take part in two panel discussions at European Development Days, June 5 and 6 in Brussels, sharing our work on gender-responsive budgeting and sustainable value chains in the garment industry. Read More Pandemic Preparedness Event Focuses on Strengthening Health Systems and Supporting Frontline Health Workers DAI’s Global Health team participated in a lively panel discussion on the future of response to disease outbreaks for the CSIS symposium, “Pandemic Preparedness: Policy and Practice in the 21st Century,” which explored how U.S. and international policies aim to reduce the risk of a 21st century equivalent of the deadly influenza pandemic of 1918. Read More DAI’s Joe Abah Focuses on Accountability at Nigeria’s Open Government Partnership Week DAI Country Director Joe Abah was one of several prominent speakers at Nigeria’s Open Government Partnership (OGP) Week. Delivered today at the Barcelona Hotel in Abuja, Abah’s address was titled, “To Whom Much Is Given: National Accountability Stewardship and the Role of Public Servants.” Read More DAI Set to Launch USAID Small-Business Growth Program in Rwanda The U.S. Agency for International Development has selected DAI to lead the Nguriza Nshore program in Rwanda. Nguriza Nshore—Kinyarwanda for “lend so that I may invest”—is a five-year project to support small-business growth in rural areas and create long-term jobs outside of farming. Read More DAI Board Member Marwan Juma to Headline Tent Foundation Panel on Jordan Refugee Response DAI Board Member Marwan Juma, Jordan’s former Minister of Information and Communications Technology, will lead a Tent Foundation panel in New York City showcasing Jordan’s innovative response to the Syrian refugee crisis. Read More Join Us for the CSIS Symposium on Pandemic Preparedness: Policy and Practice in the 21st Century Please join the CSIS Global Health Policy Center, in collaboration with DAI Global Health, Mérieux Foundation USA, and the USAID-funded Preparedness & Response project, for a May 17 symposium addressing how U.S. and international policies aim to reduce the risk of a 21st century equivalent of the Influenza pandemic of 1918. Read More Haiti President Visits USAID AVANSE Booth at Agriculture Fair In honor of Agriculture and Labor Day, the President of the Republic of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse, recently visited AVANSE exhibition at the Agricultural Fair held in northeast Haiti. Read More DAI Marks the Passing of Bryan Haddon, Founder of Health Partners International DAI is today mourning the passing of Bryan Haddon, the founder and former Managing Partner of Health Partners International (HPI), which became part of the DAI Global Health team last year. He died on April 25 of mesothelioma. Read More DAI-Supported Event in Washington, D.C., to Discuss Applying Technology to Unite Haiti’s Disconnected Health Providers On May 3, the Harvard Alumni for Global Development and Embassy of Haiti will host a discussion on how technology is being applied to link and unite health providers and facilities across Haiti. The event in Washington, D.C., will feature Bobby Jefferson, DAI Global Health’s Chief Technology Officer, and Jeff Mecaskey, DAI’s technical lead for economics and financing, evidence and learning. Read More White Paper Offers Development Ideas for Jordan in Light of Refugee Surge DAI’s latest white paper, “From Resilience to Growth: Realizing Jordan’s Development Vision,” outlines a development path for the Kingdom designed to generate economic development in the context of the Syrian refugee crisis. Read More DAI Joins United Nations Global Compact DAI is pleased to announce it has signed on as a participant in the United Nations Global Compact, the UN’s global sustainability initiative for corporations. Read More Pakistan’s President Presents Award for Literary Achievement to DAI’s Harris Khalique DAI is pleased to announce that the President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain has conferred upon Harris Khalique the President’s Award for Pride of Performance, one of Pakistan’s most prestigious state-organized honors. Khalique was recognized for distinguished contribution to the field of literature and poetry. Read More DAI’s ASiST Facility Produces Documentary on Food Security in Madagascar The Advisory Service Social Transfers (ASiST III) Programme, funded by the European Commission, recently premiered a documentary video it produced to highlight the work done by European Union projects in Madagascar to assist smallholder farmers in adopting best food and agricultural practices. Read More DAI Launches the Center for Digital Acceleration DAI today announced the launch of the Center for Digital Acceleration, a center dedicated to integrating cutting-edge digital tools into development practice. Read More DAI’s Ian Rose Presents in Mozambique on Legal Reform in the Land Sector Ian Rose, DAI’s Senior Principal Global Practice Specialist for Land Tenure and Property Rights, presented at the CASP conference in Mozambique. Read More Land Team to Present Case Studies from Africa at World Bank Conference DAI’s Land Tenure and Property Rights team will present four papers at the 2018 World Bank Land and Poverty Conference, March 19-23 in Washington, D.C. Read More DAI Hosts “Governance Matters” Roundtable in Abuja, Nigeria DAI recently hosted leading figures from Nigeria’s government, civil society, and the international community in a productive discussion of the role of governance in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals. Read More DAI Joins EMPEA, the Association for Private Capital in Emerging Markets DAI is pleased to announce it has joined the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA), the global industry association for private capital in emerging markets. Read More Distinguished Nigerian Professional Ike Osakwe Joins DAI Board Ike Osakwe, most recently the Managing Director of GRID Consulting, has joined DAI’s Board of Managers following the recent successful acquisition of GRID. Read More DAI Joins Forces with Nigeria’s GRID Consulting GRID, Nigeria’s leading development consultancy, will join DAI effective immediately. A long-time partner of DAI’s, Lagos-based GRID specializes in financial advisory services, human resource management, and development program implementation. Read More DAI Selected to Support CDC Through ITOPSS Contract DAI has been selected as one of five holders of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s International Technical, Operational, and Professional Support Services (ITOPSS) III contract. Read More DAI Hosts Launch of New Coding School in Montgomery County Code Partners, a new coding academy based in Montgomery County, Maryland, held its official launch event at DAI headquarters. DAI and United Solutions co-founded Code Partners to help develop the technical skills of the local workforce and make Maryland a new center of innovation in the country. Read More DAI Team and Indonesian Government Launch USAID Program to Spur Reductions in Maternal and Newborn Mortality DAI, IntraHealth International, and our partners have launched Jalin—a five-year program that shifts USAID’s support as a development partner from funding the implementation of interventions to facilitating and catalyzing improvements in maternal and newborn health. Read More DFID Project Trials Sorghum Insurance to Support Climate-Resilient Farming in Kenya The Finance Innovation for Climate Change Fund (FICCF) recently piloted an insurance programme for sorghum farmers in Kenya. Read More DAI’s Brigit Helms to Co-Chair SID-Washington Development Finance Workgroup Brigit Helms, DAI’s Senior Principal Strategic Advisor for Strategy and Marketing, will co-chair the Development Finance Workgroup for the Washington Chapter of the Society for International Development (SID-Washington) for the next two years. Read More DAI’s John Yates Named to Board of the International Consortium of Government Financial Management John Yates, who leads DAI’s public financial management practice, was named to the board of directors of the International Consortium of Government Financial Management. Established in 1978, ICGFM promotes learning across government and multilateral institutions around public financial management (PFM) and domestic resource mobilization. DAI is a sustaining member of the ICGFM. Read More Lebanon Project Demos Water-Saving Techniques Higher crop yields of up to 40 percent; reduced labor cost by 40 percent. Plus water savings and lower electric bills. Such are the benefits of water-saving technologies illustrated in a recent trial conducted by the Lebanon Water Project and Unifert, a commercial agribusiness in Lebanon. Read More UK Prime Minister Visits DAI Project Empowering Female Entrepreneurs in Jordan British Prime Minister Theresa May today visited the Arab Women’s Enterprise Fund (AWEF) in Amman, Jordan, an initiative to stimulate increased women’s economic empowerment and agency. Read More DAI Joins UN Climate Technology Centre & Network DAI is pleased to announce that it has been granted membership by the Climate Technology Centre & Network (CTCN), the operational arm of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Read More USAID Nexos Locales Partner Municipality Wins Technology Award Chiantla, a municipality of 98,000 people in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, has won a “Best Use of Technology” award from the National Association of Municipalities for creating a municipal transparency mobile app designed to help citizens hold government accountable for delivering services. Read More DAI Named Government Contractor of the Year DAI was named 2017 Government Contractor of the Year at the Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards. Read More West Bank and Gaza Jump 26 Places in World Bank “Doing Business” 2018 Rankings The economy of the West Bank and Gaza moved up 26 places in the World Bank Doing Business report for 2018, from 140th to 114th in the annual ranking of 190 economies. The West Bank and Gaza’s overall score—an average of 10 indicators that measure ease of doing business—increased from 54.88 to 58.68 on a scale of 1 to 100, the ninth-largest year-over-year improvement among the 190 economies measured. Read More DAI Celebrates Global Employee Ownership Month DAI celebrated Global Employee Ownership (GEO) Month in October. Events included the annual shareholders meeting, a GEO orientation for new employees, and socials in both our U.S. and U.K. offices. Read More Doug McLean Named to Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Board DAI is delighted to announce that Doug McLean has been elected to the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) Board of Directors as a Strategic Partner, effective November 1. Read More DAI Raises Nearly $7,000 for the Linda Norgrove Foundation DAI hosted a number of events throughout the month of September to raise funds for the Linda Norgrove Foundation. The events raised a total of $6,800. Read More Two DAI Employees Named 2017 Gunning Award Winners for Their Community Service DAI is delighted honor the two winners of this year’s David H. Gunning Award for Community Service. Ina Nasution, a pricing manager in the U.S. Business Development Unit, and Laure Lightbourne, a senior accountant. Read More Southeast Asia Ministers Adopt DAI-Assisted Regional Guidelines for Promoting Climate-Smart Agriculture DAI’s environment team produced two technical chapters on agricultural resilience for guidelines recently adopted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The chapters—on integrated farming systems and rice-shrimp rotational farming—address factors critical to the livelihoods of millions of rural people across the ASEAN nations. Read More John Yates Joins DAI to Lead Public Financial Management Practice DAI has brought on John Yates to lead a team of practitioners who deliver technical assistance around macroeconomic policy, domestic resource mobilization, budget planning and execution, tax and customs administration, central banking, trade and investment policy, and the business enabling environment. Read More Jean Gilson, Sarah Helmstadter Named to SID-Washington Leadership Posts Jean Gilson has been appointed to serve as the SID-International Governing Council Liaison to the Society for International Development, Washington, D.C. Chapter Board. In addition, Sarah Helmstadter has been elected as a Board Director at SID-Washington. Read More DAI Ranked Top Firm Globally in Social Sector Consulting DAI is the top-ranked firm globally in social sector consulting, according to the inaugural issue of WhoKnowsAbout, a “global competence ranking” of management consulting companies. Read More DAI Launches New Unit to Serve Commercial Clients and Host Governments DAI today announced the launch of the Sustainable Business Group, a unit designed to help private companies operate sustainably, responsibly, and profitably. Read More Another Big Win for Food Security: Zambia Signs $93.5 Million in Contracts to Sell Surplus Grain to African Countries in Need On June 28, Zambia signed $93.5 million worth of trade contracts with buyers from East and Southern Africa to export grains to countries suffering from a drought affecting more than 40 million people. The contracts—to sell more than 380,000 tons of white maize, soybeans, and other grains—are projected to provide food for 1.78 million families for six months. Read More DaNa Facility and Asia Foundation Launch Programme to Improve Subnational Business Environments in Myanmar The DaNa Facility and The Asia Foundation this week launched a three-year programme to improve business competitiveness in Myanmar. Central to the programme is the Myanmar Business Environment Index (Myanmar BEI), an initiative that will identify constraints to business, recommend improvements to the regulatory environment, and raise awareness of opportunities to reform the business environment. Read More DAI to Launch USAID Health Information System Program in Haiti DAI is set to begin implementation of the Haiti Strategic Health Information System (HIS) Program. Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the project team will consolidate and integrate Haiti’s at-present disconnected health information assets to create a comprehensive national system. Read More DAI to Collaborate with ExxonMobil on Centre for Local Business Development in Guyana DAI will work with Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd (EEPGL), an affiliate of ExxonMobil, to support EEPGL’s establishment of the Centre for Local Business Development in Georgetown, Guyana. Read More Now Available: The Summer 2017 Issue of DAI’s Developments Newsletter The Summer 2017 issue of DAI’s Developments newsletter is now available. Read More DAI’s StARCK+ Holds Climate-Resilient Agriculture Event in Kenya The Finance for Climate Change Innovation Fund (FICCF), operated by a DAI-led project, recently held a two-day conference in Nairobi to share achievements under the Climate Smart Agriculture pilot. Read More DAI Granted Accredited Observer Status by the Green Climate Fund DAI was recently granted Accredited Observer status by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), a body set up in 2010 through the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to address the climate adaptation needs and carbon emission reduction strategies of developing countries. Read More DAI Acquires HPI Group, Adds Expertise in Global Health, Women’s Empowerment DAI announces the acquisition of the HPI Group, which consists of Health Partners International (HPI) and WISE Development. Read More Ghanaian Petroleum Employees Take Part in DAI Training Employees of the Ghana Petroleum Commission, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, and the Ministry of Energy recently participated in a DAI-led training to manage and oversee the local content regulations that spell out how the country must interact with foreign private sector investors. Read More DAI Board Members Engage with Partners and Projects in Nairobi, Kenya Members of DAI’s Board visited project sites in Nairobi, Kenya, on Wednesday as part of their quarterly meeting, which they seek to hold once per year in a country where DAI works. Read More BRIDGE Supports Food Security Panel at 2017 Earth Optimism Summit A recent panel discussion, during the Smithsonian Institution’s Earth Optimism Summit in Washington, D.C., was supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Biodiversity Results and Integrated Development Gains Enhanced (BRIDGE) Project, implemented by DAI. Read More DAI Launches the Center for Secure and Stable States DAI today announced the launch of the Center for Secure and Stable States, a center of excellence with a mission to raise the bar for development and security programming in fragile states. Read More DAI Joins Investors’ Circle, ANDE—Global Leaders in Mobilizing Investment and Capital for Small and Growing Businesses DAI is delighted to announce it has joined Investors’ Circle and the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE), global leaders in supporting small and growing businesses dedicated to improving their communities and the world. Read More DAI Global Health Joins CEPI Partners Forum DAI Global Health has joined the Partners Forum of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), an alliance to promote vaccine development as part of the effort to prevent and respond to pandemic threats. Read More Kosmos Innovation Center Develops Tech Startups to Solve Agriculture Problems in Ghana In 2016, DAI partnered with Kosmos Energy to launch the the Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) in Ghana. Now in its second year, KIC is supporting a group of 80 young entrepreneurs in developing innovative, technology-driven business concepts to address Ghana’s pressing development issues. Read More DAI Wins Innovations in Employee Ownership Award for 2017 DAI was recognized this week as a winner of the 2017 Innovations in Employee Ownership Award by the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing unbiased information and research on broad-based employee stock plans. Read More DAI Joins Forces with Local Content Solutions Ltd. DAI today announced that it is joining forces with Local Content Solutions Ltd. (LCS). Led by Dr. Michael Warner, the U.K.-based LCS is a global leader in providing consulting and software solutions to governments developing and overseeing local content regimes, and companies seeking to optimize their local workforce and local supply chains. Read More Spring 2017 Issue of DAI’s Developments Newsletter Now Available DAI is delighted to introduce the Spring 2017 issue of our Developments newsletter, featuring 10 articles by our staff on DAI’s work in inclusive and municipal finance, stability, food security, and other areas. Read More DAI Presents Three Papers at the 2017 World Bank Land Conference DAI presented three papers at the annual World Bank Land and Poverty Conference this week in Washington, D.C. The Land Tenure and Property Rights team shared key lessons learned on the use of public-private partnerships in land administration in Cabo Verde, the challenges of large-scale rural land certification and administration in Ethiopia, and the impact of infrastructure investments on land and livelihoods in Ghana. Read More DAI Invests in MobileODT, a Breakthrough Provider of Cervical Cancer Detection Technology DAI today announced an investment in the mHealth service provider, MobileODT. Read More A Trade Solution to the Food Security Challenge: Surplus Grains Worth $93 Million Now Available to Countries in Need A food security milestone was achieved this month with the signing of contracts to sell 279,000 metric tons of food grains from areas of surplus in East Africa to areas of need. Read More U.S. Apparel Retailers, East Africa Trade and Investment Hub Join Forces to Improve Competitiveness and Social Responsibility The American Apparel and Footwear Association has signed a partnership agreement with the East Africa Trade and Investment Hub. The partnership is projected to create up to 45,000 labor jobs in East Africa as well as jobs in the United States in trade, advertising, logistics, distribution, and retail. Read More DAI Brussels Holds Official Launch Events DAI officially unveiled its Brussels office last week with a series of events. Read More DAI and UCL Host Panel on Risk Financing for Disaster Preparedness With the University College of London Institute of Risk and Disaster Reduction, DAI recently held a panel discussion on effective financial planning for disasters, titled “Risk Financing for the Developing World.” Read More Jean Gilson Elected to Global Leadership Post with Society for International Development DAI Senior Vice President for Strategy Jean Gilson has been elected to a second term on the Society for International Development (SID) Governing Council, where she will serve until 2020. Read More More Than 500 Rural Tanzanians Now Have Land Titles DAI held an official ceremony to hand over 502 land titles to villagers in Tanzania. Read More DAI Invests in THINKMD’s Clinical Assessment Technology DAI and THINKMD today announced a strategic partnership that will use DAI’s extensive international network to bring THINKMD’s digital health products to new markets. As part of this partnership, DAI led THINKMD’s latest financing round, joined by Fresh Tracks Capital and select private investors. Read More John Maris to Chair Working Group on International Development John Maris, DAI’s Director of Project Management in Europe, has been elected Chair of British Expertise International’s (BEI) Development Aid Working Group. Read More Development Secretary Priti Patel Stresses Economic Growth in Visit to Ethiopia Industrial Park Speaking at a burgeoning industrial park in Ethiopia, where clothing is being manufactured for brands such as Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, UK Development Secretary Priti Patel said that continued development assistance will help Ethiopia create jobs to sustain its rapidly growing native and refugee populations. Read More New Journal Article Details How Mekong Communities Implement Climate Adaptation A newly released article in the peer-reviewed journal Climatic Changes details how rural communities in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam are building resilience with activities that merge climate science with the knowledge and expertise of local farmers. Read More Kenyan Microfinance NGO Unveils Plans to Reach 1 Million Women by 2021 Kenyan social enterprise Joyful Women Organization (JOYWO) recently announced an ambitious five-year strategic plan, which was developed with the support of the Financial Inclusion for Rural Microenterprises (FIRM) project, led by DAI and funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. Read More DAI’s MorSEFF Promotes Sustainable Energy Finance Facility at COP22 Representatives from nearly 200 countries recently gathered at the COP22 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Morocco and pledged to move forward on the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Read More Following Private Sector Advocacy, Kenya Repeals Law That Deterred Foreign Investment A 2015 Kenya law that required 30-percent Kenyan ownership of businesses registered by foreign firms was recently repealed after successful advocacy by the business community with direct support from an economic growth program led by DAI. Read More DAI Global Health Celebrates One Health Day DAI Global Health celebrates globally the first annual One Health Day on November 3. Read More DAI Raises $6,882 for the Linda Norgrove Foundation DAI staff recently raised $6,882 for the Linda Norgrove Foundation during annual activities to observe the October 8, 2010, passing of the DAI staff member. The foundation gives grants to assist programs in Afghanistan that help women and children affected by the war. Read More DAI Global Health Welcomes Susan Scribner DAI is delighted to announce that Susan Scribner has joined the firm as Vice President of Health Systems Solutions and Director of the Preparedness and Response project, a U.S. Agency for International Development program that facilitates pandemic preparedness across three regions and 16 countries. Read More DAI Named Prime Partner of the Year for 2016 DAI is delighted to announce that it has been named Prime Partner of the Year by the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce (MCCC). The award is designed “to recognize a prime contractor who demonstrates excellence in sub-contracting and support to small businesses to accelerate their success.” Read More DAI Conference Highlighted by Addresses from CEO James Boomgard and Former USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah The DAI Global Staff Conference launched Monday, October 3, convening more than 600 staff from DAI headquarters in Washington and London and from project locations all over the world. The weeklong conference in Washington welcomed an array of guests to help DAI staff celebrate successes, absorb lessons learned from across the company’s portfolio, and discuss ways to improve collaboration and deepen the impact of projects worldwide. Read More Gunning Service Award Winners for 2016 Announced at DAI Global Staff Conference On October 4, at the DAI Global Staff Conference in Rockville, Maryland, DAI was delighted to announce the 2016 winners of the David H. Gunning Award for Community Service. Read More Innovation into Action Challenge Winners Begin to Implement Their Solutions in the Field In May 2016, DAI and its partners announced four winners in the Innovation into Action Challenge, a competition to identify and support products and services that will help people in developing nations tackle social and economic challenges. Read More Ten Years and Counting: Serbia’s Local Economic Development Association Throws a Birthday Party Ten years after DAI helped Serbia launch its National Association for Local Economic Development (NALED), NALED celebrated the milestone with a gala in Belgrade that attracted more than 600 political and business leaders, mayors, representatives of state