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U.S. Department of State Weekly Digest Bulletin Inbox x U.S. Department of State <usstatebpa@public.govdelivery.com> 7:21 AM (3 hours ago)  to me Zoohackathon 2019: Combating Wildlife Trafficking Through Innovation and Technology 08/11/2019 You are subscribed to Europe and Eurasia for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Zoohackathon 2019: Combating Wildlife Trafficking Through Innovation and Technology 08/11/2019 10:07 AM EDT The Department of State’s Zoohackathon promotes technology solutions, builds cross-sector collaboration, raises awareness, and empowers communities to combat wildlife trafficking.  During 48-hour competitions, teams of university students, software developers, coders, graphic designers, and wildlife enthusiasts use technology to tackle wildlife conservation problems.  At each local event — held at zoos, wildlife organizations, technology start-up facilities, and education centers around the world — judges choose a winning solution. This year, the Department of State is proud to co-host the annual Zoohackathon in 15 cities around the world: Bogotá, Colombia Boston, MA, and Cleveland, OH, United States Cairo, Egypt Entebbe, Uganda Gaborone, Botswana Geneva, Switzerland Helsinki, Finland Hong Kong SAR, China Manila, Philippines New Delhi and Kolkata, India Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia São Paulo, Brazil Vienna, Austria Wildlife trafficking is a serious transnational crime that threatens security, undermines the rule of law, fuels corruption, robs communities of legitimate economic livelihoods, and pushes species to the brink of extinction.  The United States is a leader in the fight against wildlife trafficking.  In February 2017, President Trump signed Executive Order 13773, which highlighted wildlife trafficking as one of four priority areas in the effort to dismantle organized crime syndicates.  For more information, visit www.zoohackathon.com or contact zoohackathon@state.gov.  For more on the State Department’s efforts to combat wildlife trafficking, visit the website for the Office of Conservation and Water. The post Zoohackathon 2019: Combating Wildlife Trafficking Through Innovation and Technology appeared first on United States Department of State. Joint Statement by the Governments of France, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States on the Truce in Libya 08/11/2019 You are subscribed to Europe and Eurasia for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Joint Statement by the Governments of France, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States on the Truce in Libya 08/11/2019 09:10 PM EDT The following is the text of a joint statement by the governments of France, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Begin text: The governments of France, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States welcome the announcement of a truce in Libya on the occasion of Eid el-Adha in response to the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General (SRSG) with the support of the Security Council (UNSC press statement on Libya of 11 August), and invite all parties to effectively cease hostilities across Libya. We stand ready to assist the UN Mission in monitoring the observance of the truce and address any attempt to break it. As proposed by the SRSG and reaffirmed today by the Security Council, this truce should be accompanied by confidence-building measures between the parties that can pave the way for a sustainable cease-fire and a return to a constructive, inclusive dialogue. The governments of France, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States recall the obligation under international law for all UN Member States to abide by the arms embargo, in line with all relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. We call on all parties to start working with no delay on a ceasefire agreement and resume efforts, under the auspices of the Special Representative of the United Nations, to build a lasting political solution, based on the principles agreed upon in Paris, Palermo, and Abu Dhabi. The governments of France, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States, reaffirm their strong commitment to a quick and peaceful resolution of the Libyan crisis. We reiterate that there can be no military option in Libya, and we urge all parties to protect civilians, safeguard Libya’s oil resources, and protect its infrastructure. The governments of France, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States condemn in the strongest terms the attack that targeted a UN convoy in Benghazi yesterday. The circumstances of this vicious act must be established with no delay and those who were behind it must be identified and held accountable. We reiterate their full support to the essential work of the UN Mission in Libya. The post Joint Statement by the Governments of France, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States on the Truce in Libyaappeared first on United States Department of State. Chad National Day 08/12/2019 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Chad National Day 08/12/2019 03:08 PM EDT On behalf of the United States, it is with great pleasure that I extend congratulations to the people of Chad on your 59th independence anniversary on August 11. The United States and Chad work together with regional and international partners to strengthen regional security, protect refugees, and advance democracy and respect for human rights. We wish you success for this year’s legislative elections. We extend best wishes to the people of Chad for peace and prosperity in the coming year. The post Chad National Day appeared first on United States Department of State. Liechtenstein National Day 08/14/2019 You are subscribed to Europe and Eurasia for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Liechtenstein National Day 08/14/2019 10:23 AM EDT On behalf of the United States of America, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations and warmest wishes to the people of the Principality of Liechtenstein as you celebrate your National Day on August 15. This year it is a truly special occasion:  300 years ago, on January 23, 1719, Liechtenstein became an Imperial Principality, forming its current borders.  