DLA Piper strategic advisor George Salem appointed board chair of Partnership for Peace Fund Advisory Board by USAID

DLA Piper is pleased to announce that George Salem has been appointed the inaugural board chair of the Partnership for Peace Fund (PPF) Advisory Board by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

The 12-member board, established by the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act (MEPPA), will advise USAID on the strategic direction of the People-to-People Partnership for Peace Fund. MEPPA is providing US$250 million over five years for USAID and the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to fund projects to strengthen people-to-people engagement between Palestinians and Israelis, increasing understanding and building the foundation for peaceful coexistence and a sustainable two-state solution.

The board members will serve three-year terms, during which they will provide recommendations on the types of projects USAID should pursue, recommend partnerships with foreign governments and international organizations, and inform USAID’s reporting to congressional committees.

Salem is a strategic advisor to DLA Piper who assists in the development of the firm’s practices relating to the Middle East and labor law matters. He previously served as the Department of Labor’s Solicitor of Labor during the Reagan Administration and as a member of the US Commission for Public Diplomacy for the Middle East, a State Department initiative during the Bush Administration, and has a longstanding commitment to peacebuilding across nations and cultures.

“George is highly respected for his deep understanding of the Middle East, his thoughtful approach to complex issues and his commitment to diplomacy, all of which make him the ideal choice to lead the advisory board of PPF,” said Frank Ryan, DLA Piper’s Americas chair, global co-chair and global co-CEO.