institutions and international organizations, and diplomats. Read More DAI and Partner IMC Honoured for Outstanding Relationship with Subcontractors DAI Europe Ltd. and joint venture partner IMC Worldwide recently won top honour from the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) for supplier excellence in the category of “Fair Treatment of Subcontractors.” Read More DAI Biodiversity Expert Jim Tarrant Speaks on Integration Panel Jim Tarrant, Chief of Party of the Biodiversity Results and Integrated Development Gains Enhanced (BRIDGE) project, was a featured panelist at a recent discussion on the need for integrated development approaches. Read More Ethiopian Tax Team Visits Counterparts in Rwanda and Tanzania A high-level team from the Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority (ERCA), led by Ato Desta Bezabh Gebrehiwet, Deputy Director General and Head of Domestic Tax Department, and facilitated by the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID)-funded Tax, Audit and Transparency (TAUT) programme led by DAI, visited revenue authorities in Rwanda and Tanzania during the past two weeks. Read More DAI Europe Earns ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 Certifications DAI Europe has achieved the internationally recognised ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 standards, establishing it as an operations leader in international development consulting and implementation. Read More Polish Sustainable Energy Financing Facility Wins Clean Energy Award A DAI-led project that provides credit to hundreds of small businesses in Poland to improve energy efficiency was recently honored with the Financing Deal of the Year award at the 2016 Central and Eastern European (CEE) Clean Energy Awards. Read More DAI Presents Gender Case Studies at European Development Days 2016 DAI recently hosted a lab session and stand on gender equality at the 10th annual European Development Days conference in Brussels. Read More DAI’s Kanini Mutooni Appointed to Global Innovation Fund Board DAI’s Kanini Mutooni, director for investment at the East Africa Trade and Investment Hub, was recently appointed to the board of directors of the Global Innovation Fund. Read More Innovation into Action Challenge Winners Chosen Last night, DAI and its partners announced four winners of the Innovation into Action Challenge, a competition designed to find and support products and services that will help people in developing nations tackle social and economic development problems. Read More Nine Finalists Selected for Innovation into Action Challenge Nine organizations have been chosen as finalists for the DAI Innovation into Action Challenge, a global competition designed to find and support products and services that will help people in developing nations tackle social and economic development problems. Read More ICT4D Leader Bobby Jefferson Joins DAI’s Global Health Team DAI today announced that Bobby Jefferson has joined DAI as Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for DAI Global Health, effective May 1. A leader in the field of information and communications technology for development (ICT4D), Jefferson will focus on expanding DAI’s range of digital health services. Read More DAI’s Employee Ownership Initiative Wins Prestigious Award DAI was yesterday named an award winner at the 17th annual conference of the Global Equity Organization (GEO), a professional membership organization dedicated to advancing understanding of employee share plans. DAI won in a new award category, Best Use of a Share Plan in a Private Company. Read More DAI Empowers Young Colombian Innovators via NASA Space Apps Challenge Colombia’s 2015 floods affected some 18,000 people. They destroyed homes and bridges, caused the suspension of water and sanitation services, and killed at least 83. The loss of life and millions of dollars in damage have re-emphasized the importance of confronting the effects of climate change in Colombia. Read More DAI Hosts LGBTI Advocate Chloe Schwenke DAI this week hosted Chloe Schwenke for a presentation in its Bethesda office. Schwenke is a leading voice in the efforts to integrate sexual minorities into the work of the international development community. Read More Fiscal Reform Project Continues to Support Government of Jordan’s Public Financial Management Over the past decade, Jordan has been successful in achieving many of its reform goals in education, health, and economic privatization and liberalization. The government continues to introduce social protection mechanisms and reform subsidies, creating the conditions for public-private partnerships in infrastructure and improving its overall fiscal and budgetary health. Read More Jim Winkler elected to Board of Directors for Corporate Council on Africa Senior Trade and Investment Advisor Jim Winkler has been elected to the Board of Directors for the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), a nonprofit, membership-based organization that promotes business and investment between the U.S. and African countries. Read More DAI to Present at European Development Days 2016 DAI is pleased to have been selected to host a lab and stand at the annual European Development Days event in Brussels on June 15-16. Read More DAI Presents EC-Funded Study on Uganda Land Governance DAI recently hosted a workshop in Kampala, Uganda, on the implementation of the country’s national land policy (NLP). The workshop presented the findings of a seven-week capacity assessment to support the implementation of the NLP. Read More USAID, DAI Partner from Thailand Honored for Courage by U.S. Department of State A key partner of the USAID Sapan Program in Thailand was presented the 2016 Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award. Read More DAI Presents Four Papers at 2016 World Bank Conference DAI’s Land Tenure and Property Rights team presented four papers at the Annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty 2016, on March 14–18, in Washington, D.C. Read More Innovation into Action Challenge Attracts Great Response The response to the Innovation into Action Challenge, whose application window closed last week, has been rich, broad, and diverse. All told, the competition attracted entries from 296 innovators in 49 countries. Read More Kosmos Energy Launches Groundbreaking Social Investment Initiative in Ghana Kosmos Energy today launched the Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) in Accra, Ghana. With DAI’s assistance, Kosmos will take a market-driven approach to catalyze innovation and promote youth employment in the Ghanaian agricultural sector. DAI will provide capacity building support, personnel recruitment and management, stakeholder engagement, investment due diligence, and ongoing technical assistance to the initiative. Read More DAI Unveils New ICT4D Blog DAI’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) team has launched Digital@DAI, a blog offering a behind-the-scenes look at the way digital technologies are contributing to global development work. Read More DAI Mourns the Passing of J. Peter Morrow DAI is deeply saddened to mark the passing of J. Peter Morrow, who led the dramatic turnaround of the Agricultural Bank of Mongolia (rebranded as Khan Bank) under a DAI project and went on to become one of Mongolia’s most respected business leaders and most honored foreign citizens. Morrow, who worked for DAI from 2000 to 2010, died on August 4 in Seattle. He was 68 years old. Read More A Trio of Innovators Get Closer to Market DAI has developed considerable expertise in the disciplines required to source and nurture good ideas and support the entrepreneurs and innovators who come up with them so they can bring their innovations to market. We are currently drawing on this body of experience in the Innovation into Action Challenge, for example, a contest that awards prizes, field visits, and tailored mentoring and partnering opportunities for initiatives with the potential to make a difference in developing and transitioning nations. Read More DAI and Partners Launch Innovation into Action Challenge DAI and three key partners announced the launch of the Innovation into Action Challenge, a new challenge designed to support innovations with the potential to make a difference in the lives of people in emerging and transitioning nations. Read More Top Newspaper Names Farmer Assisted by Feed the Future Liberia FED Project as its Person of the Year A former businessman who took up farming to help Liberia become more self-sufficient at generating food was named Person of the Year by the Daily Observer, one of the country’s top newspapers. Read More New Headquarters Improves Service Delivery by Somaliland’s Ministry of Interior An effort that began in 2011 recently came to fruition in Somaliland at the end of 2015 with the handover of a newly constructed facility to house the 145 employees who work for the region’s Ministry of Interior. Read More Winter 2015 Issue of DAI’s Developments Newsletter Now Available The Winter 2015 issue of DAI’s Developments newsletter is now available. Leading off, Vanna Kruy describes how he developed an application—now with 300,000 downloads and counting—that enables Cambodians to use smartphones more easily using their native Khmer alphabet. Read More Jordan Fiscal Reform Project Produces Video on Youth Development Programming Jordan continues to carry the burden of high unemployment rates among its young people—at 30 percent. The Fiscal Reform Project (FRP), funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, supports young Jordanians, current students and recent graduates, through its Internship and Volunteer Program. Read More Jordan’s Customs Department—A Middle East Model—Launches Regional Training Center The Jordan Customs Department last week inaugurated its newly certified regional training center in Amman, a forum for customs staff from more than 10 Middle East countries to train, strengthen ties, and improve cross-border commerce and traffic. The center allows the Jordan Customs Department to conduct high-quality training for customs officers, partner government agencies, and private sector representatives in the region. Read More DAI Announces Winners of Gunning Service Awards for 2015 DAI is delighted honor the two winners of this year’s David H. Gunning Award for Community Service. They are Caity Campos, who founded and runs a nonprofit for at-risk youth in South and Central America, and Katie Prowse, who works for an education charity in Zambia. Matt Woodhouse, a trustee and founder of Katapult Kilimanjaro, a U.K. charity that promotes sustainable development in Tanzania, was selected as the winner of an “honorable mention” prize. Read More Honduran NGO Wins White House Award The Organization for Youth Empowerment (OYE), a Honduran nongovernmental organization, was honored November 19 at a reception at the home of Joe Eldridge and DAI Board Member Maria Otero. Earlier this week, OYE was presented with the International Spotlight Award in a White House ceremony with First Lady Michelle Obama. Read More LIFT Programme Issues Second-Level Land Certificates in Ethiopia DAI’s Land Investment for Transformation (LIFT) programme in Ethiopia recently issued second-level land certificates to farmers for the first time at an event in Dejen Kebele, Emba Alaje Woreda, Tigray. Read More Health Informatics Leader Chris LeGrand Joins DAI DAI today announced the appointment of Christopher A. LeGrand to its global leadership team. LeGrand, the former CEO of Futures Group, will assume the role of President, DAI Global Health. In this newly created position, he will focus on advancing DAI’s global health portfolio, with an emphasis on emerging health markets and services. Read More DAI’s Roggemann: Know Local Mobile Realities Before Designing, Implementing ICT4D Programs As the rate of mobile penetration grows globally, youth-focused local programming will need to account for the nuanced preferences of this mobile-first generation. Read More Fall 2015 Issue of DAI’s Developments Newsletter Available Online The Fall 2015 issue of DAI’s Developments newsletter is now available online. Leading off, Mathilde Gaston-Mathé and Emmanuel Moyart describe how the African, Caribbean, and Pacific/European Union Microfinance Programme vitalized a network of practitioners and stakeholders—including more than 2,400 microfinance institutions, 3,000 staff, and 57 policy makers—across 32 countries. Read More DAI Raises More Than $5k for the Linda Norgrove Foundation DAI recently hosted a number of events to raise funds for the Linda Norgrove Foundation, a grant-giving trust that provides funding for women, families, and children in Afghanistan, focusing on education, health, childcare, and scholarships to help Afghan women go to university. Read More Philippines Recognized for Recent Government Reforms The Philippines, a founding member of the international Open Government Partnership (OGP), has been recognized as one of the leading OGP participants. The OGP is an international organization promoting transparency, civic participation, the fight