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Economic, Energy, Agricultural and Trade Issues: United States Advances Global Food Security under L'Aquila Food Security Initiative
United States Advances Global Food Security under L'Aquila Food Security Initiative
Media NoteOffice of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
February 2, 2012Under U.S. leadership of the L’Aquila Food Security Initiative (AFSI) in 2012, Acting Special Representative for Global Food Security Jonathan Shrier will welcome global food security representatives to Washington February 2-3 to advance mutual accountability and coordination of efforts in fulfilling our leaders’ food security commitments.
Global leaders, including President Obama, endorsed the L’Aquila Joint Statement on Global Food Security at the 2009 G8 Summit, marking a turning point for international efforts to achieve sustainable global food security. Under the Joint Statement, agreement was reached to a take a comprehensive approach to ensuring food security; coordinate effectively; support country-owned processes and plans; engage multilateral institutions in advancing efforts to promote food security worldwide; and deliver on sustained and accountable commitments.
This year marks the final year of the AFSI donor governments’ pledge to mobilize $22 billion USD toward global food security over three years. Food security is closely linked to economic growth, social progress, political stability, and peace. This is why we must show real progress in delivering on commitments to improve food security. AFSI participants convene twice annually to review progress toward meeting commitments, including financial pledges, and to discuss best practices and lessons learned.
The event will be held at the Department of State, bringing together over 50 food security officials from 30 countries, and international and regional organizations. Participants will hear from civil society and partner countries, and will discuss coordination efforts between partner and donor governments; investments in research to improve food security; tracking progress toward meeting the L’Aquila commitments; and using Managing for Development Results to enhance the impact of investments in food security.
Media Contact: Office of Press Relations, U.S. Department of State, 202-647-2492
PRN: 2012/164Back to Top
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Economic, Energy, Agricultural and Trade Issues: Corporate Social Responsibility: The OECD Guidelines and the U.S. National Contact Point
Corporate Social Responsibility: The OECD Guidelines and the U.S. National Contact Point
Fact Sheet
Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs
January 19, 2012
What are the Guidelines?
The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) have served for over 35 years as the only comprehensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) instrument to be formally negotiated and endorsed by governments. The Guidelines are voluntary recommendations to foster sustainable development through responsible business conduct by MNEs. The focus areas are:
Information Disclosure
Human Rights
Labor
Environment
Combating Bribery
Consumer Interests
Science and Technology
Competition
Due Diligence and Supply Chains
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB) is home base for the Guidelines.
The Role of the U.S. National Contact Point
The United States and the other adhering governments (34 OECD members, plus non-OECD countries Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Latvia, Lithuania, Morocco, Peru, and Romania) have created national contact points (NCPs) to promote and implement the Guidelines’ recommendations. The U.S. NCP, located in EB, works closely with U.S. businesses, trade unions, civil society, and interagency partners.
The NCP has the following responsibilities:
Promote awareness of the Guidelines to business, labor, NGOs and other members of civil society, the general public, and the international community.
Work with other governments’ NCPs, foreign businesses, international labor and civil society organizations, often regarding the business activities of U.S.-incorporated MNEs overseas.
Offer a forum for confidential discussion between business and stakeholders through:
Proactive Agenda: Bring business and civil society together to identify potential and emerging CSR-related risks for MNEs and discuss appropriate actions and responses.
Dispute Resolution: Facilitate dispute resolution, typically in a Specific Instance (complaint) submitted to the NCP by an NGO or other parties against an MNE, regarding allegations of nonobservance of the Guidelines.
The U.S. NCP offers itself as a resource to the business community, civil society, U.S. government agencies and U.S. Embassies around the world. The U.S. NCP is a part of EB’s Corporate Social Responsibility Team, which plays a key role in the Department’s engagement with U.S. business in promoting responsible private sector business practices.
Further Info:
U.S. NCP: www.state.gov/usncp; usncp@state.gov
OECD Guidelines text: www.oecd.org/dataoecd/43/29/48004323.pdf
State Department CSR website: www.state.gov/e/eb/eppd/csr
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Economic, Energy, Agricultural and Trade Issues: Advisory Board on Implementation of OECD Corporate Social Responsibility Guidelines
Advisory Board on Implementation of OECD Corporate Social Responsibility Guidelines
Media NoteOffice of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
January 31, 2012Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Jose W. Fernandez announced today the launch of the Stakeholder Advisory Board on the U.S. National Contact Point for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
The OECD Guidelines are voluntary recommendations from governments to multinational enterprises on responsible conduct in such areas as human rights, labor, environment, and corruption. The OECD Guidelines are the only multilateral, comprehensive code of conduct, endorsed by 43 national governments. The U.S. National Contact Point, based in the Economic and Business Affairs Bureau, leads the United States’ work under the Guidelines. For more information please go to: www.state.gov/usncp.
The Stakeholder Advisory Board (SAB) will provide recommendations to the Department’s Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy on implementation of the OECD Guidelines, including their public promotion, collaboration between the U.S. National Contact Point and stakeholders to anticipate and address future challenges in a proactive manner, and the operations of the U.S. NCP. The SAB is comprised of leaders from business, labor, civil society, and academia. The members include:
SAB Co-Chairs:
Trevor Gunn, Medtronic
Owen Herrnstadt, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
SAB Members:
Barbara Anderson, Sabre Holdings
Natalie Bridgeman Fields, Accountability Counsel
Brian Campbell, International Labor Rights Forum
Lewis Cohen, SI-WEL International
Lance Compa, Cornell University
Celeste Drake, AFL-CIO
Dierdre Fitzpatrick, Service Employees International Union
Kristen Genovese, Center for International and Environmental Law
Adam Greene, U.S. Council for International Business
Clifford Henry, Procter and Gamble
Jonathan Kaufman, EarthRights International
Ray Marshall, University of Texas
For more information on the Stakeholder Advisory Board, please contact Tiffany Enoch, enocht@state.gov.
