White House, State Department, and U.S. African Development Foundation Announce Funding for the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs

Today, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump announced a new
partnership in support of the White House-led Women’s Global Development
and Prosperity Initiative (W-GDP).  The partnership between the U.S.
Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)
and the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) will expand the
Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE).

AWE was created in 2019 and launched in 26 countries around the world
to support W-GDP, which aims to economically empower 50 million women
in the developing world by 2025.

“W-GDP is the first ever whole-of-government approach to women’s
economic empowerment, developed intentionally to inspire collaboration
on best programs and partnerships,” said Advisor to the President Ivanka
Trump. “I am proud to see the State Department and U.S. Africa
Development Foundation partner together to expand the Academy for Women
Entrepreneurs (AWE) in support of W-GDP. W-GDP is focused on scaling
programs that will have maximum impact for women and communities around
the world.”

In 2020, to help achieve W-GDP’s goals, ECA is expanding AWE
globally, doubling the number of countries to reach more women, and
partnering with USADF in Africa on this important effort.

This new U.S. government interagency partnership will provide select
AWE graduates in Africa with seed funding to start and scale their
enterprises.  Beginning this year, through 2025, USADF will provide up
to $10 million in grants to the most promising African AWE graduates. 
In 2020, funding will be awarded to AWE graduates from the following
countries: Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa,
Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

USADF believes Africa’s growth and prosperity will be driven by
women.  In 2019, women social entrepreneurs and women-led enterprises
constituted approximately 66% of USADF’s total investees.  USADF is
partnering with the State Department on AWE to promote African women’s
entrepreneurship and increase their access to capital, markets,
technical assistance, and mentorship.

AWE supports Pillar 2 of W-GDP by providing women with the knowledge,
skills, and networks needed to create sustainable businesses and
enterprises.  Through an inclusive learning community and mentoring
opportunities, women from around the world will explore the fundamentals
of business, including creating business plans and raising capital,
with the goal of building a better future for their families and
communities across Africa and around the world.

State Department Contracting Officer Sentenced to Prison for Bribery and Procurement Fraud Scheme

A contracting officer with the U.S. Department of State was sentenced today to 87 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release after he was convicted of 13 counts of conspiracy, bribery, honest services wire fraud and making false statements.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge Marc Meyer of the U.S. Department of State Office of Inspector General and Assistant Director in Charge Timothy R. Slater of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.

Zaldy N. Sabino, 60, of Fort Washington, Maryland, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady after Sabino’s conviction on Oct. 4, 2019.  In addition to his term of imprisonment, Sabino was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine.

According to the evidence at trial, between November 2012 and early 2017, Sabino and the owner of a Turkish construction firm engaged in a bribery and procurement fraud scheme in which Sabino received at least $521,862.93 in cash payments from the Turkish owner while Sabino supervised multi-million dollar construction contracts awarded to the Turkish owner’s business partners and while Sabino made over a half million dollars in structured cash deposits into his personal bank accounts.  Sabino concealed his unlawful relationship by, among other things, making false statements on financial disclosure forms and during his background reinvestigation.

The Department of State’s Office of Inspector General, led by Steve A. Linick, and the FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated the case.  Trial Attorney Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Hanly of the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.

State Department spokesperson released a statement about the vulnerability of the North Korean people to a coronavirus outbreak.

Morgan Ortagus, Department Spokesperson

The United States is deeply concerned about the
vulnerability of the North Korean people to a coronavirus outbreak. We
strongly support and encourage the work of U.S. and international aid
and health organizations to counter and contain the spread of
coronavirus in the DPRK. The United States is ready and prepared to
expeditiously facilitate the approval of assistance from these
organizations.

On Assistant Secretary Michelle Giuda

Michelle Giuda has been a transformational leader at the State Department. Her achievements as Assistant Secretary for Global Public Affairs greatly contributed to the future of our country, including her leadership of the largest restructuring at the Department in twenty years to modernize the United States’ ability to communicate effectively in every corner of the world. Michelle also faithfully took on the responsibilities of the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy & Public Affairs over the past year. Her vision, foresight, and accomplishments will leave a long-lasting impact on American public diplomacy. I thank her for her service and wish her all the best as she moves on to new opportunities next month.