against corruption, and new technologies to make government more open, effective, and accountable. Read More African Union, Africa Lead Agree to Collaborate on Support for Malabo Declaration and New Alliance The African Union Commission’s Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (AUC/DREA) recently signed a letter of agreement with Africa Lead, a top program of the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future initiative. Read More Sir Malcolm Bruce Joins DAI as a Senior Advisor DAI is delighted to announce that Sir Malcolm Bruce has joined the firm in an advisory capacity, effective immediately. A distinguished public servant, Bruce brings to DAI more than 40 years of experience spanning government, private industry, and non-profit roles. Read More Programme Launches Interactive Database of Education Innovations from Across Pakistan The U.K. Department of International Development (DFID)-funded Ilm Ideas—Pakistan Education Fund recently launched an interactive database of innovations designed to increase access for Pakistani children to quality education. Developed and implemented by Pakistani organizations and entrepreneurs, the edinnovators.com virtual platform connects these innovators with Pakistan’s wider education ecosystem. Read More DAI Mexico Transferred to Local Team, Doing Business as INTEGRO DAI is delighted to announce the sale of its Mexico City-based regional consulting practice, DAI Mexico, to the outstanding team of local managers and technical specialists who have run the operation since it was started in 2009. Read More DAI Welcomes Second Fellow from President Obama’s Mandela Washington Fellowship DAI is delighted to welcome Alueshima Utsaha as part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. Alueshima will work through September at DAI, focusing on Health governance and leadership in addition to, conducting desk research in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programming as well as how enhanced domestic resource mobilization could be used to bolster HIV programs in developing countries. Read More Video: Longtime DAI Employee Offers Perspective on Development in Gaza Halim Halabi has worked for DAI on various economic development programs in Palestine since 1994. He has an extensive background in improving the operating environment for West Bank and Gaza firms by strengthening the capacity of key private sector institutions, improving firm-level access to business services and supporting the growth of competitive industry clusters. He has also designed and managed private enterprise development funds. Read More Online Platform Launched to Connect East African Farmers to Markets, Improve Incomes and Food Availability The Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC) has launched an online trading platform that enables smallholder farmers to track their produce to warehouses and buyers via their mobile phones as well as interact directly with traders and bankers. Read More DAI’s Jean Gilson Re-elected to SID-Washington Leadership Post Jean Gilson, DAI’s Senior Vice President for Strategy and Information Technology, has been re-elected as Vice President for Programs at the Society for International Development, Washington, D.C., Chapter (SID-Washington). Read More New Primer on Market Systems Development Available Bill Grant, DAI’s Global Practice Leader for Market Systems Development, has published a new summary paper—”Market Systems Development: A Primer on Pro-Poor Programming”—coming out of DAI’s recent economic growth conference in London. Read More Study Released on Electricity Value Chain in Niger Delta DAI, the Niger Delta Partnership Initiative (NDPI), and the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), have released an initial study of the electricity value chain in the Niger Delta. Read More Summer 2015 Issue of Developments Now Available The Summer 2015 issue of DAI’s Developments newsletter is now available online. Read More DAI’s Juan Estrada-Valle Elected Board Member of Agribusiness Economics and Management Group DAI’s Juan Estrada-Valle, who has worked for more than 20 years in agriculture, value chain development, and market-based strategies in conflict-affected environments, was elected a board member of the Agribusiness Economics and Management Section of the Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based Agricultural and Applied Economics Association. Read More DAI Named One of Six YouthPower IDIQ Holders DAI was recently selected as one of six holders of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s YouthPower Implementation Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity Contract (IDIQ). YouthPower is USAID’s platform for implementing and scaling up positive youth development programs globally. Read More DAI Hosts Second Annual Small Business Fair DAI recently hosted its second annual small business fair at DAI headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, where representatives from small development firms met with DAI staff members to establish connections and explore partnerships. Read More DAI-led SERVIR Demand Project Hosts Stakeholder Forum The DAI-led SERVIR Program Demand Activity brought together representatives from nearly 20 organizations that work at the nexus of global climate change and technology for an inaugural two-day forum around the topic of collaboration. Read More USAID TIS Supports Arts and Culture Week to Engage Youth in Puntland Traditional arts and culture contribute to peace and stability in Somalia. In a country where youth struggle to find education and job opportunities, and avoid piracy, crime and extremism, arts and culture can provide safe outlets for peaceful self-expression and socialization. Read More USAID Jordan Fiscal Reform Project Produces Video on New Budgeting Tool As part of the Government of Jordan’s 2025 economic vision of fiscal reforms, it is adopting a General Financial Management Information System (GFMIS) to help it ensure consistent accounting of public funds. GFMIS is being implemented with the support of the Jordan Fiscal Reform Bridge Activity, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance. Read More DAI Staffer Runner-Up for Prestigious Rice Award DAI is pleased to announce that Caity Campos, an Associate on DAI’s Technical Services team, has been selected as a runner-up for the Society for International Development (SID) 2015 Andrew E. Rice Award. Read More Chuck Chopak to Co-Chair SID Workgroup on Food Security & Agriculture DAI Vice President for Technical Services Chuck Chopak has been chosen to co-chair the Society for International Development (SID) Washington, D.C., Chapter’s workgroup on food security and agriculture. Read More DAI Helps Meet Urgent Need for Shelter in Hard-Hit Nepalese Village DAI has contributed £2,000 to support pressing reconstruction needs in Nepal following the earthquakes and aftershocks that devastated the country in late April and early May. Read More DAI Staff Donate to Kathmandu Orphanage in Wake of Nepal Earthquakes In the aftermath of Nepal’s recent earthquakes, DAI staff have raised £1,000 to support a Kathmandu orphanage home to 12 children. The fundraising effort was led by London-based project manager Cari Wood, whose family has supported the Grace Home Orphanage since 2000. Read More DAI Workshop Explores Systemic Market Development More than 90 practitioners from around the world convened April 28–29 in London for a workshop titled “Pushing the Frontier: DAI’s Experience in Systemic Market Development for Inclusive Economic Growth.” Read More USAID Preparedness & Response Project Hosts One Health Workshop The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Preparedness and Response (P&R) project brought together 30 representatives from 10 countries to learn what the project and its partners are doing to build national and regional One Health capacity to emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases. Read More Space Apps Challenge Seeks Solutions for Adaptation to Climate Change The Regional Climate Change Program (RCCP) recently supported the Instituto Tecnologico de Costa Rica (TEC)’s participation in the annual International Space Apps Challenge, sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Read More DAI’s Jim Winkler Highlights Higher Education and Workforce Development at North America-Mongolia Business Council As the rising youth population in Mongolia comes of age, the American University of Mongolia (AUM) can prepare them to contribute to their country’s economic development while helping businesses—fueled by mining-related growth—to meet their urgent need for a trained workforce. Read More DAI Convenes Global Experts to Explore Systemic Market Development Economic development programs that seek to help people lift themselves out of poverty are increasingly adopting systemic market development approaches. On April 28–29 in London, DAI will convene 80 top practitioners to explore this trend at a workshop titled ‘Pushing the Frontier: DAIs Experience in Systemic Market Development for Inclusive Economic Growth.’ Read More DAI to Host Two Labs at 2015 European Development Days DAI is pleased to be hosting two labs at the annual European Development Days event in Brussels on June 3–4. Read More Palestinian Businesses, Diaspora Sign Agreement to Promote Economic Growth, Trade The Palestinian Business Forum-Britain recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Palestinian Market Development Programme (PMDP) to encourage the participation of the diaspora in the growth of Palestine’s economy. Read More DAI to Present at 2015 World Bank Conference DAI’s Land Tenure and Property Rights team will make two presentations—one looking at the emerging trends and recent initiatives for improving land tenure in Africa and the second looking at how the Mozambican private sector, international investors, and donors are working to introduce more flexibility into land rights transfers—at the Annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty 2015, on March 23–27. Read More Spring 2015 Issue of Developments Now Available The Spring 2015 issue of DAI’s Developments online newsletter is now available. Read More DAI Project Sponsors Appmaker Event in Cambodia with Mozilla and Souktel The Cambodia Development Innovations project, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), recently hosted a mobile application-building event that brought together youth and staff members of Cambodian civil society organizations (CSOs). Read More DAI Raises Funds to Help Ebola Orphans Return to School DAI’s UK offices recently held a fundraiser on behalf of Street Child, a charity focused primarily on achieving universal access to education. The charity came to the attention of a DAI-led and U.K. Department for International Development-funded programme, Access to Security and Justice Programme (ASJP), in Sierra Leone. Read More Thai Scientist Goes From Microscopes to Policy-making From examining microbes under a microscope to pitching policy recommendations that could affect the sharing of biological resources within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the ASEAN-U.S. Science and Technology Fellows Program gave Honglada “Lada” Thoetkiattikul the skills, experience, and connections to help her shift her career and apply her expertise to improve science-based policy-making in the region. Read More USAID Program Credited with Energizing Zimbabwe’s Agribusiness Ministers, the U.S. ambassador, and local stakeholders commended the revival of Zimbabwe’s once-flourishing agriculture sector at an event marking the close of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Competitiveness Program (Zim-ACP). Read More DAI, Souktel, and MFO Launch Mobile Financial Education Services with Facebook’s Internet.org In low-income countries, good information about personal budgeting and saving is hard to find. Many people have limited schooling and little familiarity with financial institutions. Read More U.S. Acting Ambassador to Malawi Visits DAI-Led Feed the Future Project United States Acting Ambassador to Malawi Michael Gonzales and a team from the U.S. Embassy and Malawi Mission of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) recently visited the Feed the Future Integrating Nutrition in Value Chains (FtF-INVC) project. Read More DAI CEO James Boomgard Issues Statement on Release of Alan Gross In response to the reported release of Alan Gross, DAI President and CEO James Boomgard today issued the following statement. Read More DAI and Partners to Address Emerging Pandemic Threats such as Ebola The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has chosen DAI and three partners—Training Resources Group, The Futures Group, and the African Field Epidemiology Network—to implement a five-year program to help countries prepare for and respond to disease outbreaks. Read More DAI’s Enrique Giraldo Presents Best Practices in Fiscal Reform at High-Level OECD Events Since the passage of El Salvador’s Access to Public Information Law in 2011, DAI has assisted that government to promote fiscal