U.S. Department of State Weekly Digest Bulletin

 

Η συνομιλία άνοιξε. 1 μη αναγνωσμένο μήνυμα.

Μετάβαση απευθείας στο περιεχόμενο
Χρήση του Gmail με αναγνώστες οθόνης

Αναζήτηση

Σύνταξη

Ετικέτες

Εισερχόμενα

5

Με αστέρι

Σε αναβολή

Σημαντικά

Απεσταλμένα

Πρόχειρα

616

Κατηγορίες

Κοινωνικά

6

Ενημερώσεις

21

Φόρουμ

Προσφορές

1

[Imap]/Πρόχειρα

ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ

1

ΠΡΟΣΩΠΙΚΟΣ

3

ΤΡΑΠΕΖΕΣ

2

ΦΑΝΗ

24

ΧΡΗΣΤΟΣ

1

INBOX/old

Personal

7

Περισσότερα

 

Meet

Hangouts

Hangouts

Περισσότερα

3 από 6

U.S. Department of State Weekly Digest Bulletin Εισερχόμενα U.S. Department of State <usstatebpa@public.govdelivery.com> 6:30 π.μ. (πριν από 4 ώρες) προς εγώ Αγγλικά Ελληνικά     Μετάφραση μηνύματος Απενεργοποίηση για: Αγγλικά Secretary Antony J. Blinken At a Meet and Greet with U.S. Embassy Personnel and Families 11/20/2021 You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary Antony J. Blinken At a Meet and Greet with U.S. Embassy Personnel and Families 11/20/2021 07:58 PM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Dakar, Senegal U.S. Embassy AMBASSADOR MUSHINGI:  Thank you.  Thank you very much.  I wonder which music is that?  (Laughter.)  I’ve heard it before, but I don’t remember where. But anyway, it’s my great pleasure.  I’m delighted to see you all here for this special occasion and to give a warm welcome to our guests this afternoon.  It’s indeed a pleasure for me and for all of us to welcome Secretary Antony Blinken, colleagues from Washington that you will see around, including among them our Assistant Secretary Molly Phee, who is over there (applause); a senior director at the White House for African Affairs, Dana Banks, who is here (applause); and my friend who tried to make me keep the Secretary on time, but I failed, is our chief of staff for the Secretary, Suzy George, who is somewhere.  (Applause.)  Oh, she’s over there.  Oh good that she’s far away; she’ll not be giving me the big eyes, then I can ignore the time here.  (Laughter.)  Thank you. I’m really happy to welcome them to this, our beautiful embassy.  By the way, Secretary, this is located at what we call the Pointe – (in French) – la Pointe des Almadies, which is just here, and which is also known as the westernmost point of the African mainland.  So to Teams USA in Dakar and Bissau, I’m very proud to be working with you.  And indeed, I express my gratitude to you and your family members for all your work on behalf of the American people.  Our vision here has always been a safer and more prosperous United States of America, a safer and more prosperous Senegal, and a safer and more prosperous Guinea Bissau. And our slogan – let me see where we remember – it’s one team, one mission.  As in one team. AUDIENCE:  One mission. AMBASSADOR MUSHINGI:  There you go.  And we tell our Senegalese and Bissau-Guinean interlocutors (a) there is no Planet B – as in no Plan A, Plan B – no Planet B, (b) on this one planet that we have, talking about climate change, talking about prosperity, talking about everything, we are all in the same boat.  And what to do?  And therefore, if indeed we are in the same boat, we all need to row together in the same direction to produce results for the American people, the Senegalese people, and the Bissau-Guinean people So let me hear it one more time.  One team. AUDIENCE:  One mission. AMBASSADOR MUSHINGI:  Or in our language, in your language.  Hatchendo. AUDIENCE:  Dorondo. AMBASSADOR MUSHINGI:  It’s not loud enough.  Hatchendo. AUDIENCE:  Dorondo. AMBASSADOR MUSHINGI:  So as the saying goes, save the best for last.  So – and Secretary Blinken chose Dakar as his last stop for his first visit to the African continent.  Perhaps he heard about the Thiéboudienne, the delicious dumpling.  We just had some at the president’s – at the palace, and I saw him take a full plate.  (Laughter.)  I looked at this plate, I’m like, “What did you take home?”  And then maybe he heard about like teraanga.  I heard him also repeat that word, teraanga.  Or maybe he heard about something else.  Personally, I think that he learned that Youssou N’Dour released a new album this week and wanted to hear the true essence of Mbalax music before returning home.  And we heard that he likes music.  (Applause.) (Music played.) AMBASSADOR MUSHINGI:  Mr. Secretary, the microphone is yours.  (Applause.) SECRETARY BLINKEN:  That’s an impossible act to follow.  (Laughter.)  And I’m glad we heard some real music – (laughter) – because when we walked up here I was very concerned.  (Laughter.) (In French.)  It is wonderful to experience firsthand the extraordinary hospitality and warmth of Senegal, of its people, of our colleagues, and it’s especially good to be with all of you.  Now I’m told, but I don’t know if this is right – but I’m told this may be your first post-pandemic, more or less post-pandemic gathering, so it’s great that everyone’s here in person outside together.  (Applause.) And you have a great ambassador here.  (Cheers.)  And I should have said we have a great ambassador here.  (Cheers.)  Tuli, thank you for your four years of leadership here and for your many years of extraordinary service and leadership, service to the country.  We’re grateful for it. And thank you to everyone here at Embassy Dakar for incredibly hard work over the last few years and especially, especially, for looking out for one another.  I know you’ve had virtual hails and farewells during COVID, you’ve got Locally Employed Staff Recognition Day in a few days, but let me start that by saying my own gratitude, my own recognition, for our locally employed team.  We could not do this without you.  You’re the lifeblood of this mission, the lifeblood of our missions everywhere in the world, and I thank you for it.  (Applause.) Now, there are a few people I would like to mention and single out by name, and maybe they’re here.  Aminata Casse, there you are.  (Cheers.)  So you have done award-winning work recognized by President Macky Sall to improve Senegal’s firefighting capabilities.  Thank you for that (inaudible).  (Cheers.) Tidiane Wone, are you here?  Where is Tidiane?  (Cheers.)  Ah, there you are.  Thank you for chairing the Locally Employed Staff Committee.  It means a lot.  We really appreciate that.  We appreciate your leadership.  Thank you.  (Applause.) And Ndeye Fatou Wilane, are you here?  (Cheers.)  Thank you for your wonderful work telling the story of Embassy Dakar, especially over the last year.  We really appreciate that as well.  (Applause.) And finally, Adama Sembene, are you here? STAFF:  She’s not here. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  No?  Alioune Mody Ndiaye, are you here?  Well, let me simply say for both of them, 32 years of service.  (Cheers.)  That’s extraordinary and we are so grateful to have you as colleagues.  Please extend my appreciation to them.  (Applause.) So we’ve had 60 years of diplomatic partnership, diplomatic relations with Senegal, and we just went through the multipurpose room with photos of every American president going back to President Kennedy with the leaders of Senegal.  And today I had a chance to see the incredible diversity and the strength of our relationship with Senegal. We had, as the ambassador will tell you and will no doubt relate, a really wonderful visit working with our colleagues, including with President Sall, with the foreign minister, a commercial diplomacy event with the minister of the economy and American companies that are working on investments here in Senegal, very inspiring roundtable discussions with women technology and business leaders, a tour just now of the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, where we’re seeing cutting-edge work being done on vaccines now for yellow fever and eventually for COVID and other pandemics. And that gets me to one thing I wanted to share with you.  I know that for people in this mission as well as for our missions around the world, this has been over the last couple of years a very difficult journey because of COVID-19.  And I know that you’ve recently emerged from a difficult third wave.  But I want to say thank you because you’ve kept going, you’ve supported each other, and you’ve helped Senegal’s COVID-19 response. Now, I don’t know if they’re here, but Dr. Jay Lee and Omer Pasi, where are you?  (Cheers.)  You and your medical team have kept this mission safe with vaccines.  You provided accurate and timely information to all of our people.  I can’t thank you enough for doing that. And Fama Gueye, are you here?  (Cheers.)  I understand you kept everyone connected.  And especially in challenging times like COVID-19, keeping people connected – thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Inaudible.)  (Applause.) To those of you who helped facilitate the provision of vaccines to Senegal – more than a million so far – you’ve made a huge difference.  You have literally, literally saved lives.  Some of you helped to build up Senegal’s health systems, and those of you who helped ramp up vaccine manufacturing at Institut Pasteur, again, you’re making a real difference in people’s lives. The other thing I want to talk about briefly is the work that we’re doing, that you’re doing, on commercial diplomacy, on investing in the future of this country and the future of our relationship.  We’ve got more American companies doing business here in Senegal than ever before, and that is only going to grow thanks to your work.  We’ve got the first direct Dakar-New York flight, and this embassy is hard at work driving more commercial diplomacy.  We signed a number of Memorandum of Understanding today with four leading companies that will help invest and grow and strengthen the infrastructure here in Senegal, and that’s going to make a difference in people’s lives too. And they represent what I know Tuli likes to call the American model, deals that represent good jobs for the United States and for the people of Senegal.  