Your country marks its Tricentennial as a world leader in innovation, banking and entrepreneurship, and the United States is proud to be Liechtenstein’s second largest trading partner.  We look forward to continuing our strong bilateral relationship. The post Liechtenstein National Day appeared first on United States Department of State. Public Designation of Sudan’s Salah Gosh under Section 7031(c) 08/14/2019 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Public Designation of Sudan’s Salah Gosh under Section 7031(c) 08/14/2019 06:12 PM EDT Today, the United States designated Salah Abdalla Mohamed Mohamed Salih, known as Salah Gosh, the former director general of Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), under Section 7031(c) of the FY 2019 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act (Div. F, P.L. 116-6), due to his involvement in gross violations of human rights. Specifically, the Department has credible information that Salah Gosh was involved in torture during his tenure as head of NISS. Section 7031(c) provides that, in cases where the Secretary of State has credible information that foreign officials have been involved in significant corruption or a gross violation of human rights, those individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States. The law also requires the Secretary of State to publicly or privately designate such officials and their immediate family members. In accordance with the law, I am also publicly designating his spouse, Awatif Ahmed Seed Ahmed Mohamed, as well as his daughter, Shima Salah Abdallah Mohamed. The designation of Salah Gosh and his family underscores our support for accountability for those involved in gross violations of human rights. We join the Sudanese people in their call for a transitional government that is truly civilian led and differs fundamentally from the Bashir regime, particularly on the protection of human rights. We make this announcement today in support of an effort by the Sudanese people to place the Bashir regime, with its long record of human rights violations and abuses by Gosh and other officials, in the past for good. The post Public Designation of Sudan’s Salah Gosh under Section 7031(c)appeared first on United States Department of State. Indonesia’s National Day 08/15/2019 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Indonesia’s National Day 08/15/2019 02:11 PM EDT On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I extend my sincere congratulations to the Indonesian people as you celebrate your 74th year of independence on August 17. As the United States and Indonesia this year celebrate the 70th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations, we look forward to the continued advancement of our Strategic Partnership for the benefit of the Indonesian and American people, and for the promotion of peace and prosperity in the region and globally. The United States values Indonesia as a democratic leader in the Indo-Pacific region and as a significant voice on global priorities. Our shared values and interests will propel our countries closer together in the years ahead. The United States is proud of the historic ties between our two countries and sends its best wishes to the people of Indonesia on this important occasion. The post Indonesia’s National Day appeared first on United States Department of State. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo And Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri Treaty Room Washington, D.C. 08/15/2019 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo And Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri Treaty Room Washington, D.C. 08/15/2019 05:59 PM EDT SECRETARY POMPEO:  Good afternoon, everyone.  Mr. Prime Minister, welcome.  If you’d like to proceed with your remarks. PRIME MINISTER HARIRI:  Sure.  Today, I met Secretary Pompeo, whom I consider a great friend of Lebanon.  I thanked him for the U.S. Government’s continued support to Lebanon and especially of the Lebanese Armed Forces and national security forces.  I reaffirmed our partnership and joint commitment to the fight against terrorism. I also confirmed to the Secretary our commitment to continuing the negotiation process led by Ambassador Satterfield on behalf of the U.S. Government concerning our land and maritime borders.  The proposal was communicated to the president of the republic and the speaker of the parliament and to me.  We consider the process to be viable and will continue to support constitutional next step leading up to a final decision in the coming months, hopefully September. Equally, there is a continued support for the CEDRE Conference and Capital Investment Plan, which are essential to the revival of the Lebanese economy.  We are dedicated to advancing these initiatives which will bolster security and stability for Lebanon and the region.  Thank you. SECRETARY POMPEO:  Thank you.  Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, and welcome again. I’ve gotten to know the prime minister well over the past years, and I appreciate you coming to join and have a visit here today.  During our conversation, I reiterated the United States commitment to a bright future for the people of Lebanon.  And as part of that commitment, we continue to support the credible state institutions inside of Lebanon.  