Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance Resources James L. Richardson is traveling to the Republic of Korea and Vietnam, December 8–14, 2019. Director Richardson’s travel will focus on strategic planning and donor coordination with our partners to advance the effective use of U.S. foreign assistance resources in support of U.S. foreign policy priorities.

On December 8, Director Richardson arrived in the Republic of Korea (ROK). On December 9–10, he is meeting with the U.S. Embassy team in Seoul as they conduct their annual strategy review. He is attending meetings with Korean government officials and private sector companies, where he will reaffirm the U.S.-ROK partnership, including efforts to coordinate foreign assistance resources to support cooperation across the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy and the ROK New Southern Policy.

From December 11–14, Director Richardson will travel to Vietnam. On December 12, Director Richardson will meet with Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials and with the U.S. Embassy team in Hanoi. He will then travel to Ho Chi Minh City and Bien Hoa. On December 13 he will visit Bien Hoa Airbase, where USAID is partnering with a small business from Louisiana to design the remediation plan of the largest remaining hotspot of dioxin contamination in Vietnam, and Fulbright University Vietnam, the country’s first fully independent, non-profit university. Additionally, he will meet with local partners and private sector companies working to mobilize investment in Vietnam’s rapidly expanding energy sector. These important U.S. foreign assistance programs continue to advance the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership and promote goodwill between our two peoples.

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