So thank you very much to the economic team, the business team, for pushing that. A couple other things to mention.  To all of you, you’re doing outstanding work representing our country here in Dakar.  We need to do our part at the State Department to make sure that this is the best workplace that it can be.  Last month, I put out a modernization agenda for the department, something we just launched.  And there are a few things that we’re going to try and do over the next couple of years.  We’re going to work to build our capacity and expertise in new areas, because so much of what you’re called upon to do in dealing with climate change, in dealing with pandemics, in building our economic relationships, so much of that depends on new skills that we want to make sure the department develops and that you develop. We want to make sure that new voices are brought to the fore in thinking about and innovating in our policy, and we have new ways to do that.  We want to make sure that not only are we building but we’re retaining a diverse workforce, and that means addressing some of the quality of life and work-life balance issues that I know so many of you have.  We’re modernizing our tech, our communications, our analytical capabilities, and we’re going to be reinvigorating in-person diplomacy and public engagement because that’s at the heart of what you do, that’s at the heart of what we do. The bottom line is this:  We want the department, this department that we share, to be as effective as it can be in the world, and we want you to have the tools and the support that you need to do your job as well as you can. So as I said yesterday in Nigeria, we are looking to strengthen our partnerships across Africa, including here in Senegal, because this continent will make the difference on so many challenges and opportunities of our time.  You know this so well:  Over the next 25 or 30 years, one in four people on Planet Earth will be African.  Africa is part of our common future, and I want to make sure it’s part of our common present.  That’s what we’re going to be doing over the next couple of years. And the work you’re doing here in Senegal is a vital piece of that effort.  So whether you started at the embassy last week or whether you’re into your third decade of service; whether you’re Foreign Service, Civil Service, Locally Employed Staff, a family member, a contractor; whether you’re here with one of the other agencies that work together as part of our family, I really just wanted to come by and say very simply thank you.  Thank you for the great work that you do on behalf of the United States.  Thank you for the great work that you do bringing Senegal and the United States together.  Thank you for your service to the American people.  I’m grateful for it.  Thank you.  (Applause.) Secretary Antony J. Blinken At a Meet and Greet with U.S. Embassy Personnel and Families 11/20/2021 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary Antony J. Blinken At a Meet and Greet with U.S. Embassy Personnel and Families 11/20/2021 07:58 PM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Dakar, Senegal U.S. Embassy AMBASSADOR MUSHINGI:  Thank you.  Thank you very much.  I wonder which music is that?  (Laughter.)  I’ve heard it before, but I don’t remember where. But anyway, it’s my great pleasure.  I’m delighted to see you all here for this special occasion and to give a warm welcome to our guests this afternoon.  It’s indeed a pleasure for me and for all of us to welcome Secretary Antony Blinken, colleagues from Washington that you will see around, including among them our Assistant Secretary Molly Phee, who is over there (applause); a senior director at the White House for African Affairs, Dana Banks, who is here (applause); and my friend who tried to make me keep the Secretary on time, but I failed, is our chief of staff for the Secretary, Suzy George, who is somewhere.  (Applause.)  Oh, she’s over there.  Oh good that she’s far away; she’ll not be giving me the big eyes, then I can ignore the time here.  (Laughter.)  Thank you. I’m really happy to welcome them to this, our beautiful embassy.  By the way, Secretary, this is located at what we call the Pointe – (in French) – la Pointe des Almadies, which is just here, and which is also known as the westernmost point of the African mainland.  So to Teams USA in Dakar and Bissau, I’m very proud to be working with you.  And indeed, I express my gratitude to you and your family members for all your work on behalf of the American people.  Our vision here has always been a safer and more prosperous United States of America, a safer and more prosperous Senegal, and a safer and more prosperous Guinea Bissau. And our slogan – let me see where we remember – it’s one team, one mission.  As in one team. AUDIENCE:  One mission. AMBASSADOR MUSHINGI:  There you go.  