US President Barack Obama has sought to leverage American innovation to help reduce poverty and boost economic growth, and increased agricultural production and food security without further accelerating climate change.
Obama said this in his meeting at the White House with 10 members of the Global Development Council yesterday, two of whom are Indian Americans Gargee Ghosh from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Smith Singh formerly of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
"He urged members of the Council to develop additional actionable recommendations on how to catalyze private sector investment in development, leverage American innovation to help reduce poverty and boost economic growth, and increase agricultural production and food security without further accelerating climate change," the White House said.
Obama welcomed the opportunity to hear the Council's views and reiterated his Administration's strong commitment to promoting development as a key component of their comprehensive approach to national security, it said.
In addition to him, Secretary of State John Kerry, and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, among others present at the meet was USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, who is the highest ranking Indian American in his government.
The Global Development Council is the first Presidential-level council devoted to global development policy. It was established in February 2012 consistent with the Presidential Policy Directive on Global Development.
The mission of the Council is to inform and provide advice to the President and other senior US officials on US global development policy and practice.