PRN: 2012/149Back to Top
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Economic, Energy, Agricultural and Trade Issues: Remarks to Regional Journalists on the Margins of African Union Summit
Remarks to Regional Journalists on the Margins of African Union Summit
RemarksWilliam J. BurnsDeputy Secretary
U.S. Mission to the African Union - via Teleconference
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
January 30, 2012MODERATOR: Good afternoon. I would like to welcome you to today’s briefing with Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns. Today we have participants calling from Kenya, South Africa, Senegal, Tanzania, Ghana and Angola, who are connected through the Africa Regional Media Hub. We thank you for taking the time to join us. We will start with brief remarks from Deputy Secretary Burns. Following the remarks, we will take a question from a journalist in the room and then we will open it up to questions from our callers. Callers can ask their questions by pressing star one to enter the question queue. Again, today’s event is on the record and will last approximately twenty minutes. And now I’ll turn the call over to Deputy Secretary Burns for brief remarks.
DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: Thank you very much and good afternoon.
I am very pleased to be in Addis Ababa. My visit to Ethiopia concludes a week-long trip to Africa, which also included visits to Ghana, Uganda, and South Sudan. My trip, which comes on the heels of Secretary Clinton’s visit to West Africa last week, reaffirms the high priority the Obama Administration attaches to Africa. It highlights our ongoing commitment to work with African partners both to seize opportunities and address common challenges.
America’s commitment to the continent is underscored by our work to support gains in democratic governance, sustainable development, economic growth, and the peaceful resolution of conflict. This includes our support for democracy and governance programs across the continent, our ongoing efforts to strengthen commercial ties between the U.S. and Africa, and our steadfast support for the protection and promotion of human rights.
The United States is committed to supporting programs that both support Africa’s long-term goals and short-term needs. President Obama’s Feed the Future Initiative, to which we committed $3.5 billion over 3 years, promotes food security and helps reduce vulnerability to drought and other shocks in partnership with governments across Africa. In the near-term, we are leading international efforts to respond to drought and famine in the Horn of Africa, including by committing over $870 million in relief for the crisis. The United States also continues to provide extensive assistance to combat disease and to build the capacity of health systems across Africa, part of a $63 billion commitment over five years. On Thursday, I visited one excellent example of that effort, a public-private partnership at Wagagai in Uganda, one of more than a hundred such clinics that we support across Uganda to provide preventive care and comprehensive maternal and child health services.
Over the last week I have also had the pleasure of meeting with civil society leaders engaged in compelling and vital work in their communities. This includes meeting with a cross-section of young leaders who are engaged in dynamic work in every sector of society. As many of you already know, the Obama Administration has made a special point of engaging the continent’s next generation of leaders to discuss the broad spectrum of U.S.-African issues.
At the same time, this last week of discussions also covered a range of security, political, and humanitarian challenges facing the continent. The humanitarian situation in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile featured prominently in many of these discussions. The U.S. remains deeply concerned regarding the Government of Sudan’s continued denial of humanitarian access to those two states. Conflict and aerial bombardments have disrupted the planting season. Experts predict that, absent immediate humanitarian access, we could see emergency levels of food insecurity in a matter of weeks. The international community will not be able to stand by as this preventable humanitarian crisis unfolds.
My consultations also underscored the need for Sudan and South Sudan to quickly reach agreement on oil and related financial issues. The time has come to reach an amicable and negotiated solution. Unilateral actions on both sides only risk greater tension and further economic losses for both countries. Resolving this and other pending issues is the best path to achieve long-term peace, stability, and economic prosperity.
The challenge of Somalia came up frequently in my meetings and of course during discussions here at the African Union as well. As I said to President Museveni and others, the United States commends the work of the African Union Mission in Somalia. We hope that the African Union will continue to move quickly in finalizing a concept of operations for an expanded AMISOM so that we can discuss this issue in the UN Security Council as soon as possible. These discussions also centered on the need for the Transitional Federal Government to make steady and sustained progress on the Roadmap in advance of the end of the TFG’s mandate in August.
Additionally, various leaders expressed concern about the situation in Nigeria. Boko Haram poses a growing threat to the region. We will continue to support the Government of Nigeria on this and other challenges facing the country.
I was particularly delighted to be able to lead the U.S. delegation in attending the opening of the African Union Summit. The United States has a special relationship with this vital regional organization, including by being the first non-member state to accredit a diplomatic mission dedicated exclusively to the African Union. And last year Secretary Clinton became the first Secretary of State to address a formal session of the AU. We collaborate and partner with the African Union on a broad range of issues and will continue to assist in augmenting the AU’s capacity to address the many opportunities and challenges facing the continent.
And now I’d be glad to take some questions.
MODERATOR: Okay, we will go ahead and take a question from here in the room, and then we will turn it over to our callers. Please remember to state your name and affiliation before asking your question.
QUESTION: Thank you. My name is Haile Mulu, Reporter News paper. I am from The Reporter Newspaper. My question is can you tell me more of the issues that you raised when you met with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, and my second question, is the United States working with the African Union to promote good governance on the continent, but up to now only fifteen African countries have ratified the African Charter on Democracy. What is the reason behind that? My final question is what role will the United States play in promoting peace in South Sudan? Thank you.
DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: Thank you very much for all those good questions. I had a very constructive meeting with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi yesterday. We discussed a range of issues on which the United States and Ethiopia work together to help promote regional security. We discussed also the further possibilities for economic growth and development in Ethiopia, how we can promote greater American trade and investment here. I am convinced that the opportunities are growing for American companies.
We talked about the range of issues on which we are working together to address significant problems here, and across the continent, in food insecurity and in health. I believe we are making progress on those issues. We also talked about the importance that the United States continues to attach to democratic development as a part of Ethiopia’s effort to realize the full potential of all of its citizens, the importance of building strong democratic institutions, respect for the rule of law, respect for human rights. We believe it is very important, obviously, for the African Union to promote many of these same priorities, and we are proud that we have been able, in recent years, to find practical ways, tangible ways, in which we can help augment the capacity of the AU to deal with many of these challenges. We certainly hope that AU members will renew and make clear their commitment to democratic principles such as those laid out in the Democratic Charter.
