About the Authors: Mark Templer serves as Science and Technology Officer and Noopur Singh serves as a Science and Technology Specialist at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India.
Indian officials cited U.S. science diplomacy as a reason why the 99th Indian Science Congress (ISC) chose to focus on women in science. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh emphasized the crucial role of science in India's development to the nearly 20,000 energized attendees, which included several Nobel laureates. India's Ambassador to the United States Nirupama Rao enthusiastically launched India's first Women Science Congress as a concurrent event.
In a striking parallel to Secretary Clinton's declaration that women's rights is essential to our national security, Ambassador… more »
Flying into Abidjan, you see that Cote d'Ivoire is back in business. Streets are lit, cars are new, and the downtown has the vibrancy and neon signs of a busy capitol. Plans for development -- such as a new bridge to link the city across its lagoons -- are the government's focus.
Little of this was imaginable a year ago, when the country faced a dramatic crisis of leadership -- and a questionable future -- after its November 2010 elections. For months, the UN peacekeepers, backed by the international community and French Licorne forces, held the line against a defiant former leader who refused to step down despite losing the Presidential elections to his rival. Yet today, with former President Gbagbo in the Hague for war crimes, President Ouattara is moving forward to put the past behind and build a united nation.
Beyond the bright lights, much work remains.… more »
Last week, I visited Spain's beautiful capital city, meeting with the Department of State's partners in culture, education, and civil service. The U.S. Embassy in Madrid has been an innovative public diplomacy presence abroad, and it was exciting to see the staff's fine work firsthand.
About the Author: Hannah Johnson serves as DipNote's Assistant Editor.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides traveled to Islamabad, Pakistan on April 2-4, 2012. While in Pakistan, he met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar at the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
After the meeting, Deputy Secretary Nides said, "We are committed to the people of Pakistan. And, we recognize how challenging this past year has been. And, I am heartened that we are working through our differences very constructively. Being here today proves that a sustained engagement is the most productive way forward and a hallmark of the way in which mature democracies operate. Too much is at stake for us to turn away from each other, so we must work through all of these challenges. The United States shares an interest in the stability and prosperity of Pakistan and the… more »
In March, the United States turned over to the Republic of Seychelles 15 suspected Somali pirates for prosecution in connection with an attempted January 5 attack on the M/V Sunshine in the northern Arabian Sea and the abduction of 13 Iranian mariners rescued by the U.S. Navy aboard their captured fishing vessel Al Molai. The successful resolution of this incident marks another step forward in working with our international partners to see that pirates are brought to justice and underscores our ongoing commitment to promoting freedom of navigation worldwide.
As part of the United States' commitment to working with the international community in countering piracy, I traveled last week to New… 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.
How effective is the UN in respect to Russia and China countries who continue selling Arms and Nuclear fuel to Iran? What is the rules for the UNITED…
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When A government or state will show courage to its future it will work for an Ataraxian order - Current ''Open'' american lobbyist lie it is not the case...
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Acting Spokesperson Toner (Apr. 6): "The United States affirms its commitment to continue to work together with the people and Government of Rwanda to ensure that freedom, justice and peace are respected and enjoyed by all." more »
![Commander Sunita Williams, an Indian-American astronaut, speaks via video conference with girls in New Delhi, India, September 2011. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://web.archive.org/web/20120407181010im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0407_women_science_india_m.jpg)
![An aerial view of the central Plateau neighborhood of Abidjan, Cote d Ivoire, Jan. 4, 2011. [AP File Photo]](https://web.archive.org/web/20120407181010im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0406_io_cote_divoire_m.jpg)
![U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides meets with Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar at the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 4, 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://web.archive.org/web/20120407181010im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0406_potw_nides_pakistan_m.jpg)
![Somali government coast guards patrol the coast of Mogadishu, Somalia to keep a watch for pirates who hijack ships off the coast, Dec. 6, 2009. [AP File Photo]](https://web.archive.org/web/20120407181010im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0406_piracy_somalia_m.jpg)