They are essential to preserving Lebanese security, stability, and sovereignty, and they are essential to making sure that the needs of all of the Lebanese people are met. They are also essential to an effective response to the many political, economic, and humanitarian challenges in Lebanon.  This is a region that is threatened by Iran and is a nation threatened by its proxy Hizballah, and we welcome the prime minister’s courageous commitment to keep taking full responsibility for Lebanon’s defense. We also welcome his commitment to undertake the ambitious and necessary reforms which will unlock future international assistance for Lebanon’s economy.  And we want to say thank you as well, and welcome to the commitment that they have made to providing refugees, especially the now more than 1 million that have come from Syria into Lebanon.  You’ve provided them shelter from the repressive and depraved Assad regime, and we appreciate that.  And we look forward to continuing to make further progress on our partnership. I also am very appreciative of the prime minister’s statement about the commitment to make progress towards the resumption of productive expert-level discussions for the handful of remaining points with respect to the Blue Line and the initiation discussions on the Israel-Lebanon maritime border.  We are prepared to participate as a mediator and facilitator in the maritime discussions, and we do hope that we will soon see substantive discussions on these important issues, the resolution of which would be greatly beneficial to Lebanon and to the broader region. Mr. Prime Minister, thank you again for visiting today. PRIME MINISTER HARIRI:  Thank you so much. SECRETARY POMPEO:  Good luck to you.  It was great to be with you.  Thank you.  Thank you, all. The post Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo And Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri Treaty Room Washington, D.C. appeared first on United States Department of State. Remarks of Deputy Assistant Secretary Robert L. Strayer at a Joint U.S.-Mexico Reception at the OAS for Participants of the UN GGE Regional Consultation 08/16/2019 You are subscribed to Speeches, Remarks, Testimony (other than by the Secretary) for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Remarks of Deputy Assistant Secretary Robert L. Strayer at a Joint U.S.-Mexico Reception at the OAS for Participants of the UN GGE Regional Consultation 08/15/2019 02:20 PM EDT On behalf of the U.S. Government, I am pleased to welcome you to this reception along with our co-host, Ambassador Luz Elena Baños Rivas of Mexico. At the outset, I want to thank Allison August Treppel and the cybersecurity team at the Secretariat of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) for providing this space and for all of their work to make our engagements this week possible. The regional consultation taking place today and tomorrow at the Organization of American States directly supports upcoming discussions at the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on cyber issues.  Additionally, I see it as an important part of an extended dialogue that UN member states will have over the next two years on international security issues in cyberspace. The stakes are high.  We are seeking to deepen consensus on responsible State behavior to prevent cyberspace from becoming a source of instability and conflict.  If we succeed, we can help safeguard the benefits of the Internet – a global platform for innovation and engagement – for generations to come.  If we fail, we are likely to experience more disruptive cyber attacks and greater insecurity that will threaten trust in the Internet as we know it today. Role of the OAS The OAS has a proud history of helping to improve cybersecurity and strengthen cyber stability in the region. The OAS was the first regional organization in the world to take up cybersecurity issues back in 2002. Since 2004, with support from the United States and other member states, CICTE, through its Cybersecurity Program, has worked with member states to build national cybersecurity capabilities as a part of its efforts to implement the Comprehensive Inter-American Strategy to Combat Threats to Cybersecurity. These efforts yielded significant results: National Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs) increased from 4 to 21 since 2004; Eleven (11) countries, including many represented here today, have adopted national cybersecurity strategies; A hemispheric network (i.e., CSIRTAmericas.org) now exists to facilitate communication, information and knowledge sharing between national CSIRTs in the region; and Specialized technical trainings have been provided to thousands of government officials and other cybersecurity stakeholders in the region. And in recent years, with leadership from our Chilean, Colombian, and Mexican colleagues, the OAS is among the first regional organizations to implement the recommendations of past UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) reports by putting in place cyber confidence building measures aimed at transparency and reducing the risk of conflict stemming from a cyber-incident. It’s also important to recognize the leadership role that one of our member states – Brazil – has played in chairing both the 2014-2015 GGE as well as the upcoming one.  We very much look forward to working with Ambassador Patriota in the next few years in the GGE. Our work to date in the Americas region supports global efforts to promote responsible State behavior in cyberspace.  And we all have a strong national security interest in ensuring that this important cooperation and work continues and succeeds. As cyber capabilities become cheaper and easier to acquire, more States are establishing offensive cyber programs.  