transparency initiatives including a public-private sector agreement on fiscal transparency policy, adopting International Public Sector Accounting Standards, upgrading the Government Financial Management Information System, implementing an e-procurement system, and launching a revamped Fiscal Transparency Portal. Read More A Big Thank You to the Ivymount School Opening the pantries in the kitchens of DAI, employees have their pick of teas and coffees. Cups are always well stocked and organized. And cutlery is never in short supply. This is no accident—four students and their job coaches come to DAI’s Bethesda, Maryland, office twice a week for several hours to help stock the kitchens as part of a school-to-work job training program organized by the Ivymount School, a Washington, D.C., organization for young people with special needs. Read More DAI Announces Winners of Gunning Service Awards for 2014 DAI is delighted to announce three winners of this year’s David H. Gunning Award for Community Service: Christel Milazzo, who runs a food pantry in Montgomery County, Maryland; and Alia Afshar-Gandhi and Jessica Stretz, who work with My Brother’s Keeper Orphanage in Liberia. Read More EBRD Launches €200 Million Sustainable Energy Financing Facility in Poland The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has launched its second Polish Sustainable Energy Financing Facility (PolSEFF2), implemented by DAI, with €200 million that will be loaned via local banks to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Poland to finance investments to replace or upgrade heating, cooling, electric, and related systems, thereby reducing energy bills and decreasing carbon emissions. Read More Education Campaign Programme Wins DAI Innovation of the Year DAI is delighted to announce that the Transforming Education in Pakistan (TEP) programme has won Innovation of the Year with its Alif Ailaan Data Platform. Read More Sonal Shah is Featured Speaker to Kick Off DAI Innovation Week Sonal Shah, founding Director of the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation, will be the featured speaker during DAI Innovation Week October 27–31. Read More Health Worker Receives Presidential Award Following Project Assistance While improving local sanitation conditions is a difficult job with often little reward, such was not the case for Pak Mulyadi, a health worker from the Kedaung Barat Health Center in Tangerang District, Indonesia. Read More DAI Raises Over $6k for the Linda Norgrove Foundation DAI hosted three events last week to raise funds for the Linda Norgrove Foundation, a grant-giving trust that provides funding for women, families, and children in Afghanistan, focusing on education, health, childcare, and scholarships to help Afghan women go to university. Read More DAI-Managed Programme Highlighted in Official EU Communication The European Commission (EC) recently published its Communication on Private Sector Development (PSD) under the Agenda for Change framework, which sets out the EU Development Policy. Read More DAI Participates in USAID Frontiers in Development Forum When the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Frontiers in Development Forum kicked off September 18 in Washington, D.C., a DAI team was there to help address the forum’s driving question—”How will we eradicate extreme poverty by 2030?” Read More Summer 2014 Issue of Developments Now Available The Summer 2014 issue of DAI’s Developments newsletter is now available. Read More Donation to Norgrove Foundation Marks Marcotte Retirement DAI’s Senior Vice President, U.S. Government Business Unit, Betsy Marcotte retired from the company this month after nine years of service. Read More DAI Helps Lead African Trade Discussion at SID-Washington Event With multibillion-dollar transportation projects under way, including for a railway connecting Mombasa to Nairobi and eventually Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Southern Sudan, Kenya’s rapid development is setting the pace for many other African countries. Read More One Company, One Brand: DAI Retires HTSPE Name Some seven months after the combination of DAI and HTSPE Ltd., DAI today announced that the HTSPE brand will be retired and the firm will begin doing business as DAI, effective July 31, 2014. Read More Asian Bishops Issue Call to Prevent Global Warming, Mitigate Climate Change Calling it their spiritual obligation to “safeguard the integrity of creation,” the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) is asking church members to take action to prevent global warming and mitigate the effects of climate change. Read More Community Service Award Goes Far for Somaliland Youth Organization Last year, two DAI employees received the company’s inaugural David H. Gunning Award for Community Service. Each awardee received $5,000 for donation to their respective social service organizations. Read More DAI Hosts Fellow from President Obama’s Mandela Washington Fellowship DAI is delighted to welcome Zainab Ferrah Conteh as part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. Zainab will work through September with DAI’s Africa Region team. Read More Project Supports Tourism Promotion Efforts in Lebanon U.S. Ambassador David Hale and the Lebanese Minister of Tourism Michel Pharaon recently launched “Travel Lebanon” to promote domestic tourism in Lebanon. Read More DAI Holds Inaugural Small Business Fair DAI recently held its first small business fair, where small U.S.-based firms met with DAI staff members in its Bethesda, Maryland, headquarters to establish connections and potential partnerships. Read More DAI Names Christopher Lockett to Head European Operations DAI today announced that Christopher Lockett, a 10-year veteran of HTSPE Ltd., has been appointed Managing Director of DAI Europe and Senior Vice President of DAI. Read More Calculating the Fiscal Cost to Jordan of the Syrian Refugee Crisis Since 2011, the Syrian conflict has killed more than 100,000 people and destroyed countless homes and businesses, forcing Syrians by the thousands to seek refuge in the region. Jordan generously opened its borders to these refugees, who settled in camps established by the United Nations and in northern cities such as Irbid, Ramtha, and Mafraq, resulting in a rapid, nearly 10 percent increase in the population. Read More USAID Project Supports Construction of Major Wind Farm in Somaliland The Government of Somaliland recently launched its first pilot wind farm, an initiative to power the Hargeisa International Airport, sending a clear signal that Somaliland has abundant renewable energy resources. Read More DAI’s Jean Gilson Appointed to SID Global Leadership Post Jean Gilson, DAI’s Senior Vice President for Strategy and Information Technology, has been appointed to serve as Vice President on the Executive Committee of the Society for International Development, the umbrella group of which SID-Washington is a leading member. Read More At SID Conference, DAI Leads Discussion on New Models of Innovation and Collaboration For private sector firms, filling market gaps in developing nations can be good business. Over the past couple of decades, accordingly, private resource flows to developing nations have risen exponentially, far outpacing official development assistance. Read More PolSEFF Partner Bank Wins Award from EBRD BNP Paribas Bank Polska—a partner bank of the DAI-implemented Polish Sustainable Energy Financing Facility (PolSEFF) program—won the EBRD 2014 Sustainability Energy and Climate Change Award for achievements in supporting small and medium enterprises in their initiatives to increase energy efficiency and apply energy from renewable sources. Read More Elizabeth Nelson Appointed Chair of DAI Board of Directors DAI is delighted to announce the appointment of [Elizabeth (Betsey) Nelson]/who-we-are/board/elizabeth-nelson() as Chair of DAI’s Board of Directors. She succeeds outgoing chair Jim Boomgard, DAI’s President and Chief Executive Officer, who had led the Board on an interim basis since the retirement of longtime chair David Gunning in May 2013. Read More Low-Income Households in Indonesia Get Improved Water Supply and Sanitation Facilities U.S. Ambassador Robert O. Blake Jr. accompanied by the Mayor of Surakarta, Indonesia, recently inaugurated new water supply and sanitation facilities in the neighborhood of Semanggi. Read More DAI to Moderate Panel on Innovations in Science & Technology at SID Conference DAI will join more than 600 development professionals on May 20 at the Society for International Development (SID)-Washington 2014 Annual Conference. The event will feature a keynote address by U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Rajiv Shah. Read More Global Innovation Summit Director Advocates for New Paradigm at SID Event Venture capitalist Victor Hwang, CEO of T2 Venture Creation and author of The Rainforest: The Secret to Building the Next Silicon Valley, called for a new paradigm to promote development innovation at a May 7 meeting of the Society for International Development Private Sector Working Group in Washington, D.C. Read More Land Tenure Specialists Reflect on World Bank Conference Last month, nearly 1,000 members of the land rights community gathered at the 15th annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty to present field-based research, announce new initiatives, and develop partnerships. According to the World Bank, the conference aims to “foster dialogue and the sharing of best practices on the diversity of reforms, approaches, and experiences that are being implemented in the land sector around the world.” Read More DAI's Steven Lawry Invited to Present on Land Rights to European Parliament According to Dr. Steven Lawry, DAI’s Global Practice Lead for Land Tenure and Property Rights, customary land tenure rights provide poor farmers in Africa access to land as a social right. Read More HTSPE Honored for Outstanding International Development Project 2014 Rwanda Land Tenure Regularisation (LTR), an HTSPE-led project to increase land rights, stability, and economic opportunity, was named Outstanding International Development Project (non-physical) 2014 by the London-based trade organization British Expertise. Read More DAI Hosts Twitter Chat on Women and ICT As part of a month-long Devex campaign on the contributions of women and girls in developing countries, DAI hosted a live Twitter chat this week. Read More Winter 2013-2014 Issue of Developments is Available Online The Winter 2013-2014 issue of DAI’s Developments newsletter is now available. Read More HTSPE Shortlisted for British Expertise Award An HTSPE-led project is one of three shortlisted by the London-based trade organization British Expertise for Outstanding International Development Project 2014. Read More Private and Civil Society Partnership Boosts Water Supply in Indonesia East Java’s dwindling supply of raw water is being replenished thanks to an initiative launched by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and two key partners in Indonesia’s private and civil society sectors. Read More DAI CEO Jim Boomgard Named to Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid DAI President and CEO Jim Boomgard has been appointed to serve a two-year term on the United States’ Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid (ACVFA). The committee consists of leaders in the international development community who advise the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other U.S. Government agencies on development policy. Read More DAI’s James Boomgard Named Chair of Council of International Development CompaniesBlank The Council of International Development Companies (CIDC) has named DAI President and CEO James Boomgard]—formerly one of three co-chairs—as the CIDC Chair for 2014. Read More DAI Joins Forces with International Development Consultancy, HTSPE Ltd. HTSPE Ltd. has agreed to join forces with DAI, a global development company with corporate headquarters in London and Washington and project operations in 70 countries worldwide. Read More DFID Permanent Secretary Visits Women Entrepreneurs in Ethiopia U.K. Department of International Development (DFID) Permanent Secretary Mark Lowcock recently met with women entrepreneurs who are part of a DFID-funded project to boost lending to small and women-owned firms in Ethiopia. Read More DAI Recognizes Two Employees for their Community Service Two DAI employees will receive the company’s inaugural David H. Gunning Award for Community Service in 2013. Mubarak Abdi and Vikki Groves will each receive $5,000 for donation to their respective social service organizations—the Somaliland National Youth Organization (SONYO) and Kings World Trust for Children. Read More New Issue of DAI Journal Focuses on Resilience On November 7, typhoon Haiyan tore through the central Philippines. The latest in a series of high-profile disasters and increasingly severe weather events, Haiyan has drawn relief and development practitioners’ attention once again to the concept of resilience. Read More Development Leaders Come Together for Inaugural CIDC Conference