WASHINGTON (August 7, 2017) – WCS Executive Vice President of Public Affairs John Calvelli issued the following statement on the confirmation of Ambassador Mark Green as U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator:

“WCS congratulates Mark Green on his confirmation as USAID Administrator. As someone with a wealth of experience in foreign policy, we are excited to work with him in his new role, especially as it relates to international conservation and combating wildlife trafficking.

“Ambassador Green’s experience as U.S. ambassador to Tanzania, as well has his years in Congress, will be invaluable as he navigates the crucial role of U.S. leadership around the world.

“Efforts to combat wildlife trafficking solidify American leadership abroad and reinforce our national security by cracking down on criminal syndicates and terrorist groups that are also trafficking in weapons, drugs and people. International conservation, through programs at USAID and other agencies, is a bulwark against instability abroad, by promoting good governance and law enforcement, both critical to economic development.

“Foreign aid and diplomacy are important and proven methods of keeping America safe that cost us less in lives and taxpayer dollars than the use of hard power. There is bipartisan support for critically important international conservation within foreign assistance programs as a cost-effective method of ensuring our economic and national security, not to mention the health and well-being of wildlife and landscapes around the world. We are glad Ambassador Green will be able to quickly get to work on this mission.”

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