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- 05/12/12: Commencement Address by Dr. Rajiv Shah, USAID Administrator, at the School of International Service, American University
- 05/11/12: Baccalaureate Address by Dr. Rajiv Shah, USAID Administrator, at Tuskegee University
- 05/08/12: Remarks by Nancy Lindborg, Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Democracy, Conflict & Humanitarian Assistance, at the International Food Aid and Development Conference - The Role of U.S. Food Assistance in Building Resilience
- 04/30/12: Remarks by Donald K. Steinberg, Deputy Administrator, at the Interaction Forum 2012 - The Democratization of Development
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This is an archived USAID document retained on this web site as a matter of public record.
Remarks by Henrietta H. Fore
USAID Administrator and Director of Foreign Assistance
Small Business Owners Reception
Ukaj Wood Processing Plant
Lipjan, Kosovo
May 17, 2008
USAID Administrator and the Director of Foreign Assistance Henrietta Fore: Thank you for being here -- for treating me to a chance to see the factory, the furniture factory next door, with beautiful furniture. Now, can I just check to make sure that we have all Kosovar chairs? (Examines chairs.) Yes, and what about flooring? And doors?
Businessman: We produce these doors in Peja.
USAID Administrator and the Director of Foreign Assistance Henrietta Fore: I really enjoyed walking through the factory for the chairs. They are good quality, very sturdy, and it reminds me of a factory back home. And, I understand that you have orders from the region -- other countries in this region -- which is very important for the future of the Kosovar businesses. It is a good business for the people who then have products that they can use at home. But it also provides employment and skills in the running of machinery.
And, I understand that, at least one machine, was partially given by the American people through the U.S. Agency for International Development. We would like to encourage more business, so that there is more opportunity and more prosperity and more jobs in Kosovo.
May I see the hands of your family members who are here? (Families raise their hands.)
That's good! Well that entrepreneurial spirit can be in the family.
I also understand that we have here Kosovar products: cheese, meats, pastries and sweets. So, those here who have made these, will you come stand by them? Will you take up yours? (Business owners pick up their products.) Excellent! And how about the actual products themselves, like the cheeses?
Business owners: Yes. It is our cheese.
USAID Administrator and the Director of Foreign Assistance Henrietta Fore: Your cheese? Excellent! Congratulations! (To Sasha, the candy business owner:) You are with the candies, alright. So, let's have a picture with the candies. And then with your cheese. Anyone else, who owns some of these products? All right! So, here is to the spirit of entrepreneurism, to having a small business! So, congratulations!
One thing I've noticed -- as I was looking through the newspaper -- I asked how many of the stories in the newspaper were about small business people and medium size business people. But, only a few pages in every newspaper are on business and on entrepreneurs' opportunities. So, write about yourselves. Talk about yourselves: how did you start in your business? How did you choose your product? How did you price your product?
Thank you very much.
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