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Remarks by Ambassador Nancy J. Powell
American Study Conference
Islamabad, Pakistan
September 21, 2004

Thank you, Dr. Islam, for that kind introduction. And thank you as well for your efforts and that of the Area Study Center of Quaid-i-Azam University for organizing the eighth annual American Studies Conference. The attendance of scholars from throughout South Asia underscores the importance and usefulness of this yearly forum, and, on behalf of the U.S. Government, I am pleased that we are sponsoring this conference once again this year.

Thank you, too, Dr. Rais. Your participation sends a strong signal about the importance of studying America.

I know that U.S.-South Asian relations are among the themes the conference will address. I will say a few words about that large topic, but I will also want to review for you our expanding USAID and exchange programs with Pakistan, particularly those that involve the critically important issue of education.

As a diplomat who has served throughout the region - in Pakistan twice, but also in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal - I know the U.S. relationship with South Asia is broad, complex, and of considerable importance to all the countries of the region. Building on many positive developments in the past few years, I believe that the nations of the region - working together, and supported where appropriate by the U.S. - can continue to consolidate peace and prosperity throughout the region.

When we look at the future possibilities for economic and growth and social development in South Asia, it is hard not to be optimistic. Notwithstanding all recent economic progress, this part of the world still has huge untapped human and economic potential - potential that, if fully realized, could change the international economic and social landscape in fundamental ways. For this to happen, however, regional political and military stability must be ensured. Our engagement with our South Asian partners is meant to support efforts by the states in the region to realize a more stable political environment. Much work needs to be done - development, democratic institution building, conflict resolution, and cooperation within the region.

Leaving more detailed comments with regard to Pakistan for a moment, let me begin with a word on Afghanistan where we are working hard to consolidate lasting peace and stability. In a few short weeks, Afghanistan will conduct its first free presidential election - a historic achievement by any measure. Eighteen candidates will appear on the October 9 ballot. More than 10.5 million Afghans have registered to vote; notably, 41 percent of them are women. Almost 5 million children are in schools - the largest number in the history of the country. And, the United States has been investing approximately $2.5 billion a year in reconstruction and development assistance over the past several years. Roads are being built, schools and irrigation systems restored, and massive amounts of training is being done.

As we are doing with Pakistan, the U.S. is also broadening and enriching its relationship with India in many areas, and we are pleased that Pakistan and India no longer see their relations with us as a zero-sum game. The United States welcomes the recent efforts between India and Pakistan to pursue a wide-ranging composite dialogue with the objective of reaching a peaceful settlement on all bilateral issues, including the difficult challenge of Kashmir. For America's part, we will continue to look for ways to encourage peace in Kashmir, supporting a process that will lead to a solution acceptable to Pakistan, India, and to the people of Kashmir itself.

Our engagement with Bangladesh is important in order to help that country achieve long-term economic and social development; our assistance programs are focused on improving basic education, fostering scientific cooperation, assisting economic growth and trade, and increasing health services for women and children. Due to its location and impressive level of development reached thus far, the future of Sri Lanka should be assured, but only if it can achieve lasting domestic peace - something we and others in the international community are trying to support. In Nepal, a very fragile democracy is threatened by a Maoist insurgency, and the U.S. is assisting in preventing further instability there that could cause a humanitarian crisis and have negative spillover effects into other states in the region.

Much of our focus reflects the great global concerns of the day. Throughout South Asia, American diplomatic efforts and programs aimed at combating trafficking in persons have been refocused and intensified. We are combating HIV/AIDs throughout the region. Our development, democracy, and law enforcement programs seek to combat corruption and promote transparency, accountability, and efficiency, including through strengthened private sector, civil society and independent media involvement. And, we remain ever mindful of the special problems facing women throughout South Asia, and our programs across the board have integrated components to improve literacy, education, health, and economic and legal rights for women and girls.

Turning to Pakistan itself, four broad areas constitute U.S. foreign policy priorities here: continuing our common efforts in the global war on terrorism; promoting regional stability; helping Pakistan to strengthen economic, social, and political development; and building bridges between our two nations' peoples to foster greater mutual understanding. For this audience of educators, let me spend a moment to highlight our USAID development programs in four sectors - health, governance, micro-finance, and, most specifically, education - as well as to outline some of our efforts at increasing mutual understanding. (Specific information on our AID programs and how to access them is contained in the packets we are providing you today.)