With regard to South Sudan, the United States has taken great pride in the role that we and many in the international community played in South Sudan’s independence. We continue to work in support of South Sudan’s efforts to build a sustainable economy and build democratic institutions. We recognize that these are difficult challenges, and we are increasingly concerned, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, by the differences which exist, and which seem to be sharpening, over the oil question between the government of Sudan and the government of Southern Sudan. We urge both parties, working with the AU panel, to reach the earliest possible negotiated resolution of these issues. That’s deeply in the interest of the people in both of those countries, and so we will do everything we can to help facilitate that.
MODERATOR: Thank you very much. And now I will turn the call over to my colleague at the Africa Media Hub to moderate questions from our callers. Carrie.
MODERATOR: Thank you. At this time I will ask our callers to ask a question, please press star one to enter the queue. Our first question comes from Dakar, Senegal. Please state your name and affiliation before you ask your question. Dakar, your line is open.
Question (translated): Jean Baptiste Sallie, from Radio Television Senegal. His question is Senegal-related, and he said, regarding the violence that has been in Senegal the last few days over the Constitutional Council’s decision to validate President Wade’s eligibility for a third mandate. What is the U.S. position on this matter?
DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: Thank you very much for your question. The United States attaches a great deal of importance to our relationship with Senegal. We certainly urge calm, and we urge that the political process be pursued in an exclusively peaceful manner. We urge all parties to avoid violence.
Second, I would say that obviously the United States respects the political and legal processes in Senegal, but I also have to add, honestly, that we are concerned that the decision by President Wade to seek a third term undermines the spirit of democracy in Senegal. We are concerned that it could jeopardize the many achievements of President Wade’s tenure in office, and that it could jeopardize the decades-long record that Senegal has built up on the continent for democracy, democratic development, and political stability. So we hope very much that the political process will be a peaceful one and that it will allow for the free and active participation of all Senegalese.
Moderator: Thank you. Our next question comes from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Please state your name and affiliation. Dar es Salaam your line is open.
QUESTION: My name is Jaffer Mjasiri with Daily News which is an English paper based in Dar es Salaam. My question is, currently you have spoken very strongly about the situation in Sudan. Do you think that military intervention will be inevitable to resolve the civil war which is going on? And my second question is, how—[pauses]—Tanzania is a strategic partner to the U.S., if so, can you shed light on this partnership?
DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: Sure. Thank you very much. First, on your question on our partnership with Tanzania. We attach a great deal of importance to our relationship and to our partnership. We consider Tanzania to be a model of democratic and economic development on the continent. We have tried to demonstrate our respect for what Tanzania’s leadership and its people have achieved in a number of ways.
It is important to remember that President Kikwete was the first African leader received by President Obama at the White House. It is also important to note that Tanzania is one of the four founding partners in the Partnership for Growth program which the Obama Administration has inaugurated to try to underscore the efforts of governments around the world, countries around the world, that we think offer great promise in economic development and are pursuing responsible, sensible economic growth policies so that we can bring to bear all the resources of the U.S. Government to help support them in that effort.
The Feed the Future program that I mentioned in my opening remarks is a very important feature of our partnership with Tanzania. The same is true with regard to PEPFAR and the Global Health Initiative where we have invested a considerable amount of money, well over a billion dollars, in support of Tanzania’s own efforts to deal with those kinds of health challenges. So, we consider Tanzania to be a very important partner, and we look forward to continue to deepen our cooperation in the years ahead.
With regard to your question on Sudan, it is no secret that we in the international community have deep concerns about human rights issues in Sudan, about the absence of democratic government and respect for those rights. We believe that there is no military solution to those challenges and those problems, but we emphasize our call for peaceful, non-violent efforts to resolve those kind of challenges and to build the kind of democratic future for Sudan that is deeply in the interest of the Sudanese people.
MODERATOR: Thank you. Our next question comes from Accra, Ghana. Please state your name and affiliation before asking your question. Ghana, your line is open.
QUESTION: My name is Michael Sarpong Bruce, I work with Business and Financial Times newspaper. My question, Deputy Secretary of State, is last week you had a meeting with our president, John Atta Mills, and you disclosed the United States will be seeking further discussions on food security and health. Why food security and health?
DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: Well, first I enjoyed very much the opportunity to visit Accra and the very constructive discussion I had with the President. As you know, we attach a lot of importance to our partnership with Ghana. We have just about completed the first MCC [Millennium Challenge Corporation] compact program under the Millennium Challenge Account which has been quite successful in Ghana. We are looking forward to a second one.
Ghana is, like Tanzania, one of the first four countries around the world in which we are working in a Partnership for Growth. We are also proud that we have been able to support the efforts of the Ghanaian Government to make progress on food security issues and on health issues. I mentioned the importance that we attach to working on, those issues on a number of the other stops on my trip, and certainly in Ghana, I think, we have helped the Ghanaian Government make some important strides. We look forward, like Ghanaians do, to another peaceful and transparent election later this year and to finding further ways in which we can strengthen our relations.
MODERATOR: Thank you. The next question comes from Nairobi, Kenya, from Dana Hughes. Operator, can you please open the line for Nairobi, Kenya. Dana, your line is open.
QUESTION: Great. I would like to ask about the recent crackdown on journalists, both foreign and local, in Ethiopia, the recent large jail sentences given to the Swedish journalists as well as to bloggers and local journalists under Ethiopia’s anti-terrorism laws. Is that something that came up at all in your discussions with the Ethiopian Government at this forum?
DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: Thank you for the question. Yes, I did the raise the issue in the meeting that I had with Prime Minister Meles. I underscored America’s commitment to freedom of expression, to independent media, and the importance that freedom of expression and independent media for the democratic growth of any country. Obviously, any government has an obligation to ensure against terrorist threats, but I did express our concern that the application of anti-terrorism laws can sometimes undermine freedom of expression and independent media. So we hope very much that that range of cases that you mentioned can be carefully reviewed, and that great care can be taken in ensuring the protection of freedom of expression.
MODERATOR: Thank you. Okay, the next question comes from Jason Straziuso in Nairobi, Kenya.
QUESTION: Thank you Mister Secretary. I have two questions. You said in your opening remarks, I don’t know if I got it down exactly correct, but something about the international community will not be able to stand by as this preventable humanitarian crisis unfolds. You were talking about the issues between Sudan and South Sudan. I know that those are your prepared remarks, but can you expand on what you mean there? There is a hint of, I don’t think you mean military action, but if you could just tell us what you do mean. The second question is about Somalia. Last week the U.S. inserted itself quite forcefully to resolve a hostage situation there, but there is still one American hostage being held in the country. I wondered if you could say what the U.S. is doing to resolve that situation, and generally speaking, how does the U.S. choose when to use military force or not to use military force to resolve hostage situations? Thank you.
DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: Thank you. On the first question that you asked, I think the key here is ensuring access by international humanitarian organizations in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile to avert what could be a humanitarian crisis there. That is what our focus is on right now. That is a call that has been made, not only by the United States, but by many here at the African Union Summit and many others in the international community. It is extremely important that that urgent humanitarian concern be addressed.
Second, with regard to Somalia, it is obviously an essential obligation for any government to do everything we can to protect our citizens. That is exactly what President Obama did when he ordered the successful hostage rescue operation that took place recently. That was certainly another illustration of the enormous courage and capability of the American military. We are obviously very concerned about the other hostage case that you mentioned. We are following it very closely and taking it very seriously, but I don’t really have anything to add beyond that.
MODERATOR: Thank you. We have time for one more question. That question comes from our embassy in Luanda, Angola. Please state your name and affiliation before asking your question. Your line is open.
QUESTION: Domingos Balumuka, working for the international channel of Angolan National Radio. Mister Burns, tell us a little bit about evolvement of Angola in terms of the economy, politics, and other domains after nine years of peace, just as the country is going to hold also elections this year. The second question has to do with the prevailing situation in the DRC and Guinea-Bissau, because there are some conflicts. For example, in Guinea-Bissau the country is also going to hold elections on 18 March 2012. In DRC, after their parliamentary elections, there are no results so far. There is also the coming back of some rebel groups, like Mai-Mai, and Katanga wants its independence. What is your comment about it?
DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: Thanks. On your first question about Angola and the Unites Stated, I had the pleasure of visiting Angola about a year-and-a-half ago, I guess, and I was struck by the economic opportunities which exist there and we will certainly do everything we can to encourage the expansion of American trade and investment which I think can be an important ingredient in Angola’s own continued economic growth. We are continuing to work together in a number of areas as well. We know Angola faces challenges in expanding and sustaining with economic growth, and fighting against corruption, and building strong democratic institutions. Those are all efforts that we are going to continue to support.
On your second question on the DRC, a number of observers, including the United States, have highlighted the serious flaws in the technical processes and the conduct of the recent election. We are not sure that those technical flaws would have changed the outcome of the election, but they certainly need to be investigated thoroughly, and certainly it seems to be in the interest of the DRC to undertake steps to ensure that they are not repeated in the future. With regards to Guinea-Bissau, we obviously support a transparent and free conduct of elections.
MODERATOR: Thank you. And that concludes today’s call. On behalf of the Africa Regional Media Hub, I would like to thank Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns, and thank all of our callers for participating in today’s call. If you have any questions about today’s call, you can contact the media hub at afmediahub@state.gov. Thank you very much.
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Economic, Energy, Agricultural and Trade Issues: Remarks at Wagagai Flower Farm
Remarks at Wagagai Flower Farm
RemarksWilliam J. BurnsDeputy Secretary
Entebbe, Uganda
January 27, 2012
DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: Thank you very much and good afternoon. It's a pleasure to see all of you and I'm certainly very pleased to be here in Uganda. This, as you may know, is part of a week-long trip across Africa that my colleagues and I are taking, and during which I'll also lead the U.S. delegation to the African Union summit in Addis Ababa this weekend.
As Secretary Clinton did in her visit to Africa earlier this month, my trip reaffirms the high priority that the Obama Administration attaches to Africa, and our continuing strong commitment to doing everything that we can to help Africans realize the enormous promise that lies ahead in economics and democratic development, as well as doing everything that we can to help Africans deal with the very real challenges that remain.
We seek relationships built on mutual respect and mutual interest. We approach the partnerships that we want to build and to strengthen with a view toward genuine partnerships; not partnerships of senior partners and junior partners, but of equal partners.
I'm especially pleased to have a chance to visit Uganda. I look forward to meeting President Museveni, as well as civil society and human rights leaders. I look forward to the opportunity to highlight the strength of our bilateral relations on a range of issues, including our strong common interest in promoting regional security. I also look forward to highlighting the American commitment to help Ugandans in their efforts to strengthen respect for human rights, the rule of law, and good governance, which are so deeply in the interests of this country and of this country's future. We have a long history of cooperation and we look forward very much to building on it.
I'm very grateful for the chance this afternoon to visit this health clinic here at Wagagai. Health, as you know, is one of our most important priorities across Africa and especially here in Uganda. Our support for this clinic is part of $400 million in assistance to the health sector in Uganda this past year alone. Our program of health assistance in Uganda is one of the biggest such programs we have anywhere in the world today.
We seek to deepen cooperation with Ugandans in the fight against HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, and in improving maternal and child health care. This clinic demonstrates the potential of public-private partnerships. It is one of the more than 100 clinics, as the Ambassador was telling me earlier, around the country that we're proud to support, and it helps Ugandans to deal with some very real problems. Right now, for example, 16 Ugandan women die in childbirth across this country each day. That's a devastating statistic. We share the determination of Ugandans to reduce that statistic dramatically. Clinics like this one are an essential part of the solution, and an essential part of a more hopeful future for Uganda.
