Haven Cruz-Hubbard (left) being sworn in as USAID's Mission Director for South Sudan by U.S. Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Stephen G. Fakan (right) on 19 August, 2020. PHOTO//Facebook/USAID-South Sudan

South Sudan’s largest donor, the United State Agency for International Development, USAID, has a new Mission Director for Africa’s youngest nation.

Haven Cruz-Hubbard was sworn in on August 19 in Juba to spearhead US humanitarian and development efforts in South Sudan.

“He will oversee USAID’s extensive humanitarian and development programs in South Sudan, which include life-saving food and other emergency assistance, as well as development programs in health, education, democracy and governance, conflict mitigation, and economic growth,” read a statement from the USAID.

USAID has provided nearly $5.6 billion in emergency humanitarian assistance since the civil war erupted in December 2013 and July 2016 and more than $1.8 billion in development assistance since South Sudan’s independence in 2011.

The United States Government has also provided $46.9 million to help South Sudan respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including nearly $38 million through USAID.

Mr. Cruz began his post in Juba on August 20. He replaces Leslie Reed, who was the Mission Director since October 2019.

Background

Haven Cruz-Hubbard joined USAID in 2002. He is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service at the Counselor level and was the Deputy Mission Director in the Dominican Republic from 2016 to 2020.

He also served as the Acting Mission Director from January 2017 to August 2018. Prior assignments include service as the Senior Resident Legal Officer in USAID/Afghanistan, USAID’s Foreign Service Deputy General Counsel, and Assistant General Counsel for Africa and the Bureau for Food Security.

He was also the Resident Legal Officer with USAID/West Africa Regional and USAID/Peru.

“Mr. Cruz-Hubbard’s vast experience in humanitarian assistance and international development is pivotal for the people of South Sudan, consolidating the relationship between the South Sudanese and American people,” said U.S. Chargé d’Affaires to South Sudan Stephen Fakan.

Mr. Cruz-Hubbard, who is a native of Washington, D.C., has a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.A. in Spanish and Political Science from Amherst College.