Deputy Secretary of State Thomas R. Nides authored an opinion piece that appears today on CNN's Global Public Square Blog. The text of his piece also follows below:
"Here's a simple equation that will help the economy: Bringing more international visitors to America equals new jobs here at home. The United States is the world's top tourist destination, but our share of that market has dropped since September 11, 2001.
"International travelers added $134 billion in exports to our economy in 2010, and we know there is appetite for much more. The Department of Commerce estimates that every 65 additional international visitors to the… more »
About the Author: Albana Karakushi works in the Office of European Affairs in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.
On February 5, Secretary Clinton met with a young group of Roma civil society activists and professionals in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Roma participants each spoke briefly about their work and their ideas on how to help move the Roma community forward. Many of the Roma youth activists were alumni of the Intern Program for Young Roma, an Open Society Institute initiative held under the auspices of the National Assembly of Bulgaria that announced its fifth intern program on February 6.
In her opening remarks, the Secretary told the activists that "helping to promote and protect the inalienable human rights of Roma everywhere is a long-standing personal commitment of mine, and it is a stated foreign policy priority of this Administration." As part of that commitment, the Secretary announced that… more »
About the Author: Melanne Verveer serves as the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, and David M. Robinson serves as Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration.
Today, on the Ninth Annual International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, we stand in solidarity with men and women who are working to address and prevent this practice that takes place in many countries around the world. Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) occurs across cultures and religions, although no religion mandates the procedure. It is a practice rooted in beliefs about the “dangers” of women's sexuality, and involves a rite of passage into adulthood that has extremely detrimental consequences on the health and overall well-being of women and girls subjected to it.
It is estimated that 100 to 140 million women globally have undergone this procedure and three million girls are at risk every year. Cutting is often performed by untrained practitioners, employing no anesthesia and often using such instruments as broken glass,… more »
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled to Germany and Bulgaria on February 3-5, 2012. In Munich, Germany, Secretary Clinton held bilateral meetings with her European and other counterparts and participated in the 48th Munich Security Conference. This annual event brings together global leaders to discuss common security challenges. In her address to the Conference, the Secretary reaffirmed the fundamental importance of the transatlantic relationship and Europe's role as an essential partner in addressing global security challenges.
The United States advised the government of Syria that it has suspended all embassy operations effective February 6, 2012, given ongoing violence and a deteriorating security situation. All official U.S. embassy personnel and their family members have departed. In a statement, State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said:
"We, along with several other diplomatic missions, conveyed our security concerns to the Syrian government but the regime failed to respond adequately. Ambassador Ford has left Damascus but he remains the United States Ambassador to Syria and its people. As the President's representative, he will continue his work and engagement with the Syrian people as head of our Syria team in Washington. Together with other senior U.S. officials, Ambassador Ford will maintain… 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. Ford, I do not find your arguments persuasive. The putative rebel forces are reported to have armored personnel carriers and the Israeli DEBKAfile…
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Well, perhaps one can appreciate why we Americans reject federal militarization of our local police and joint task forces involving federal troops, Fusion…
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Feb. 13, 2012: Senior officials delivered remarks on the FY 2013 Department of State - USAID budget request. Watch for a replay at video.state.gov. More on Budget more »
Spokesperson Nuland (Feb. 10): "We will have more of this declassified U.S. national imagery available both on site in coming days but also on our new site www.stateondemand.com, where news organizations can find all of our content to pull down around the world. more »
![People look out the window at airplanes at Santos Dummont airport in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Jan. 25, 2012. [AP File Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0207_nides_travel_m.jpg)
![Secretary of State Hillary Rodam Clinton poses with Roma professionals and NGO leaders at the U.S. Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria, February 5, 2012. [AP Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0207_clinton_roma_bulgaria_m.jpg)
![A Masai girl holds a protest sign during the anti-Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) run in Kilgoris, Kenya, in 2007. [AP File Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0206_stop_fgm_m.jpg)
![The U.S. Embassy building is seen in Damascus, Syria on January 12, 2011. [AP File Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0206_embassy_syria_m.jpg)
