The Asia-Pacific is home to half the world's population, more than half the world's GDP and nearly half of its trade. It is home to key allies and emerging powers. It is also home to booming middle classes and growing economic opportunities and is a region experiencing reductions in poverty without parallel in human history.
I recently traveled to the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia, where I saw firsthand how, in the words of Secretary Clinton, "It's becoming increasingly clear that in the 21st century, the world's strategic and economic center of gravity will be the Asia-Pacific."
While this region is experiencing many gains, there are also many challenges, including arms proliferation, piracy, trafficking and smuggling, natural disasters and regional tensions between powerful countries. A top priority for our Bureau's engagement with partners… more »
Our "Photo of the Week" comes to us from President Barack Obama's recent trip to Seoul, South Korea for the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit. The Summit, attended by more than 50 world leaders, addressed securing the world's nuclear weapons and preventing nuclear terrorism. This photograph, taken by White House photographer Pete Souza, shows President Obama talking with U.S. Ambassador to Republic of Korea Sung Kim aboard Marine One during an early morning flight from Osan Air Base to the landing zone at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan in Seoul, Republic of Korea, March 25,… more »
Today, the Republic of Korea hosted more than 50 world leaders for the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul. During the opening plenary session, President Barack Obama said:
"...This gathering is a tribute to the nations that contribute to security and peace that's playing a leading role around the globe and that's taking its rightful place on the world stage. When I hosted the first Nuclear Security Summit two years ago in Washington, there were those who questioned whether our nations could summon the will to confront one of the gravest dangers of our time. In part because it involves a lot of technical… more »
President Barack Obama is in the Republic of Korea to participate in the second Nuclear Security Summit. More than 50 world leaders are attending the summit to address one of the most urgent challenges of global security -- securing the world's nuclear weapons and preventing nuclear terrorism.
Scheduled to speak at Hankuk University in Seoul, President Obama will deliver remarks on continued efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. You can watch the President's remarks live on www.whitehouse.gov/live at 9:30 p.m. (EDT)… more »
Inspired by his belief that sports relate to positive achievements in life, Barry Larkin describes why he remains committed to serving as a Sports Envoy:
"I think the common thread everywhere...is about the life skills that you learn...that are sharpened from participating in sports -- problem-solving, teamwork, dealing with adversity."
Major League Baseball All-Star and 2012 Hall of Fame inductee Barry Larkin visited Ecuador in February as a Sports Envoy for the SportsUnited Division of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Joe Logan, former player with the Montreal Expos and coach of the Orlando Reds, accompanied Larkin. This visit marked their fourth Sports Envoy program together, following past trips to South Korea, Taiwan, and Colombia. The two dedicated "sports diplomats" work together on these overseas programs… more »
Ambassador Sung Kim may be one of the most sought-after interview subjects in South Korea, but it is surprisingly easy to access him -- if you are a Korean university student.
Last week, Ambassador Sung Kim spoke to a standing-room only house of some 130 local undergraduate students for Seoul's 27th Embassy Youth Forum.
The regular forum, also called "Real People Talking" (RPT), gives young people a chance to sit down with U.S. government officials, often at fairly senior levels, for face-to-face conversations. Each event spotlights an American guest -- in this case, Ambassador Kim -- who conducts a panel discussion with five to six Korean students, moderated by the embassy's Public Affairs Officer. The in-house audience can also ask questions, many… more »
2011 was a momentous year for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (EAP) as the culmination of much hard work that reflects the vision articulated by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in an editorial for the November 2011 issue of Foreign Policy. This strategy guided the Bureau's activities from reinvigorating already strong relations with treaty partners, building new partnerships with emerging powers in the region, such as China, engaging with multilateral institutions, expanding trade and investment, forging a broad based military presence, and advancing democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
Our long-standing treaty allies continue to serve as the bedrock… more »
This time last year, I made three, broad resolutions for 2011: to continue promoting U.S. job creation; to seek and build overseas economic alliances; and to protect U.S. businesses and their interests. Beyond these three, I also resolved to exploit every opportunity to foster prosperity at home and abroad. It is clear to me that my bureau's hard work and resilient efforts paid off during 2011. In the wake of the Arab Awakening, we took quick steps to foster economic recovery in the region, including through promotion of entrepreneurship and U.S.-Middle East business relationships. This fall, we seized long-standing opportunities for expanding economic growth by finalizing trade agreements with Colombia, South Korea,… more »
In 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton continued to champion cross-sectoral partnerships as a cornerstone of her 21st Century Statecraft. In support of her priorities, the Global Partnership Initiative (GPI) focused on four flagship initiatives last year:
Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves
Over the past year, our work on clean cookstoves has continued to thrive. In 2011, we built the Alliance infrastructure and strategic base, launched major communications initiatives, and began a wide range of operational priorities, much of which was either led by the U.S. government or made possible because of our strong commitment.
May 23: The State Department, through its office of the U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), is pleased to announce $1.5 million in funding to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to support open governance and political participation in the Middle East and North Africa. more »
May 23: Today, Russia was invited to join the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) at a ceremony hosted by its parent body, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. ã more »
![Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs Andrew Shapiro is greeted by naval officials during his visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on February 15, 2012 [U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur photo/ Public Domain]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0425_shapiro_m.jpg)
![President Obama talks with Sung Kim, U.S. Ambassador to Republic of Korea, aboard Marine One during an early morning flight from Osan Air Base to the landing zone at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan in Seoul, Republic of Korea, March 25, 2012. [White House photo/ Public Domain]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0330_potw_obama_kim_m.jpg)
![South Korean President Lee Myung-bak makes opening remarks at the start of a plenary session at the Nuclear Security Summit at the Coex Center, in Seoul, South Korea, March, 27, 2012. [AP Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0327_nuclear_security_m.jpg)
![President Barack Obama deliver remarks at Hankuk University in Seoul, South Korea, March 26, 2012. [AP Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0326_obama_hankuk_m.jpg)
![U.S. President Barack Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak hold a news conference at the Blue House, the official presidential house, in Seoul, South Korea, March 25, 2012. [AP Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0325_obama_rok_m.jpg)
![U.S. Sports Envoy Barry Larkin participates in a youth baseball clinic in Ecuador, February 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0302_baseball_larkin_m.jpg)
![Students use smart phones in Seoul, South Korea, Oct. 3, 2011. [AP File Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0227_korean_youth_m.jpg)
![Shipping containers line the Port of Long Beach, awaiting export in Long Beach, California, in January 2011. [AP File Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0109_shipping_m.jpg)
![U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton meets with Chef José Andrés, Culinary Ambassador for the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on September 13, 2011. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_0913_clinton_chef_andres_m.jpg)