Improving health care services, especially for women and children, is a key USAID objective. Thousands of rural women now receive reproductive health services that they could not obtain before. A new $53 million program will establish model maternal and child health services in ten districts. This program will be part of a national effort led by the Ministry of Health. USAID is also helping to decrease the spread of polio.

Good governance has a critical role to play in reducing poverty. This year, USAID awarded grants in 11 Districts that have brought communities, local governments, and the private sector together to address local concerns, such as water sanitation, small irrigation channels, and access roads. Another important area is legislative strengthening. Pakistani NGOs are now working with national and provincial legislators to build strong relations between legislative bodies and civil society in order to improve policy analysis and decision-making.

USAID assistance also seeks to create economic opportunities and jobs for the poor. USAID is providing micro-credit and micro-finance services to help create economic activity in particularly disadvantaged areas, especially in Sindh and Balochistan. We are also helping small and medium enterprises develop better business strategies so they can increase profits and create employment.

Finally, in education, our flagship is the five-year, $100 million education program with the Ministry of Education to provide quality education for the children of Pakistan. Just within the last year, we have trained 2,500 Pakistani teachers both here and in the United States; introduced early childhood education programs in more than 200 schools; provided classroom materials and playground equipment; refurbished 1, 200 schools; and established 100 literacy centers for out of school youth and adults. We are helping District Education Officers in Sindh and Balochistan improve planning, budgeting, and management. We are also rebuilding and furnishing 130 schools in FATA. We will expand these programs in the coming year.

In an exciting opportunity for Pakistani students and scholars, USAID, in coordination with Pakistani Higher Education Commission, will sponsor 1,000 students for a period of up to four years for university scholarships here in Pakistan. At the same time, USAID working with our binational Fulbright Commission, will provide up to $20 million annually to provide scholarships for up to 200 Pakistani students for their Masters degrees at American universities. What better way to promote American Studies than to support studying in America!

Students of most disciplines are welcome to apply, especially the arts, humanities, and social sciences, as well as the pure and applied sciences -- with the exception that clinical medical fields and MBAs are excluded. Grant funds provide tuition, required textbooks, airfare, basic living stipend, and health insurance. We expect approximately 140 persons to take advantage of this new initiative and begin their studies next fall at universities across America. If you know a good candidate for this program, please advertise this opportunity. But please hurry: the deadline for applications this year is next Monday (9/27). Please look in the USAID information packets we have provided for additional information.

Finally, as the goal of American Studies is to help students of South Asia better understand the U.S., we here at the Embassy are also continually looking for ways to bring Pakistanis and American closer together. We seize every possible opportunity -as do our colleagues throughout the region - to send people on exchange programs on issues that vary from human rights training for police to monitoring the U.S. elections. We recently instituted a once-a-month Internet web chat to increase communication between Embassy officers and the Pakistani public. Our first web chat was about visa policy, and more than 350 Pakistanis logged in to obtain information about visa rules and regulations. The U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors, our international broadcasting arm, also has expanded the Voice of America's medium wave broadcasts to 12 hours a day, and has begun FM broadcasting for the first time.

In another interesting project, the Embassy has enlisted a Pakistan university - the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir at New Campus in Muzaffarabad - in a State Department-supported Virtual Classroom Project. In coming months, a classroom of Kashmir students will interact via Internet video and audio with their counterparts at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. This is a unique way to build people-to-people contacts among young people in remoter areas where it would normally not be possible to meet people from a foreign land.

When one thinks about it, your endeavors as educators in this part of the world who try to help young people understand what the United States is all about - and ours, here at the Embassy, are remarkably similar. We are all working to build bridges; and this can only be accomplished with greater knowledge of each other on both sides. In our increasingly tight-knit and interconnected world, we must strive further to understand one another more fully in order to build a peaceful and secure future for all our citizens. I commend your efforts.

Thank you for providing me the opportunity to share these thoughts with you today. It has been my privilege to address you.