With that, I'd be glad to take your questions.
QUESTION: I'm Gloria from Capital Radio, Kampala. Since the last elections in February 2011, there's been an increase in demonstrations and protests in Uganda. As a result, you've seen the government and security agencies respond with a lot of force and brutality to the demonstrators. And in spite of the continued advice to Uganda by the U.S. and observers of human rights and freedom, government actually has failed to take heed. What would be your comment on that? And in relation to that, Uganda's Minister for Internal Affairs recently was quoted as saying that the U.S. and the United Kingdom are behind these uprisings that we are seeing in Uganda, with the walk-to-work demonstrations to signal uprisings like we saw in the Arab world. Your comment?
DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: First, the allegation that you mentioned is simply not true. The United States, whether it's in Uganda or any place in the world, will continue to stand up strongly for respect for human rights, in particular the right to freedom of assembly and freedom of association. It's extremely important in any healthy democratic society for people to be able to express themselves peacefully and to express their views peacefully. Where there are cases of abuse, it's very important that they be investigated thoroughly and that those responsible be brought to justice. I know that there's been some consideration by civil society groups and by the Government of Uganda's human rights commission to pursue new legislation about freedom of assembly and it would be our strong hope that any such legislation be consistent with international standards and international practice. So we're unapologetic about our support for human rights, for rule of law, for good governance, which is deeply, as I said before, in the interests of Uganda and the stable democratic system that it seeks to build and that serves the best interests of its people.
QUESTION: There was another question in line with that, on the U.S. role in the uprisings.
DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: No, that's what I tried to address first. That allegation is simply not true, as I said at the start. The United States will continue to stand up for human rights and democratic freedoms, as we do every place in the world, and we will continue to offer the benefits of our experience to those who are seeking to build those kind of democratic systems. But political choices in Uganda are the business of Ugandans, not Americans or any other outsider.
QUESTION: My name is Candia Steven from The New Vision newspaper. My questions are about regional security. The first part is about the U.S. mission in Somalia. Under this administration there has been a spike of attacks in Mogadishu, an al-Shabab initiative. President Museveni is proposing a no-fly zone over Mogadishu in Somalia. I'm wondering, what is the take of the Obama administration on that? And lastly, just about two days ago there was an intervention by the U.S. Navy Seals in Somalia carrying out a rescue mission. I'm wondering, are we going to see more solid intervention by the U.S. Army in Somalia?
DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: Let me try to address your questions. What I would say in general is that the United States both admires and strongly supports the constructive role that Uganda has played in seeking to help Somalians deal with the very serious challenges that they face. Uganda's leadership role in AMISOM, for example, has been extraordinarily important and we will continue to do everything we can to support that role materially as well as diplomatically. I don't have a particular comment on the issue of a no-fly zone, except to once again reinforce our strong commitment to the international efforts, the efforts of AMISOM and in particular the leadership of Uganda in helping Somalians to deal with those problems. And I don’t have much to add to what's already been said about the recent operation that helped free two hostages. Obviously the United States takes very seriously its responsibility to American citizens any place in the world, and we're proud of the capability of our armed forces to help deal with those kind of challenges.
QUESTION: I'm Sudhir Byaruhanga, NTV. My question is about gay rights in Uganda. Although they have been pushing, still gay people cannot live freely in Uganda. What would be your comment on that?
DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: The United States strongly supports human rights around the world, and that means rights that apply universally to any human being--to LGBT individuals, as Secretary Clinton said very clearly in her recent speech--just as to any other human being. I think it's important to note that the Ugandan government's own human rights commission has spoken out clearly about what it believes to be the unconstitutionality of the draft legislation that's been proposed, and the fact that it runs counter to international law. So we will continue to express strong support for human rights for every human being, whether it's LGBT individuals or others. That's important in any society.
QUESTION: My name is Tabu, with the Daily Monitor newspaper. It's exactly 107 days since the U.S. Special Forces were dispatched to Uganda to track Kony. Do you know what the activities record of their operations has been since October last year? And, just as a last part, what is the honest view of the Obama administration about President Museveni, who has been in power now for 26 years, who has removed constitutional term limits and continued to win elections that some argue are rigged?
DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: First on the question you asked about the LRA. The United States continues to strongly support regional efforts--efforts led by countries in the region to deal with the scourge that Joseph Kony and the LRA represent. As you know very well, this is a group that has caused enormous damage and for far too long has threatened far too many people across large parts of this continent. Our President recently decided to provide limited military advice because we think that will help our partners--those in the region who are leading this effort--to be more effective and to pursue more effectively the LRA. That's a very important challenge and it's an effort that has won support from the UN Security Council as well as the African Union.
With regard to your question about President Museveni, our view is that the president is the democratically elected president of this country, and he's been an important partner on a range of regional security issues and other questions, as I mentioned before. We think that area of cooperation is something that we want to strengthen. We note that the most recent elections were, in the judgment of many outside observers, an improvement on the previous elections, but there were also flaws that a number of observers took note of and that are very important to address. And we believe that it's extremely important, as I said before, to build greater respect for human rights, for the rule of law, and to build stronger democratic institutions, which certainly includes an independent media that is able to hold officials accountable and ensure that there is transparency. It's extremely important to continue to build and strengthen those kind of institutions in the years ahead, because those are the real building blocks, I think, for a stable democratic society of the sort that is most likely to realize the full potential of Ugandans.
QUESTION: Tabu again--one more question on Sudan. With everything going on in the region, from violence in Kenya to the elections in the DRC, plus South Sudan maybe imploding, how will you raise the issue of South Sudan with President Museveni?
DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: South Sudan is a very important issue, not just for President Museveni and Uganda, but for the African Union, whose leaders will be meeting in a couple of days, as well as for the international community. The United States has been proud to contribute in the past toward a road map that has produced the independence of South Sudan, but we remain quite focused on the importance of follow-through now on the remaining issues that have to be sorted out between Khartoum and Juba. As I said before, regional leaders, particularly with the African Union leaders about to meet, have an extraordinarily important role to play in helping the parties to get back on a path that is going to produce the kind of stability that both of those countries--the Republic of Sudan and South Sudan--need and deserve. The United States will continue to play a very active role, but I think there's also an extremely important role for the African Union to play as well, and for important leaders in the region like President Museveni.
Thank you all very much.
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Economic, Energy, Agricultural and Trade Issues: Under Secretary's Travel to Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil January 29 - February 4, 2012
Under Secretary's Travel to Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil January 29 - February 4, 2012
Media NoteOffice of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
January 27, 2012Under Secretary for Political Affairs Ambassador Wendy Sherman will visit Colombia January 29-30, Mexico January 31-February 1, and Brazil February 2-4.
During Under Secretary Sherman’s visit to Colombia, she will continue discussions with President Santos and senior government officials in Bogota about preparations for the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena in April 2012. The visit will also underscore the breadth of the U.S.-Colombia relationship, highlighting Colombia’s increasing role as a regional leader and partner of the United States. The Under Secretary’s meetings with government officials and civil society leaders will advance important issues of mutual interest including regional security, combating drug trafficking, protection of human rights, and strengthening our economic relationship, including preparations for the implementation of the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.
Under Secretary Sherman will travel to Mexico City to advance the strong U.S.-Mexico partnership. In Mexico City, she will meet with senior government officials, civil society leaders, and journalists. Under Secretary Sherman will also join First Lady Margarita Zavala to inaugurate the National Network Against Addictions (RENADIC) - a Merida Initiative-supported information technology platform to monitor and reduce drug demand. The Under Secretary’s visit will reaffirm our productive relationship on a range of issues including economic prosperity, regional cooperation, and civil society participation in confronting shared challenges. The visit will also reinforce our continuing cooperation under the Merida Initiative to build strong, resilient communities and a secure, efficient 21st century border.
Under Secretary Sherman’s visit to Brazil will reinforce our constructive partnership with this vibrant democracy, South America’s largest country, and underscore joint efforts to foster economic prosperity through education and increased trade and investment, and support for social inclusion that taps the potential of all citizens. She will travel to Brasilia and then to Recife in northeast Brazil. In Brasilia, the Under Secretary will meet with senior officials to discuss areas of mutual interest, including bilateral cooperation and regional as well as global issues. In Recife, Under Secretary Sherman will engage with government officials, youth, women, and business leaders. She will take part in a signing ceremony for a Memorandum of Understanding on Educational Cooperation with the State of Pernambuco.
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Economic, Energy, Agricultural and Trade Issues: Remarks for the Environmental Cooperation Agreement Signing
Remarks for the Environmental Cooperation Agreement Signing
RemarksRobert D. HormatsUnder Secretary for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs
Washington, DC
January 23, 2012Ambassador Han, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen—good morning. Let me begin by thanking all participants for joining us in the signing of the Environmental Cooperation Agreement between the United States and the Republic of Korea.
Our two governments have a deeply rooted partnership which has endured over decades. Our alliance—as Secretary Clinton noted—is a “symbol of security, stability, peace, and prosperity.”
The Environmental Cooperation Agreement will further strengthen our partnership. Together, we can: combat illegal logging and trade in wildlife; reduce air and water pollution; increase the use of environmentally friendly materials and the recycling of waste; and implement measures to ensure that our transportation sectors—our cars, airplanes, and ships—meet high environmental standards.
The Environmental Cooperation Agreement was negotiated in parallel with the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, which President Obama noted as having groundbreaking protections for the environment during President Lee’s October visit to the United States. The two texts reference one another, which, combined, will orient the United States and Korea to lead the world as we transition to a green economy.
This transition has the potential to grow our economies and create millions of jobs. But it will not be easy. Nine out of ten units of energy that we consume today are produced by hydrocarbons—coal, oil, and natural gas. The United States and Korea—along with the broader global community—must work together to include the environment as a variable in our economic calculus.
Despite the obstacles ahead, I have high hopes because our nations have repeatedly exceeded expectations over the past fifty years. Recall that Korea grew from nominal per capita GDP of approximately $100 in 1962 to almost $21,000 in 2010.
Improvements in labor productivity was a key component of our economic growth in the twentieth-century. The management of natural resources—the environment—will define our success in the 21st century.
At our present level of resource productivity, our planet can feed and accommodate some 1.5 billion people at the OECD country standard of living. The world today has 7 billion people. There is an obvious gap, which is why we need new ideas and new solutions to raise standards of living around the world in a way that’s sustainable, as well as change the way we ourselves live. The U.S.-Korea Environmental Cooperation Agreement inches us towards that reality.
Before I turn to Ambassador Han, I will also note that we are cooperating with the Republic of Korea on another environmental venture this summer.
The United States will host a pavilion at the 2012 Yeosu World Expo, which will have an environmental theme: The Living Oceans and Coast. The U.S. pavilion will showcase our diversity, values, and demonstrate the innovation and creativity of American companies. The pavilion will highlight how we can work collaboratively to solve our common global environmental challenges.
We hope that today’s event serves as a reminder of the strong and important relationship between our countries. Thank you.
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Economic, Energy, Agricultural and Trade Issues: Remarks at the North Africa Partnership for Economic Opportunity (NAPEO) Conference
Remarks at the North Africa Partnership for Economic Opportunity (NAPEO) Conference
RemarksJose W. FernandezAssistant Secretary, Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs
Second NAPEO U.S.-Maghreb Entrepreneurship Conference
Marrakesh, Morocco
January 17, 2012Good morning. It’s a thrill. I was going to say originally “it gives me great a pleasure,” but I’ll be frank – it’s a thrill to be here with all of you today in beautiful Marrakesh, along with Minister Baraka, Minister Ben Abbes, Secretary Albright, and a number of other luminaries in the room. This has been a dream come true for a lot of us at the State Department and it’s wonderful to see this group here.
Let me start by thanking in particular the extraordinary group of partners on the NAPEO Morocco board for hosting this conference. Let me also thank Omar Chaabi for this wonderful hotel and for the opportunity to be here. Special gratitude to the Aspen Institute, and Toni Verstandig in particular, for the tireless efforts of the Aspen Institute and of the NAPEO secretariat. I also need to thank a colleague, Julie Egan, who was the originator of this idea at the State Department, and who has been indefatigable in making it happen and has been great partner in pursuing this initiative.
Also and this will be my last thanks, let me also extend my gratitude to our Embassy in Morocco, to our embassies in Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, Mauritania for their support of this conference of its goals.
Over the next two days, you will have the opportunity to hear from more than 65 speakers and trainers, and you will have the opportunity to meet and learn from the over 500 participants at this conference from both the Maghreb and the United States.
Why NAPEO?
One of the things that I’m asked often back in Washington when people hear about NAPEO – and they hear me talking and it has become a priority for our bureau– is why NAPEO? Why has the State Department made NAPEO such a priority? I tell them that the answer is simple.
The United States believes that entrepreneurship, education, and greater regional integration are key to economic opportunity and prosperity here in the Maghreb and that we at NAPEO can play an important role in building links across the region from the bottom-up through business partnerships and by linking young entrepreneurs. Through NAPEO, we will support private sector efforts by meeting with Maghreb Ministers twice a year in order to advocate for policies that enable entrepreneurship, job creation, as well as deeper economic integration here in North Africa.
Overall, what we would like to do in NAPEO to work closely with the private sector to build a network that will accomplish three significant goals. First, we will try to and increase people-to-people exchanges between entrepreneurs and business leaders in the United States and the Maghreb. Second, we will encourage new businesses, and third, we will inspire youth entrepreneurs to play a significant role in job creation.
The ultimate objective of NAPEO, and the objective is easy to say but I realize it is hard to make a reality, the ultimate objective is to work with our local partners to identify key projects that will help to meet our goals, and then match them with U.S. and international partners, including entrepreneurs, educators, foundations and very importantly investors.
Our goal together is to positively impact 100,000 people in the Maghreb and the United States over the next five years. And we hope that you will join us in this effort.
This is a wonderful crowd. A little bit more than a year ago in Algiers it was hard to imagine that we would have this kind of reception.
NAPEO One Year On
In the euphoria of the moment, with all of the energy that you have in this room, I think it is important to remember what it is that we set out to do back in November of 2010, what has been accomplished, and what still needs to be done. And so what I’d like to do in the next few minutes is to take this opportunity to review our work over the last year and also talk about where we might go from here.
Last year in Algiers, when we launched NAPEO, I said that this initiative would not be about talking, and you heard David Arkless talk about the fact that this was not going be about talking. It was all going to be about acting, it was all going to be about actions. After all, talk without action, as my dad used to say, is just talk. We described at that time several concrete initiatives that we hoped to achieve over the course of our first year, in four specific areas: Number one, access to finance; number two, supporting regional entrepreneurs; third, building links between our countries by promoting partnerships in sectors such as IT and creative industries; and fourth, promoting education and job skills training.
I am proud to announce the progress that we’ve made in each of these four areas this year is great. And over the course of this conference over twenty announcements will be made by private partners as a testament to their support for NAPEO. But what I’d like to do is give you a preview – as you heard David Arkless say, perhaps to steal a little bit of the thunder from these announcements.
Access to Capital
Let’s first talk about access to capital. First, when I spoke last year about access to capital as a key component for the success of entrepreneurs, I said that one of the goals of NAPEO was to support access to capital for North African entrepreneurs. I said that incubating innovation and technology through partnerships would be a priority. We wanted to support young innovators and entrepreneurs and help them find the capital that is needed in order to turn dreams into reality.
And so we have. This past October, our bureau led a NAPEO delegation of 15 American investors, five of those investors are in this audience today, to Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The Delegation, which included potential business angel investors and entrepreneur mentors from the Diaspora community in the United States, met over ten days with local investors, incubators, training organizations, and government officials. Most importantly, this delegation provided mentoring and training for over 70 young entrepreneurs and showcased some of the most important start-ups in the Maghreb.
As part of this delegation, three of the most promising start-ups – one each from Morocco, from Algeria, and from Tunisia – received and incubation award and a scholarship to study entrepreneurship structured through NAPEO. This is a prize that was made possible – and we’re very very thankful—by a partnership between the Department of State, TechTown Incubator, Wayne State University in Detroit, and the American Arab Chamber of Commerce, in Detroit. This is an excellent example – this kind of initiative- of the type of concrete partnership that NAPEO continues to foster, and I think you will be hearing more about this from TechTown later on today.
Well, to support the framework for early stage investing in start-ups in the region, last year I spoke about partnerships to promote angel networks and the nascent Maghreb venture-capital sector. This was an effort to increase regional seed and growth capital for small businesses. I said then that we would encourage angel investors from the Maghreb Diaspora community to form a Maghreb Angel Network composed of Diaspora members from the United States and create a fund to support young entrepreneurs in their home countries. And we have. Throughout the course of the next two days, you will hear from several private sector partners who have accomplished these goals as part of NAPEO.
You will also hear from several investors from our recent NAPEO entrepreneurship delegation, some of whom are prominent Diaspora leaders in the United States, who have partnered together already to crease a Maghreb investment network to invest and encourage the most promising start-ups in the region, this is the first of its kind – the first fund of its kind in the Maghreb. What it will do is that it will link to local funds in each country, called Maghreb Growth Funds, beginning in Morocco. It will then expand to Algeria and to Tunisia.
Also to support the development of the Maghreb venture-capital and private equity sector, the Institute for International Education will announce a private equity, venture capital and angel investors delegation from the Maghreb to the United States very soon to meet with U.S. industry professionals and potential partners in Silicon Valley and in New York. One of the things we hear about as we go around North Africa is the need to create linkages with investment firms in North Africa with investment firms in the United States and that is what this delegation will try to do.
Supporting Regional Entrepreneurs
Second, the second goal that we talked about last year was supporting regional entrepreneurs. To support regional entrepreneurs I spoke last year about working with the Maghreb Diaspora to launch a regional start-up initiative focused on North Africa. Working with the Education for Employment Foundation, the Algeria Start-Up Initiative, and other partners, we are proud that today you will learn today of the launch of the Maghreb Start-up Initiative, which is the first-ever Maghreb-wide start-up initiative to encourage young entrepreneurs.
I also talked in Algiers about the importance of training for entrepreneurs in new and sometimes overlooked sectors of the economy. One of these, which is of great interest to me, is the creative industries. I highlighted the opportunity to work together to harness the immense potential of regional artists in this part of the world, musicians, filmmakers, writers, and digital media artists, in order to contribute not just to the arts but also to job creation and local development. We are pleased to have partnered with American for the Arts and Creative Leaps International to have delivered training in Algiers and also at this conference in order to assist creative industry entrepreneurs to build and sustain businesses in the cultural sector and to promote their cultural exports.
Building Links
The third objective that we talked about last year was building links. Equally important to everything that we do is creating links between budding entrepreneurs so they can receive mentoring and support. Last year we described plans for a virtual platform to allow North African young entrepreneurs and business leaders to try and network between events – not simply at this event, but between events – such as this annual conference. Well, you will hear later from the Atlantic Council about the NAPEO On-line Partnership and Investor Platform that will facilitate cross-border links by enabling American and Maghreb young entrepreneurs to connect with each other and to find potential funding sources.
In another effort to try and build links among regional entrepreneurs, USAID will provide approximately $4 million to identify, train, and connect entrepreneurs in Morocco and Tunisia to connect them to sources of financing. This will be done in collaboration with the NAPEO local boards in both Morocco and Tunisia. Promising entrepreneurs will receive support in moving their business ideas forward and turn their business plans into reality. Start-up companies will find mentorship and supportive services to help them expand and create jobs.
Some of you may also remember that last year we announced that the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) would host a reverse trade mission of delegates from the Maghreb to come to the United States to explore a particular sector. Well we did that as well. In November of last year, USTDA brought a dynamic delegation of solar energy from this part of the world. Leaders from Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia to the United States. The delegation met with both senior executives and technical experts of leading solar power companies; visited solar power plants; participated in briefings with public and private investment organizations, and had meetings at the U.S. Department of Energy and other relevant government agencies.
Job Skills Training & Education
Finally and as a fourth goal, one of the things we talked about was job skills training and education. Last year we promised job skills and education training in a variety of areas with a special emphasis on opportunities for youth. As part of NAPEO, the Education for Employment Foundation is providing a Maghreb “train the trainers” program, which will qualify 18 trainers from Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco to teach “Workplace Success” – Workplace Success is a job skills program created by EFE which is in high demand by private sector employers. This Maghreb network of trainers from universities, institutes and non-profits that the trainer will then return to their countries to train young jobseekers and entrepreneurs.
To further fulfill our promise of education and exchange among business and entrepreneurship centers of excellence in the Maghreb and the United States, I am happy to announce that the Aspen Institute is working with U.S. and local partners to bring a University Partnership Delegation to the Maghreb this spring in the hopes of laying the foundation for a network of regional business schools, universities, and research entities.
Over the past two days, the State Department-sponsored Global Innovation through Science Technology (GIST) Boot Camp has also provided business development training to 40 technology entrepreneurs from Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria. These participants have exchanged best practices, and have even tried to catalyze new collaborations that we hope will grow into new ventures. Expert mentors have shared information on a wide range of topics from analyzing technology market potential to developing a business pitch (something as basic as going to an investor and trying to convince that investor that your idea is worth pursuing). GIST will continue to offer online training programs and webinars with technology and investment experts to build skills that will build innovative solutions.
Lastly the Department of Commerce hasn’t been left behind. It is also represented here today through the widely respected Commercial Law Development Program, which will continue to expand its work in the Maghreb. This program has been working actively with local partners in the Maghreb on the development of laws and practices that support trade liberalization, economic diversification, entrepreneurship and commercial rights, all at the request of each of the Maghreb governments.
Well this is a lot – this is a lot to say. It’s not the kind of talk that would bring out big ideas. Because I think, as David Arkless mentioned, the time for big ideas is passed. What we need to do now is to turn our ideas into action. In December 2010, in Algiers at the first NAPEO conference, we spoke about the need to create opportunity and jobs for young people throughout the Maghreb. The events of last year I think if anything have confirmed our objectives and the need for NAPEO. We also spoke last year about the need to go from grand ideas into specific projects and I think we’ve done that. The challenge going forward is that we need to do more. We have only scratched the surface. I think that we are at a wonderful moment and I think this idea is an idea that we will continue to pursue. We need to do more. We need to find ways -- as you will hear throughout this conference-- we need to find ways to scale up NAPEO.
Conclusion
And so in conclusion, I urge each of you to be our partners in scaling up NAPEO. I urge each of you here today to take what you learned during this conference and take it back to your communities. We urge you to become the catalyst for spreading the entrepreneurship spirit, to help employ youth, connecting to the United States and others in the Maghreb, and building new partnerships as part of the NAPEO initiative and beyond.
Thank you.
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Economic, Energy, Agricultural and Trade Issues: Inaugural Meeting of the International Council on Women's Business Leadership
Inaugural Meeting of the International Council on Women's Business Leadership
RemarksHillary Rodham ClintonSecretary of State
Ben Franklin Room
Washington, DC
Full Transcript
January 24, 2012
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