We are about two thirds of the way through the United States' April Presidency of the UN Security Council. It has been quite a month. Syria, North Korea, Sudan and South Sudan, Mali, Guinea-Bissau -- the Council has been working furiously on a broad range of issues spanning the entire globe.
However, as Ambassador Rice has repeatedly… more »
Posted under: Behind the Scenes
View Comments (2)
More: Interactive Travel Map | Trip Page
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled to Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco February 24-25, 2012. In Tunisia, Secretary Clinton participated in the first meeting of the "Friends of Syria" group as part of our ongoing efforts with our friends, allies, and the Syrian opposition to crystallize next steps to halt the slaughter of the Syrian people and pursue a transition to democracy in Syria. At the meeting, she said "Syria is a proud country of 23 million people, with a rich history and ancient culture. The end of Assad can mark a new beginning for Syria. It is… more »
Posted under: Near East and Asia
View Comments (5)
![Secretary Clinton boards plane in Beirut, Lebanon, April 26, 2009. [State Department Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2009_0716_clinton_departs_m.jpg)
More: Interactive Travel Map | Trip Page | Special Briefing To Preview Conference on Somalia
On February 23, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton begins a four-nation trip to London and North Africa. In London, the Secretary will attend a conference hosted by Prime Minster David Cameron, dedicated to building stability and peace in Somalia. Heads of state and foreign ministers from over 50 countries as well as representatives of the United Nations and the African Union will attend. The timing of the conference is significant as it convenes six months prior to the end of Somalia's… more »
Posted under: Behind the Scenes
View Comments (1)
Just as my Department of State colleagues witnessed the entrepreneurial spirit of the Arab Spring with Jordanian entrepreneurs in Washington, D.C., I experienced that same spirit energizing the halls of the Ryad Mogador Agdal in Marrakech, Morocco.
I recently participated in the second U.S.-Maghreb Entrepreneurship Conference, initially launched one year ago in Algeria just weeks before the uprisings in Tunisia that sparked the… more »
Posted under: Near East and Asia
View Comments (0)
![Attendees of the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship listen as President Barack Obama speaks, April 26, 2010, in Washington. [AP File Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0118_young_entrepeneurs_m.jpg)
In the midst of the political and economic revolutions and evolutions of the Arab Spring, there is a theme emerging. It isn't as popular to talk about as the power of social media for mobilization, and it hasn't received the same media coverage as the crowds in city squares across the Middle East and North Africa, but it's a vital part of what is happening in our world.
As venture capitalist Craig Hanson so aptly stated in the San Jose Mercury News, "Entrepreneurship is the next phase of the Arab Spring."
We talked about Craig's message a great deal yesterday when we hosted the 25 entrepreneurs from Jordan who accompanied His Majesty King Abdullah II on his visit to meet with President Obama this week. At a luncheon here at the State Department, we connected these… more »
Posted under: Near East and Asia
View Comments (5)
![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)
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.
In May,… more »
Posted under: Behind the Scenes
View Comments (2)
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 »