Nearly 170 members of the global development community came together this week at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., for the inaugural Council of International Development Companies (CIDC) Conference. Read More DAI’s Saad Hamid to Present “60-Second Education” at Telenor Youth Summit Ilm Ideas Communications Specialist Saad Hamid was one of 26 social entrepreneurs selected globally to present at the inaugural Telenor Youth Summit on December 9–11 in Oslo, Norway. Read More ICT, Access to Finance Stressed as Solutions to Empower Women At the DAI-hosted lab at this year’s European Development Days, participants were challenged to come up with creative ways of economically empowering women in developing countries. Read More Project Supports Historic Elections in Sri Lanka On September 21, residents in Northern Sri Lanka cast their ballots as part of an historic event—the first-ever Northern Provincial Council Elections. Election Day turnout was extremely high at 68 percent, representing a dramatic increase from previous years despite a very tense electoral environment. Read More Wide-Ranging Economic Growth Project Launches in Jordan The [Jordan Competitiveness Program (JCP)]/our-work/projects/jordan-competitiveness-program-jcp() has officially launched—with ambitious goals of creating some 40,000 jobs over the next five years and attracting foreign investment to the Kingdom. Read More DAI Project Assists Honduran Government in Passing Regulations to Protect Natural Areas The government of Honduras has passed laws that will allow the private sector to invest in infrastructure and visitor services in the country’s underfunded national parks, enabling the development of tourism concessions in these spectacular but unfrequented protected natural areas. Read More Gahaya Links’ Janet Nkubana, USAID’s Alex Thier to Speak on European Development Days Gender Panel Janet Nkubana, the co-founder of Rwanda-based Gahaya Links, will be one of four speakers at the upcoming European Development Days conference, November 26–27. She will be part of a DAI-sponsored innovation lab addressing women’s economic empowerment called “Harnessing public private partnerships to connect women’s businesses to international supply chains.” Read More Mozambique’s World Bank Business Ranking Improves Mozambique, which has historically struggled with the process of issuing construction permits, jumped 46 places on the construction permit indicator in the recently released World Bank Doing Business 2014 report. Read More Community Water Association in Indonesia Wins Award The Community Association of Drinking Water and Sanitation Users in the Lamongan District of Indonesia was chosen as one of 12 winners of the Drinking Water and Environmental Health Award from the National Working Group on Drinking Water and Sanitation. Read More Nyungwe Nziza Project in Rwanda wins Phoenix Award from the Society of American Travel Writers The Nyungwe Nziza (“Beautiful Nyungwe”) project, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), was named one of the winners of the Society of American Travel Writers’ (SATW) Phoenix Awards at SATW’s annual convention in Biloxi, Mississippi, this month. Read More DAI Honors Vietnam Business Leader and Project Partner Dau Anh Tuan of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) won a Development Leadership Award from DAI for his “exemplary leadership in making Vietnam a stronger economy and society for businesses and the Vietnamese people.” Read More Girls Going to School Against the Odds in Pakistan The transition from primary school to middle school is a difficult one for children all across the world. It is especially difficult if you happen to be born in rural Sindh province in Pakistan. Read More Latest Issue of DAI’s Developments Newsletter Now Available Online The Summer 2013 issue of DAI’s newsletter, Developments, is now available online. Read More DAI’s Jean Gilson Re-elected to SID-Washington Leadership Post Jean Gilson, DAI’s Senior Vice President for Strategy and Information Technology, has been re-elected as Chair for Chapter Affairs at the Society for International Development, Washington, D.C., Chapter (SID-Washington). Read More DAI’s Julian Lob-Levyt to Speak on Sidelines of U.K. Labour Party Conference With the focus shifting from aid commitments to aid impact, the question in the global development community is: how can we maximize our results by utilizing every tool, partner, and technology available? Read More Moldovan Plum Producers Learn Serbian Best Practices Plum production in Moldova has always been important to the country’s economy, pulling in high yields and profits, domestically and internationally. Read More U.S. Senator, Ambassador Visit Project Site in Liberia The DAI-led Food and Enterprise Development Program (FED) in Liberia, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), recently hosted U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, and U.S. Ambassador to Liberia Deborah Malac on a visit to the New Generational Women farm near Monrovia. Read More West Africa GIS Workshop Shines Light on Women and Climate Change University students from Benin, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria recently came together for 10 days of training on geospatial technology, through a fellowship program supported by MyCOE/SERVIR, a joint initiative between My Community Our Earth (MyCOE) and the SERVIR satellite-based Earth observation platform of data and imagery. Read More DAI to Host Lab on Women’s Economic Empowerment at European Development Days DAI is pleased to have been selected to host a lab at the annual European Development Days event, held in Brussels on November 26-27. EUDevDays, as it is known, is Europe’s premier forum on development cooperation between international organizations, and business, political, academic, and civil society leaders. Read More Johannesburg Roundtable Lays Out Strategies for Community Engagement by Extractive Industry “Are you going to have a cookie-cutter solution, or are you going to take the time to consider a range of options and design something that has impact?” asked DAI President and CEO Jim Boomgard, speaking to a room of extractive industry executives operating in Southern Africa. Read More DAI Project Hosts Harvest Learning Event in Tanzania The DAI-led [Economic Strengthening for Households Affected by AIDS (IMARISHA)][1] project—in partnership with four other organizations—recently hosted the Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato Harvest Event. The event brought together the expertise of programs supported by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the U.S. government’s Feed the Future Agriculture Initiative, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Read More Primatologist Jane Goodall Visits Rwanda Project World-renowned primatologist Jane Goodall recently visited the Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda as part of an ongoing collaboration with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Strengthening Sustainable Ecotourism in and around Nyungwe National Park (SSENNP) project. Read More DAI’s SERVIR Team Supports Africa Land Cover Mapping Conference The International Symposium on Land Cover Mapping for the African Continent, hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), with support from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Tsinghua University, and the joint USAID/NASA SERVIR program recently took place in Nairobi, Kenya. Read More DAI’s Claudia Manning Speaks at SASDC Synergy Conference Claudia Manning, Managing Director of DAI’s Johannesburg office, spoke to delegates this week at the South African Supplier Diversity Council (SASDC) Synergy Conference about challenges facing the country, particularly about the various instruments that could be used by government and the private sector to ameliorate unemployment. The SASDC is modeled on the successful U.S. National Minority Supplier Development Council. Read More DAI Hosts Workshop on Participation in Development DAI, in partnership with the Carnegie Endowment, hosted a workshop in London convening policymakers, practitioners, and academics to discuss “Making Participation Work for Development. Read More DAI’s Chuck Chopak Presents at Annual AIARD Conference Dr. Chuck Chopak, DAI’s Regional Managing Director for the Africa region and president of the Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development (AIARD), opened the association’s 49th annual conference by highlighting the increased significance of AIARD as a group that brings together a diversity of stakeholders from academia, the public sector, and the private sector to build consensus and understanding around agricultural development. Read More DAI Experts Share Lessons Learned at Health and Agriculture Conference Jerry Martin, DAI’s Global Practice Leader for One Health and Infectious Disease, and [Robert Salerno][2], DAI’s Specialist in Health, Nutrition, and Livelihoods, each presented papers on the linkages between agriculture and health at the 3rd Annual Leverhulme Center for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health (LCIRAH) conference “Developing methods in agriculture and health research,” on June 13–14. Read More Liberian Business Owners Participate in First Trade Fair The DAI-led Food and Enterprise Development (FED) project in Liberia earlier this month facilitated a trade fair and conference focusing on the private sector—the first time a conference of its kind has ever been held in the country. Read More Gross Family and DAI Settle Case Relating to Cuba Imprisonment Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI) and Judy Gross today announced the settlement of the lawsuit brought by Judy and Alan Gross against DAI in the wake of Alan Gross’s imprisonment by Cuban authorities in December 2009 for his work for DAI to implement the U.S. Government’s Cuba Program. Read More DAI to Host London Workshop: “From Critique to Construction: Next Steps in Making Participation Work for Development” DAI, in association with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, is hosting a workshop convening policymakers, practitioners, and academics to explore the topic, “From Critique to Construction: Next Steps in Making Participation Work for Development,” in London on May 30 at Central Westminster Hall. Read More DAI Welcomes New Board Members, Bids Farewell to Longtime Directors DAI is delighted to welcome its two newest members of the Board of Directors: Maria Otero and Gail Steinel. Read More Youthful Nepal Team Stars in NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge In sheer numbers, the second NASA International Space Apps Challenge April 20-21 made a big splash. More than 9,000 people worldwide—four times as many as last year—dove into the 48-hour hackathon to confront questions of space exploration and social need, churning out some 600 potential solutions. Read More Nepal Tech Startup Poised for NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge Space enthusiasts, tech wizards, and citizen scientists the world over are prepping for the second International Space Apps Challenge, a 48-hour hackathon led by NASA April 20-21. Their mission: use images from space, open-source data, and earthly know-how to make apps that address climate change and improve life on earth—and beyond. Read More Q&A with DAI’s Brigit Helms on Benefits of Bringing Mobile Banking to the Unbanked There is no doubting the growth in popularity of mobile banking. According to Juniper Research, the market for mobile payments is expected to reach more than $600 billion (£393bn) globally this year—double the figure of February 2011. Read More Enabling Communities to Score Their Own Institutions Will Boost Accountability When the United Kingdom took over the presidency of the G8, it announced it would focus on open economies, open governments, and open societies. It is leading by example with its efforts to make its own aid flows traceable from source to destination. Read More Spring 2013 Developments is Available The Spring 2013 issue of Developments is now available. Read More USAID Launches First Tax Awareness Program for Youth in El Salvador Teaching teens to embrace taxes is a daunting task, but a DAI-led project in El Salvador is supporting the government to make tax compliance a little more palatable through a new strategy called Expresate. Read More DAI’s Jim Winkler Elected to American University of Mongolia Board of Directors DAI’s Vice President of Solutions Jim Winkler on March 14 was elected to the Board of Directors of the newly established American University of Mongolia (AUM). Read More Education Innovation Alliance Seeks Out New Solutions to Pakistan’s Education Emergency With millions of children out of school and those in school failing to read and write at grade level, Pakistan will not only fall short of its Millennium Development Goals—it is gripped by an education emergency that will cripple the country’s economy, stymie its growth, and threaten its stability. Read More Eighth Provincial Competitiveness Index