WASHINGTON – According to ABC News, on Wednesday (Jan. 13), President-elect Joe Biden announced Ambassador Samantha Power as his nominee for Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and elevated the position to become a member of the National Security Council.

Biden noted that Ambassador Power is widely recognized as a leader in marshaling the world to resolve long-running conflicts, respond to humanitarian emergencies, defend human dignity, and strengthen the rule of law and democracy. 

As USAID Administrator, her role will include working with U.S. partners to confront the coronavirus pandemic, protect the nation's most vulnerable communities, and advance American ideals and interests around the globe. 

President-elect Biden expressed his confidence in Power, saying, “Samantha Power is a world-renowned voice of conscience and moral clarity — challenging and rallying the international community to stand up for the dignity and humanity of all people. I know firsthand the unparalleled knowledge and tireless commitment to principled American engagement she brings to the table, and her expertise and perspective will be essential as our country reasserts its role as a leader on the world stage. As USAID Administrator, Ambassador Power will be a powerful force for lifting up the vulnerable, ushering in a new era of human progress and development, and advancing American interests globally.”

An immigrant from Ireland, Ambassador Power began her career as a war correspondent in Bosnia, and went on to report from places including Kosovo, Rwanda, Sudan, and Zimbabwe. 

She eventually went on to become the founding executive director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. 

After this, Power focused on a career in government, serving in the Obama-Biden Administration Cabinet from 2013 to 2017 as the 28th U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations.