About the Author: Kris Balderston serves as Special Representative for Global Partnerships within the Office of the Secretary of State.
Only a few months into President Barack Obama's presidency, he went to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslim communities and call for new partnerships based on local priorities. In April of last year, President Obama fulfilled a key promise in that speech by hosting a global forum to discuss a topic that people around the world told us needed greater focus: entrepreneurship. The Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship brought together investors, foundations, and business leaders to deepen ties and build relationships. And at that historic gathering, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Secretary of State… more »
On December 5, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered remarks in Bonn, Germany at the International Conference for Afghanistan. Secretary Clinton said:
"First, I want to express our appreciation to the German Government, particularly Chancellor Merkel and Foreign Minister Westerwelle for hosting this conference, and to the Afghans -- particularly President Karzai and Foreign Minister Rassoul for chairing it. I think we took some important steps forward.
"Second, I want to recognize a number of the women leaders who are here from Afghanistan. I met with… more »
On December 4-8, 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to Germany, Lithuania, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In Bonn, Germany, Secretary Clinton will lead the United States' high-level, interagency delegation to the International Conference for Afghanistan on December 5.
The Bonn Conference, the first of its kind to be chaired solely by the Afghan government, will be an opportunity to review progress achieved since 2001 and highlight the strong international support for Afghanistan through transition and beyond. In Bonn, the government of Afghanistan and the international community will engage in mutual… more »
About the Author: Hannah Johnson is a contributing editor to DipNote.
Last week, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled to Burma and became the first Secretary of State in more than 50 years to visit the region. This visit underscored U.S. commitment to a policy of principled engagement. In Rangoon, Secretary Clinton said, "The United States wants to be a partner with Burma. We want to work with you as you further democratization, as you release all political prisoners, as you begin the difficult but necessary process of ending the ethnic conflicts that have gone on far too long, as you hold elections that are free, fair, and credible."
Prior to her trip to Burma, Secretary Clinton traveled to Busan,… more »
Ambassador Marc Grossman, U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, will participate in the International Afghanistan Conference in Bonn, Germany on December 5, 2011. The conference will focus on the future of Afghanistan after 2014 and on the long-term engagement of the international community in Afghanistan.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled to Nay Pyi Taw and Rangoon, Burma, from November 30 to December 2. This historic trip marked the first visit to Burma by a U.S. Secretary of State in over a half a century. Secretary Clinton underscored the U.S. commitment to a policy of principled engagement and direct dialogue as part of our dual-track approach. During a press availability in Nay Pyi Taw, Secretary Clinton said:
"Let me start by saying that I want to emphasize that while I may be the first United States Secretary of State to visit in over a half century,… more »
On the eve of December 3, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, it is worth noting that 2011 also marks the 30th anniversary of the International Year of Persons with Disabilities. Much has happened to advance the rights, equality, and inclusion of persons with disabilities since the International Year was adopted by the United Nations (UN) in 1981. International Decades of Persons with Disabilities have been adopted by the UN, the Asia Pacific region, the Americas, and the African region, advancing activities to combat discrimination on the basis of disability. In 1990, with its adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the United States became the first country in the world to adopt national civil rights legislation unequivocally banning discrimination against persons with disabilities. A global pioneer, the ADA has inspired adoption of disability rights… more »
About the Author: Jonathan E. Kaplan serves in the Office of the Deputy Secretary of State.
This is a remarkably busy season for American diplomacy. Just this week, Secretary Clinton became the first American Secretary of State in more than 50 years to visit Burma and she went to Busan, South Korea, to participate in a major conference on the effectiveness of foreign assistance. On Wednesday, November 30, Deputy Secretary of State Thomas R. Nides sat down with ABC News' Christiane Amanpour to discuss why it is so important for the United States to have the resources necessary to engage in the world. You can watch their interview here. more »
Yesterday, the global community marked World AIDS Day, a time to reflect on the scope of the pandemic, progress made in tackling HIV/AIDS, and ways forward to ending the pandemic once and for all. I was honored to be asked by Ambassador Susan Rice and the U.S. Mission to the United Nations to lead a panel discussion on AIDS to mark World AIDS Day. Having helped forge the first U.S. International AIDS Strategy for the Department of State in 1995, and having worked for many years to build capacity in science on AIDS in poorer nations, this was both a personal opportunity to reflect on gains made as well as a critical… more »
Today, Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe delivered a statement at the Human Rights Council Special Session on Syria. Ambassador Donahoe said:
"For the third time this year, we join a special session to make clear the international community's grave concerns over the situation in Syria, where the authorities are committing mass atrocities and gross human rights violations against the Syrian people.
"The Syrian people have an irrepressible hunger for a new political order. They are no longer willing to tolerate denial of their human rights… more »
DipNote is the official blog of the U.S. Department of State —a place to share stories, discuss experiences, and inspire new ideas on the important foreign policy issues of the day. more »
Across the eastern Horn of Africa, more than 11 million people -- a number greater than the populations of Houston and New York City combined -- are now in need of emergency assistance to survive. Learn more about the current crisis, including how you can help.
@ Mr. Zharkov, Syria IS Libya! Russians sold Libya weapons too. and excuse me, but the West DOESN'T sell arms to totalitarian regimes, only Kremlin and Beijing…
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@ Maureen, I think the point of this blog is to amuse bored officials and I can't think of a better investment of tax dollars because this blog is "Made…
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Spokesperson Nuland (Dec. 6): "I am delighted to announce the online opening of the Virtual U.S. Embassy Tehran as a new and exciting engagement opportunity between the peoples of Iran and the United States." Briefing more »
In recognition of the upcoming International Human Rights Day, Secretary Clinton spoke on human rights issues while in Geneva, Switzerland. A transcript and video will be available soon. Fact Sheet more »
![U.S. Vice President Joe Biden addresses the second Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Istanbul, Turkey, December 3, 2011. [AP Photo]](http://web.archive.org/web/20111206232318im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_1205_turkey_biden_m.jpg)
![Secretary Clinton boards plane in Beirut, Lebanon, April 26, 2009. [State Department Photo]](http://web.archive.org/web/20111206232318im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2009_0716_clinton_departs_m.jpg)
![Disabled persons shout slogans on World Disabled Day in Jammu, India, Dec. 3, 2008. [AP File Photo]](http://web.archive.org/web/20111206232318im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_1202_world_disabled_day_m.jpg)
![A young Sudanese girl grabs onto one of 60 bags of sorghum for sale donated by USAID and distributed by the World Food Program in southern Sudan, April 8, 2010. [AP File Photo]](http://web.archive.org/web/20111206232318im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_1202_foreign_aid_m.jpg)
![Delegates listen a speech during the opening session of the 10th Human Right Council at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, March 2, 2009. [AP File Photo]](http://web.archive.org/web/20111206232318im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_1202_hrc_session_m.jpg)
