Haiti RPCV Alonzo Fulgham as its new Mission Director in Afghanistan



Haiti RPCV Alonzo Fulgham as its new Mission Director in Afghanistan

New USAID Mission Director for Afghanistan Sworn In

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21, 2005
2005-047
Press Office: 202-712-4320
Public Information: 202-712-4810
www.usaid.gov

Contact: USAID Press Office

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the swearing in of Alonzo Fulgham as its new Mission Director in Afghanistan. Administrator Andrew S. Natsios presided at the event and administered the oath to Mr. Fulgham.

When the USAID office re-opened in January 2002, the first objective was to prevent a major humanitarian crisis. The USAID/Afghanistan Mission is now building on achievements such as the building of schools and clinics, the immunization of children, the development of infrastructure and the introduction of a new, stable currency. The six building blocks of the current program are infrastructure; agriculture and rural development; education; economic governance; health care; and reconstituting the basic organs of governance.

"The men and women who built this country and those who have made it prosper in good times and bad, have always been men and women whose faith in our country's future was unshakeable," said Fulgham. "If the U.S. Agency for International Development is 'America's best public diplomacy,' as the Secretary of State said recently, then our time is now."

A career member of the Foreign Service, Fulgham joined USAID's Asia Near East (ANE) Bureau as Special Assistant to the Assistant Administrator in July 2003. That October he was named Director of South Asian Affairs. Prior to his assignment in ANE, Fulgham served as the de facto Deputy Director for USAID's Mission in Serbia and Montenegro since September 2001, where he was responsible for strategy design and managing $160 million in program support.

Fulgham entered USAID in 1989, working as the private sector advisor to the USAID Mission in Swaziland. In March of 1992, he was selected as an International Development Intern (IDI) and subsequently spent one year in Washington on bureau rotations. In March 1993, after successfully completing his training, he was assigned to Amman, Jordan as a Private Sector Officer and then as Office Director, responsible for macro economic policy and economic opportunities. In March of 1998, he was assigned to the Regional Mission for the Caucasus responsible for Georgia and Azerbaijan. He served as the office Director for Economic Restructuring and Energy office until June of 2000, when he was selected to attend the National Defense University (ICAF) to study national security issues.

Fulgham was born May 23, 1958, and spent his childhood in Boston rooting for the Boston Red Sox and Celtics. He obtained a B.S. from Fisk University in 1980, and an M.A. from the National Defense University in 2001. He is a returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Haiti, 1984-1986. Fulgham speaks Creole and Spanish. He is married and has two children.

The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years.

When this story was posted in June 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:



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American Taboo: A Peace Corps Tragedy Returned Volunteers met with author Philip Weiss in Baltimore on June 18 to discuss the murder of Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner. Weiss was a member of a panel that included three psychiatrists and a criminal attorney. Meanwhile, the Seattle U.S. Attorney's office announced that Dennis Priven cannot be retried for the murder. "We do not believe this case can be prosecuted by anyone, not only us, but in any other jurisdiction in the United States." Read background on the case here.

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June 16, 2005: Special Events Philip Weiss, PCV murder writer, speaks in Baltimore June 18 "Rainforests and Refugees" showing in Portland, Maine until June 25 "Iowa in Ghana" on exhibit in Waterloo through June 30 NPCA to hold Virtual Leaders Forum on July 29 RPCV's "Taking the Early Bus" at Cal State until Aug 15 "Artists and Patrons in Traditional African Cultures" in NY thru Sept 30 RPCVs: Post your stories or press releases here for inclusion next week.

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June 14: Peace Corps suspends Haiti program After Uzbekistan, the Peace Corps has announced the suspension of a second program this month - this time in Haiti. Background: The suspension comes after a US Embassy warning, a request from Tom Lantos' office, and the program suspension last year. For the record: PCOL supports Peace Corps' decision to suspend the two programs and commends the agency for the efficient way PCVs were evacuated safely. Our only concern now is with the placement of evacuated PCVs and the support they receive after interrupted service.

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June 6: PC suspends Uzbekistan program Peace Corps has announced that it is suspending the Uzbekistan program after the visas of 52 Peace Corps volunteers who arrived in January were not renewed. The suspension comes after a State Department warning that terrorist groups may be planning attacks in Uzbekistan and after the killings in Andizhan earlier in May. Background: PCOL published a report on April 23 that Peace Corps volunteers who arrived in January were having visa difficulties and reported on safety and visa issues in Uzbekistan as they developed.

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June 6, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Kinky Friedman will "sign anything except bad legislation" 6 Jun Niels Marquardt Makes Chimpanzee Protection a Priority 6 Jun Laurence Leamer needs approval for "Today" appearance 6 Jun Desperate Housewives' Ricardo Chavira is son of RPCVs 6 Jun Anthony Sandberg runs Berkeley sailing school 5 Jun Amy Smith field-tests sugarcane charcoal 5 Jun Mary Johnson organizes workshop on genocide 3 Jun Jonathan Lash in 100 most Influential Business Leaders 3 Jun Hastert jump-starts Chris Shays' Campaign 3 Jun John Coyne says 41 RPCVs applied for scholarships 3 Jun James Rupert writes on bombing in Kandahar mosque 1 Jun John McCain says to expand opportunities for service 1 Jun Jay Rockefeller's relationships with Japanese go way back 1 Jun Anat Shenker met her husband during service in Honduras 31 May Ryan Clancy punished without hearing for visiting Iraq 30 May Melissa Mosvick remembered as a fallen American hero 29 May Kurt Carlson played basketball against Togo's national team 29 May Helen Thomas's favorite president remains JFK 24 May

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