Gains Wide Support in Vietnam More than 500 business and government leaders from Vietnam’s 63 cities and provinces gathered March 14 in Hanoi for the launch of the 2012 Provincial Competiveness Index (PCI). Read More DAI CEO Hosts Prime Minister of Libya for Business Luncheon DAI CEO Jim Boomgard hosted a business association luncheon March 12 honoring His Excellency Ali Zeidan, Prime Minister of Libya, who was in Washington, D.C., for his first official visit. Read More DAI Experts Present at Savings Group Conference Robert Salerno, DAI’s specialist in Health, Nutrition, and Livelihoods, and Daniel Lazier, Livelihoods Manager on the Economic Strengthening for Households Affected by AIDS (IMARISHA) Project in Tanzania, were featured speakers on a panel about savings groups with HIV-affected communities at the 2013 Savings Group Conference “Expanding Financial Inclusion and Development,” held March 4–5. Read More Michael Jakobowski Joins DAI as CFO DAI is delighted to announce that Michael Jakobowski has joined the firm as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Read More Somalis Come Together to Build Community Projects Communities that come together and work toward similar goals for the good of all is one way to deliver peace and stability in conflict-riddled areas. Read More World Bank Publishes New Microfinance Handbook The majority of the world’s poor have no access to formal financial services. They must rely on friends and family to help them in hard times, or the proverbial mattress to save for a rainy day or to ensure they have enough to pay school fees. Read More FRAMEweb Turns 10 The DAI-led FRAMEweb online community celebrates its 10th year this month. FRAMEweb, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), connects natural resource management (NRM) practitioners and local champions, shares the latest tools and resources, and facilitates critical conversations relevant to NRM work. In its 10th year, collaboration around the community is steadily growing, with more than 2,750 members who live and work in 120 countries. Read More Somaliland Poised to Pass First-Ever Energy Law in 2013 Somaliland has its first-ever draft of an electrical energy law, a major step toward increased legitimacy for the autonomous region of Somalia. Read More DAI Becomes Corporate Founder of American University of Mongolia DAI today announced that it has become a corporate founder of the American University of Mongolia (AUM), joining Newcom LLC, Rio Tinto PLC, and the General Electric Foundation in supporting the university’s development. Read More DAI’s Marguerite Pappaioanou Leads One Health Discussion at Bangkok Conference In recent years tens of thousands of people have died—including more than 18,000 in the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic—of disease born from the interaction of people, animals, and ecosystems. Read More DAI Environmental Specialist Publishes Photo Book for Charity While working as a regional advisor on a DAI project in Northern Haiti, Nick Hobgood spent much of his personal time scuba diving and taking photos of the marine species he saw along the coast. The photos he collected from 2007 to 2010 have been published in a coffee table book called “Haiti From Below.” Read More Despite National Austerity, Serbian Emergency Management Earns Additional Funding In a vote of confidence for the country’s Sector for Emergency Management, the Serbian government has moved to increase its roster of professional firefighters and rescue workers from 3,000 to 3,500. Read More Helen Mealins Joins DAI’s London Team DAI is delighted to announce the addition of Helen Mealins as Director, International, Bilateral Strategy and External Partnering. Read More Burundian Coffee Joins Ranks of International Elite Coffee from Burundi is now far more visible on world markets after an international competition was held in the country. Read More Maria Otero Honored by the Society for International Development Washington Chapter This week’s Gala Dinner for the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the Society for International Development (SID-Washington) honored Maria Otero, Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights at the U.S. Department of State. Read More ProParque Promotes Use of Renewable Energy Products in Honduras The U.S. Agency for International Development-funded ProParque project has begun promoting alternative energy in Honduras by working with vocational education centers, entrepreneurs, and microenterprises all located near 10 of the country’s national parks. Read More DAI’s Dan Rathbun Finds Inspiration in Vietnam’s Next Generation of Entrepreneurs For nearly four years, DAI’s Dan Rathbun, a team leader in Vietnam, has donated his time and resources to local chapters of an international organization that promotes student entrepreneurship. This year, DAI is happy to contribute $5,000 to support his efforts. Read More DAI Project in Poland Honors Small Firms for Energy-Efficiency Efforts The Polish Sustainable Energy Financing Facility (PolSEFF), implemented by DAI and funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), recently held its first awards ceremony to recognize Polish small and medium enterprises’ achievements in raising energy efficiency standards. Read More DAI is Founding Sponsor of Guardian Global Development Professional Network DAI is delighted to be a founding sponsor of a new professional network launched this week by The Guardian to complement its global development website. Read More Business Clusters Creating Jobs in At-Risk Regions of Serbia Serbian national television this month profiled a pair of business clusters launched in economically depressed regions of Serbia that are now thriving and creating hundreds of jobs. Read More DAI’s Global Health Practitioners Recognize World AIDS Day World AIDS Day is held every December 1 and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate people who have died. It was first was held in 1988. Read More USAID Launches Program to Tap the Brainpower of University Students The U.S. Agency for International Developing (USAID) is launching development labs at seven universities to harness their creative energy and generate ideas. Read More DAI Pens Opinion Piece on Benefits of Employee Ownership DAI’s Senior Vice President for Strategy and Marketing Jean Gilson wrote about employee ownership as a business model in the September 14­–20 edition of the Washington Business Journal. Read More Liberian FED Project Engages Young People in Art Contest to Visualize Scenes of Healthy Food Production In celebration of World Food Day, held every year on October 16, in commemoration of the founding of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945, the Food and Enterprise Development (FED) project is collaborating with ChildArt Liberia, a local nongovernmental organization, in a competition called “Agricultural Cooperatives—Key to Feeding the World.” Read More DAI’s Luckshmi Sivalingam Named 2012’s Practitioner of the Year by SEEP Network Luckshmi Sivalingam—a development practitioner with 10 years of professional experience in project design, development, and management in South and Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East—has been named Practitioner of the Year by the SEEP Network, a global membership network of more than 130 international organizations dedicated to alleviating poverty by promoting inclusive markets and financial systems. Read More Philippine City Launches Mobile Payment Pilot The U.S. Embassy and the city of Valenzuela, Philippines, have partnered to promote the use of mobile money for payment of government services. Read More RISEN Project Engages Sri Lankan Youth in Ancient Festival To commemorate the Tamil holiday of Thai Pongal and celebrate diversity within a country too often divided along ethnic and religious lines, the [Reintegration and Stabilization in the East and North (RISEN)][1] project recently brought together youth from the north and south of Sri Lanka to promote reconciliation and advocate for the establishment of a youth network. Read More ECIAfrica Now Doing Business as DAI Johannesburg, South Africa—Effective November 14th, 2012, ECI_Africa_ Consulting (Pty) Ltd will do business under the name of its majority owner, DAI. Read More Rwandan National Park Named Best Overseas and Best Global Project by British Travel Writers The Nyungwe Nziza project in Rwanda has been named winner of the prestigious British Guild of Travel Writers’ (BGTW) Best Overseas and Best Global Project Awards. At the recent annual awards dinner at the Savoy Hotel in London, Guild Chair Roger Bray said: “Nyungwe Nziza is a model tourism project for developing countries.” Read More Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park Nominated for Travel Award Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park has been nominated by the British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW) to receive an award for “Best Overseas Project/Attraction.” Read More Second Round of Innovation, Research, and Advocacy Grants for Education in Pakistan Launches The U.K. Department for International Development (DFID), also known as UKaid, has launched a second round of grants under the [Ilm Ideas Program][1]. Read More Ramallah Event Celebrates Contributions of DAI’s Said Abu Hijleh Officials from ministries and business gathered October 16 in Ramallah to salute Said Abu Hijleh, the outgoing managing director of DAI Palestine whose work opened doors for development in the West Bank and Gaza, boosted businesses, and created jobs, among other accomplishments. Read More New Issue of Developing Alternatives Tackles the Jobs Challenge Job losses during the worldwide economic slump continue to bedevil policy makers everywhere. Dismal employment prospects, especially for young people, have exacerbated social conflicts. In emerging economies, the global crisis has further complicated the challenge of integrating the informal sector. Read More New Issue of Developing Alternatives Explores the Power of Political Economy Analysis Development practitioners ignore governance at their peril. This admonition is the main takeaway of the latest issue of DAI’s journal Developing Alternatives, which examines the theme of political economy analysis (PEA) and its application to development policy and practice. Read More Honoring Linda Norgrove DAI employee Linda Norgrove was kidnapped September 26, 2010, in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, and died October 8 during a rescue attempt by U.S. forces. Norgrove was working on the [Incentives Driving Economic Alternatives for the North, East, and West][1] Program. Read More Nigerian Foundation Receives Award for Fostering Inclusive Economic Growth The Foundation for Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND) recently received a 2012 Delta Achievers’ Merit Award (NDAMA) for its work on partnerships that promote inclusive economic growth. Read More DAI’s Dana Kenney Urges Standardized Green Building Certification at Asia-Pacific Event Read More Francois Marchand Tapped to Lead Mexico City Office DAI is delighted to announce that Francois Marchand has joined the global development firm to lead Latin America and Caribbean work, based out of our Mexico City office. Read More DAI CEO James Boomgard Issues Statement on U.S. Consulate Attack in Libya DAI President and CEO Dr. James Boomgard, currently in Libya, today issued the following statement from Tripoli: Read More DAI Speaks On Supporting Young Entrepreneurs at Workforce Development Conference Lara Goldmark, DAI’s Technical Area Manager for Private Sector Development, and Marwan Juma, a DAI Board Member and former chairman of the Young Arab Leaders Organization, are speaking on a panel about innovative funding mechanisms to support youth entrepreneurs on the opening day of the 2012 Global Youth Economic Opportunities Conference, September 11-13, at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, D.C. Read More USAID Presents Awards for Innovations to Promote Literacy Thirty-two groups representing 16 countries were nominated for innovation grants Sept. 7 by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), with the funds to be invested in programs that increase literacy. Read More DAI’s Elizabeth Sullivan Named on Diplomatic Courier’s List of Top Young Professionals in Foreign Policy Elizabeth Sullivan, a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist on DAI’s Trans-Sahara Security Symposium (TSS) project, was named by the Diplomatic Courier magazine and the Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP) association as one of the top 99 leaders under the age of 33 working in international affairs. Read More Secretary of State Clinton Lauds Malawi Dairy Milk Bulking Group U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last week praised a community-managed dairy enterprise in Malawi that is helping small farmers to increase their incomes and communities to live more nutritiously. Read More DAI Teams with USAID, NASA on Climate Change Project DAI is delighted to announce that we are