The drawdown of American troops in Afghanistan, together with the forming of a new Government of Afghanistan following the upcoming elections scheduled for this April, will present new challenges for the United States in how it can most effectively deliver assistance in Afghanistan. What are the challenges and how will the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) approach them? How will USAID build on the successes it has achieved over the past ten years? Furthermore, as USAID assistance transitions to longer-term development with a focus on health, education, gender, and economic growth led by agriculture, how will the agency continue to conduct effective oversight and monitoring in an ever evolving environment to ensure that U.S. taxpayers' funds are used effectively? One of the people that can help address those concerns is Donald "Larry" Sampler Jr., who was recently sworn in as the Assistant to the Administrator for USAID's Office of Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs, officially taking over responsibility for two countries with the largest USAID budgets. Mr. Sampler will make remarks regarding these issues, which will be followed by a panel discussion to explore these and other questions further. For the discussion, Mr. Sampler will be joined by the U.S. State Department's Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Jarrett Blanc, who works on international partnership, reconciliation, and political transition issues. The New America Foundation hosted this dialogue about the U.S. government's development goals in Afghanistan both in 2014, a year of many transitions in the country, and beyond. Join the conversation online using #afghangoals and following @NatSecNAF. Participants Donald "Larry" Sampler, Jr. Assistant to the Administrator, Office of Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs, U.S. Agency for International Development Jarrett Blanc Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, U.S. Department of State Moderator: Omar Samad Senior Central Asia Fellow, New America Foundation Former Afghan Ambassador to Canada and France newamerica.net/events/2014/afghanistan_development_goals

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