In a key note address to the U.S.-India People-to-People Conference, USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah spoke of the growing contributions both countries are making toward development assistance around the world, Press Trust of India/Business Standard reports (10/29).

The aim of the conference, which was organized by the U.S. State Department, was to highlight the importance of the relationships between India and the U.S. and the contributions Indian-Americans have made to this relationship, and comes as President Barack Obama prepares to travel to the Asia Pacific region next month, according to the State Department website. Conference attendees included members of the Indian-American community, Assistant Secretary Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake, Assistant Secretary of Education and Cultural Affairs Ann Stock and Indian Ambassador to the U.S. Ms. Meera Shankar (undated).

“We are very excited to be expanding our partnerships with India and with institutions, companies and public sector ministries in India to work on development-related activities,” Shah said, according to the PTI/Business Standard. Such partnerships involve “efforts to reduce poverty and hunger and child malnutrition, efforts to continue to work together to address the spread of disease and the efforts to empower women, particularly in rural communities, throughout India and South Asia,” he added.

As an example of such efforts, Shah noted the countries were working together to “convert some of the drip-irrigation systems that allow for improved vegetable production into very cheap PVC and high-volume production that can reach really millions of South Asian families and improve the core nutritional standing of children who still suffer dramatically from malnutrition,” the news service notes. The article also includes quotes by Shankar (10/29).

“Earlier this year, the governments of the United States and India opened a Strategic Dialogue to advance our cooperation on some of the toughest challenges we face – including improving global health, developing sources of renewable energy, educating more of our children, and empowering people to improve their own lives. … But we know that governments alone cannot solve any of these problems. We need ideas, and help, from people like you,” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said in a video address to the conference. “I hope that by sharing your ideas with one another, you can identify new and creative ways to deliver results that will make a difference in the lives of people and communities in India and around the world,” Clinton said (10/28).