collaborating with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), to use earth observations from space to help forecast and adapt to the effects of climate change. Read More DAI CFO and Tech Team Featured in Oracle Magazine DAI’s use of technology in global development field work—and in back-office functions—has been profiled in an in-depth article in Oracle’s quarterly publication. Read More DAI Presents at 19th International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C. DAI’s Health Sector helped lead discussions at this year’s International AIDS Conference, AIDS2012, in Washington, D.C. The weeklong event, July 22-27, attracted an estimated 25,000 people who are joined in the ongoing battle against AIDS. Read More DAI Launches FED Project With Initiative to Triple Rice Production in Doumpa, Liberia DAI has begun its first major initiative under the Food and Enterprise Development (FED) Program, part of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Feed the Future Initiative. Read More Summer 2012 Developments is Available The Summer 2012 issue of Developments is now available. Read More Bangladesh Right to Information Group Meets with U.S. and University Officials Bangladesh’s Right to Information Law, enacted in 2009, is slowly taking root in outlying districts and benefiting residents, the country’s chief information commissioner said last week during a study tour in the Washington, D.C., area. Read More DAI’s Shannon Sarbo Presents Poverty Assessment Tool Case Studies DAI Development Specialist Shannon Sarbo recently presented on poverty assessments at Abt Associates’ annual Chiefs of Party Conference. The conference brought together more than 170 long-term field staff from Abt’s global portfolio to share lessons learned on issues critical to the development community, including effective change management, high-impact presentations, and improving consulting skills for better outcomes. Read More DASKARA Olive Oil Brand Unveiled at Major Food Tradeshow in D.C. The unprecedented public-private partnership between the International Finance Corporation (IFC), DAI, and Palestinian olive oil producers culminated in the successful launch June 17 of a high-end flavorful olive oil called DASKARA, on the sidelines of the Summer Fancy Food Show in Washington, D.C. Read More DAI Tapped to Present Approaches to Capacity Building at USAID’s LCD Summit Two DAI projects will be highlighted at the U.S. Agency for International Develoment (USAID)’s Local Capacity Development Summit, June 18-19. Read More USAID Project Launches Newest Grand Challenge: Powering Agriculture Today 1.4 billion people lack access to clean energy. The impact of this limited energy access is particularly pronounced in the agricultural sectors of developing countries, which often have extremely low rural electrification rates. The lack of modern energy services affects every aspect of the agricultural value chain, from irrigation and harvesting to processing and storage. Read More DAI’s Kregg Halstead Describes for University Audience the Growth of Parliament in Embattled Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan’s Lake Issyk Kul is a natural wonder: one of the largest and deepest lakes in the world, fed by natural mineral springs and surrounded by snow-capped mountains, it could be a premium destination for the world’s tourists. Read More DAI Co-hosts Webinar on Mobile Technologies for Development In partnership with the Bretton Woods Committee, DAI co-hosted a webinar yesterday on the use of mobile technologies in development, specifically within the World Bank’s work. Read More DAI’s Claudia Manning Urges Supplier Development in Business Day DAI’s Claudia Manning has written a column on effective business supplier development for South Africa’s Business Day, a leading national newspaper. Read More Serbian President, U.S. Ambassador Hail Launch of Biogas Plant As the operator of one of the larger dairy farms in Serbia, Lazar Dairy has had a significant problem dealing with the manure produced by the cows on the farm. Previously, Lazar pumped the manure into a large lagoon, where the solid materials settled and the remaining liquid was used to fertilize crops. Read More DAI’s Heredia-Ortiz, Coauthors Honored for Paper on Political Economy of Decentralization DAI’s Eunice Heredia-Ortiz and three coauthors were recently honored for their paper, “Rethinking the Political Economy of Decentralization: How Democracy and Political Parties Shape the Provision of Local Public Goods.” Read More DFID Economic Growth Project in Palestine Assists 600 firms, Creates 3,400 Jobs The DAI-led Facility for New Market Development project (FNMD) in Palestine came to a close this week with numerous successes to its credit. Since 2008, the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID)-funded program has assisted 600 Palestinian companies in a wide range of sectors, generating more than $100 million in attributable sales and exports, and providing 3,400 new permanent jobs to unemployed Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. Read More Students from Indonesia’s Finance Ministry Visit DAI DAI, which has worked in Indonesia for more than 30 years, hosted 15 junior members of that country’s Ministry of Finance this week for a discussion at DAI headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland. Read More Maryland Firms Lead Efforts to Develop Global Economy, DAI’s Tim Beans Tells Governor’s International Council Maryland firms manage approximately $2.3 billion, or 10.4 percent, of the foreign assistance budget of the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)—with DAI serving as the state’s leading development firm operating in 60 countries. Read More DAI Tapped to Help Evaluate Walmart Women’s Initiative DAI is delighted to announce it has joined an alliance working with Walmart to evaluate the retailer’s initiative to empower women working in its factories in developing countries. Read More Water Demand Management Project Changed Jordanians’ Approach to Water DAI celebrated the successes of its five-year water conservation program, which ended last week in Jordan, with a ceremony attended by nearly 200 people. Read More Former Finance Vice Minister Eduardo Fernandez Joins DAI Dr. Eduardo Fernandez, Colombia’s former vice minister of finance and national budget director, recently joined DAI as managing director for governance in the Mexico office. Read More Telecom Champion, Former Minister Marwan Juma of Jordan Named to DAI Board DAI is delighted to announce that technology executive and champion Marwan Juma of Jordan has accepted an invitation to join DAI’s Board of Directors. Read More Partnership with Somaliland’s Private Sector Aims to Lay Foundation for Growth, Stability For more than 20 years, efforts to end civil conflict and lawlessness in southern and central Somalia have been unsuccessful—yet the northern autonomous region of Somaliland enjoys relative peace and stability. Read More Hospital Turned Over to Local Control in Conflict-Plagued Eastern Sri Lanka A milestone was achieved November 22 in conflict-plagued eastern Sri Lanka when a recently built, three-ward medical complex was handed over to local district authorities. Read More DAI Supports Honduran Youth Empowerment Group with Donation DAI caps off its 2011 Community Engagement Program with a $10,000 grant to OYE Honduras, a community-based, youth-led organization that develops the leadership and capacity of at-risk Honduran youth. Read More Alex Trebek, VIPs Urge Innovators to Compete for Funding to Improve Global Literacy Global donors urged innovators worldwide last week to compete for $7.5 million in newly available funding by submitting ideas to increase literacy among the world’s neediest children. Funding applications are due January 31. Read More DAI Tapped for Excellence in Evaluation Award from USAID DAI was one of five winners of an Excellence in Evaluation award from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Read More DAI Named Finalist in the 2012 Helios HR Apollo Awards DAI has been named a finalist in the 2012 Helios HR Apollo Awards, in the largest company category alongside Booz Allen Hamilton, Deltek, Ogilvy Washington, SRA International, Inc., and Washington Gas. Read More DAI Staff Host NDU Classes on Asia, Economic Growth DAI staff made presentations last week to military and civilian members of the Agribusiness Industry Study Group from the National Defense University. The group visited DAI headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, on February 29 to receive training in food security and competitiveness, from bioterrorism and economic development perspectives, targeting Asia and the Pacific. Read More DAI’s Ragan Urges NYU Conferees to Step Up Source Technology to Find Solutions Technology and innovation ought to shape the work being done in developing countries but are not being sourced or scaled in ways that meet key development challenges, according to DAI’s Kristi Ragan, Chief of Party for USAID’s Grand Challenges for Development. Read More Winter Issue of Developments Now Available The fall/winter issue of Developments is now available. Read More DAI Wins International Business Leadership Award from World Trade Center Institute DAI has been named a winner in the World Trade Center Institute’s 16th Annual Maryland International Business Leadership Award program. Represented by CEO Jim Boomgard, DAI was one of seven winners chosen from a pool of 80 independently nominated companies from the state. Winning companies were selected based on their success in international business, growth in revenue and employment, and community involvement. Read More Documentary Describes How Project Delivers Clean Water for 1.8 Million Filipinos A recently released 15-minute documentary describes how a DAI-led project in the Philippines made it possible for water providers to expand and upgrade their systems, and deliver water services to another 1.8 million people. Read More Grand Challenge to Boost Literacy Kicks Off with Star-Packed Event On November 18, The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the nonprofit organization World Vision will launch All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development, with support from the DAI-implemented Grand Challenges for Development project. Read More USAID’s Rajiv Shah Reviews iCow Mobile Application Helping Kenyan Farmers Kenyan farmers who own just a few cows need to get the most from these precious assets. More than 1,300 farmers throughout Kenya are now receiving text messages each week with guidance to help them breed, feed, and care for their cows and maximize their health and value. Read More DAI Staff Run to Raise Funds for Norgrove Foundation and Benefit Afghan Women DAI is following the lead of the Linda Norgrove Foundation by organizing events to mark the first anniversary of our late colleague’s death and raise money for the foundation. Read More DAI Jordan Receives Award for Supporting Green Entrepreneurship DAI Jordan was presented with a plaque September 18 by Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya in recognition of DAI’s support of the 4th Queen Rania National Entrepreneurship Competition. Read More DAI’s Lara Goldmark Describes Steps Needed for Sustainable Youth Employment Large numbers of unemployed young people can lead to blight, social unrest, or worse—sometimes much worse. Donors and others hoping to help put young men and women to work in developing nations need to consider wide-ranging steps for job growth to take root, according to Lara Goldmark, DAI’s Technical Area Manager for Private Sector Development. Read More DAI Statement in Response to Ruling in Alan Gross Appeal In response to the news that Cuba’s Supreme Court has upheld a 15-year prison sentence imposed on DAI subcontractor Alan Gross for committing “acts against the integrity and independence of the state,” DAI President and Chief Executive Officer James Boomgard issued the following statement. Read More White Paper Released on Project that Connected 67,000 Rural Cambodians to Clean Water A recent story in the Developments newsletter struck a chord throughout DAI and beyond. Read More DAI Selected as Top Innovator in Global Poll Bethesda, Maryland—DAI has been named a Devex Top 40 Development Innovator, one of only 10 consulting firms so honored globally. The award was based on a poll of 100,000 Devex members, who comprise the world’s largest network of aid and international development professionals. Read More News Filter Looking for news articles on a particular technical topic or geographical area? Click below to filter. RESET FILTERS Filter by Solution Climate DAI Capital Digital Acceleration Economic Growth Education Environment Fragile States Global Health Governance Sustainable Business Filter by Region Latin America & the Caribbean Asia & the Pacific Eastern Europe & Central Asia Middle East & North Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Worldwide Sign Up Contact Us Privacy Policy Copyright DAI. All Rights Reserved. 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