doi:10.7916/9qst-1757Oral history interview with Andrew M. Herscowitz, 2022Herscowitz, Andreworal historiesmixed materialPresidents--United StatesElectric power production--AfricaElectrification--AfricaLeaks (Disclosure of information)Herscowitz, AndrewObama, BarackPower Africa (Organization)Young African Leaders InitiativeWikiLeaks (Organization)United States. Agency for International DevelopmentUnited StatesElectrify Africa Act of 2015Andrew Herscowitz discusses his contribution to the international development policy of the United States in the years of the Obama presidency, during which time he served as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)'s deputy mission director for Peru from 2009 to 2011, mission director for Ecuador from 2011 to 2013, and U.S. coordinator for the Power Africa initiative from 2013 to 2020. Herscowitz focuses on the interagency relationships and coordination that underpin the success of Power Africa, and describes the founding and development of the initiative, the significance and influence of its approach to development, the importance of its targets for power generation and first-time electricity access, and the management of diplomatic relations with relevant ministers in participant countries. Herscowitz also provides details about notable Power Africa projects, the role of Power Africa's transaction advisors, and the relation of Power Africa to Chinese infrastructure investment in Africa. Also discussed are the bipartisan basis of support for Power Africa; the Electrify Africa Act of 2013; the 2016 executive order to advance the initiative; Power Africa's provision of generators to West Africa during the 2014 Ebola epidemic; the initiative's participation in the Young African Leaders Initiative; the diplomatic consequences of WikiLeaks releases of diplomatic cables; and USAID's politicization in Latin America, including the events surrounding the expulsion of USAID from Ecuador in 2014