States must use these capabilities responsibly – whether they are in our region or not – because, in our interconnected world, all of us can be affected in unintended ways. Because of the interests at stake, we encourage every state here today to take an active role in these discussions – including, in particular, the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) that will kick off at the United Nations next month. Goals for Upcoming UN Discussions The United States would like to see both the GGE and the OEWG processes operate in a complementary manner and achieve successful outcomes. Fundamentally, we must seek to build upon and universalize adherence to the framework of responsible State behavior in cyberspace that the 2010, 2013, and 2015 GGE reports recommended, and that the UN General Assembly has said all states should follow.  This framework includes three elements: Affirmation that existing international law applies to state behavior in cyberspace; Adherence to certain non-binding norms of responsible state behavior in cyberspace during peacetime; and The development and implementation of practical cyber confidence-building measures. Our hope is that the upcoming discussions in the UN can help to broaden awareness of this framework and produce practical guidance to States on how to implement it. A key element of this will need to be capacity building. We need to continue working together to help States build capacity to apply the framework.  And in our increasingly interconnected world where one country’s cyber vulnerabilities can affect global stability, the ultimate success of this global effort will necessarily depend on the ability of individual countries to effectively protect their networks. We hope, through both processes, to emphasize the importance and role of capacity building in promoting peace and security in cyberspace. Deterrence Finally, while we continue to work in the UN towards international consensus around responsible State behavior in cyberspace, we must remain clear-eyed about the fact that some States will simply choose not to abide by this consensus. Indeed, the experience of recent years shows that if we want to see stability in cyberspace, we, as responsible States, must do more to hold other States accountable when they engage in significant disruptive, destructive, or otherwise destabilizing malicious cyber activity. We are encouraged to see a growing number of governments beginning to work in concert to condemn malicious cyber activity.  From WannaCry to NotPetya to the APT10 cloud hopper attacks, more and more countries are attributing cyber attacks or issuing statements of support to those states that do attribute such attacks.  But we need to do more to show that there is accountability for bad behavior in cyberspace. To that end, our National Cyber Strategy calls for greater cooperation among like-minded, responsible States through the formation of a Cyber Deterrence Initiative.  We welcome the opportunity to continue discussing this effort within the region. Conclusion In conclusion, I want to thank you for honoring us with your presence here this evening. We have a lot of work to do together in the coming years, but fortunately, our region has a strong record of success to build upon. I wish you all a fruitful and productive day tomorrow. The post Remarks of Deputy Assistant Secretary Robert L. Strayer at a Joint U.S.-Mexico Reception at the OAS for Participants of the UN GGE Regional Consultation appeared first on United States Department of State. U.S. National Security Team Discusses Status of Negotiations for Peace and Reconciliation in Afghanistan 08/16/2019 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. U.S. National Security Team Discusses Status of Negotiations for Peace and Reconciliation in Afghanistan 08/16/2019 06:51 PM EDT Today, the President convened a meeting with his national security team including Vice President Pence, Secretary of State Pompeo, Secretary of Defense Esper, National Security Advisor Bolton, Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Khalilzad, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dunford and CIA Director Haspel to discuss the status of negotiations for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. Led by the President, we are working diligently on the path forward in Afghanistan. In continued close cooperation with the Government of Afghanistan, we remain committed to achieving a comprehensive peace agreement, including a reduction in violence and a ceasefire, ensuring that Afghan soil is never again used to threaten the United States or her allies, and bringing Afghans together to work towards peace. The post U.S. National Security Team Discusses Status of Negotiations for Peace and Reconciliation in Afghanistan appeared first on United States Department of State. Gabon National Day Statement 08/17/2019 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Gabon National Day Statement 08/17/2019 08:00 AM EDT On behalf of the United States, I send my best wishes to the Government and people of Gabon on the celebration of the 59th anniversary of your independence. The United States and Gabon share a strong economic and security relationship. Gabon’s partnership on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, commitment to peacekeeping in the region, and progress toward biodiversity preservation are important elements in our bilateral relationship. The United States looks forward to greater cooperation between our two countries in the future. On this momentous occasion, I wish the people of Gabon a prosperous year ahead. The post Gabon National Day Statement appeared first on United States Department of State. Stay connected with the State Department:      External links found in this content or on Department of State websites that go to other non-Department websites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. This email was sent to amphiktyon@gmail.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. Department of State · 2201 C Street NW · Washington, DC 20520 ... [Message clipped]  View entire message ReplyForward