And we tell our Senegalese and Bissau-Guinean interlocutors (a) there is no Planet B – as in no Plan A, Plan B – no Planet B, (b) on this one planet that we have, talking about climate change, talking about prosperity, talking about everything, we are all in the same boat.  And what to do?  And therefore, if indeed we are in the same boat, we all need to row together in the same direction to produce results for the American people, the Senegalese people, and the Bissau-Guinean people So let me hear it one more time.  One team. AUDIENCE:  One mission. AMBASSADOR MUSHINGI:  Or in our language, in your language.  Hatchendo. AUDIENCE:  Dorondo. AMBASSADOR MUSHINGI:  It’s not loud enough.  Hatchendo. AUDIENCE:  Dorondo. AMBASSADOR MUSHINGI:  So as the saying goes, save the best for last.  So – and Secretary Blinken chose Dakar as his last stop for his first visit to the African continent.  Perhaps he heard about the Thiéboudienne, the delicious dumpling.  We just had some at the president’s – at the palace, and I saw him take a full plate.  (Laughter.)  I looked at this plate, I’m like, “What did you take home?”  And then maybe he heard about like teraanga.  I heard him also repeat that word, teraanga.  Or maybe he heard about something else.  Personally, I think that he learned that Youssou N’Dour released a new album this week and wanted to hear the true essence of Mbalax music before returning home.  And we heard that he likes music.  (Applause.) (Music played.) AMBASSADOR MUSHINGI:  Mr. Secretary, the microphone is yours.  (Applause.) SECRETARY BLINKEN:  That’s an impossible act to follow.  (Laughter.)  And I’m glad we heard some real music – (laughter) – because when we walked up here I was very concerned.  (Laughter.) (In French.)  It is wonderful to experience firsthand the extraordinary hospitality and warmth of Senegal, of its people, of our colleagues, and it’s especially good to be with all of you.  Now I’m told, but I don’t know if this is right – but I’m told this may be your first post-pandemic, more or less post-pandemic gathering, so it’s great that everyone’s here in person outside together.  (Applause.) And you have a great ambassador here.  (Cheers.)  And I should have said we have a great ambassador here.  (Cheers.)  Tuli, thank you for your four years of leadership here and for your many years of extraordinary service and leadership, service to the country.  We’re grateful for it. And thank you to everyone here at Embassy Dakar for incredibly hard work over the last few years and especially, especially, for looking out for one another.  I know you’ve had virtual hails and farewells during COVID, you’ve got Locally Employed Staff Recognition Day in a few days, but let me start that by saying my own gratitude, my own recognition, for our locally employed team.  We could not do this without you.  You’re the lifeblood of this mission, the lifeblood of our missions everywhere in the world, and I thank you for it.  (Applause.) Now, there are a few people I would like to mention and single out by name, and maybe they’re here.  Aminata Casse, there you are.  (Cheers.)  So you have done award-winning work recognized by President Macky Sall to improve Senegal’s firefighting capabilities.  Thank you for that (inaudible).  (Cheers.) Tidiane Wone, are you here?  Where is Tidiane?  (Cheers.)  Ah, there you are.  Thank you for chairing the Locally Employed Staff Committee.  It means a lot.  We really appreciate that.  We appreciate your leadership.  Thank you.  (Applause.) And Ndeye Fatou Wilane, are you here?  (Cheers.)  Thank you for your wonderful work telling the story of Embassy Dakar, especially over the last year.  We really appreciate that as well.  (Applause.) And finally, Adama Sembene, are you here? STAFF:  She’s not here. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  No?  Alioune Mody Ndiaye, are you here?  Well, let me simply say for both of them, 32 years of service.  (Cheers.)  That’s extraordinary and we are so grateful to have you as colleagues.  Please extend my appreciation to them.  (Applause.) So we’ve had 60 years of diplomatic partnership, diplomatic relations with Senegal, and we just went through the multipurpose room with photos of every American president going back to President Kennedy with the leaders of Senegal.  And today I had a chance to see the incredible diversity and the strength of our relationship with Senegal. We had, as the ambassador will tell you and will no doubt relate, a really wonderful visit working with our colleagues, including with President Sall, with the foreign minister, a commercial diplomacy event with the minister of the economy and American companies that are working on investments here in Senegal, very inspiring roundtable discussions with women technology and business leaders, a tour just now of the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, where we’re seeing cutting-edge work being done on vaccines now for yellow fever and eventually for COVID and other pandemics. And that gets me to one thing I wanted to share with you.  I know that for people in this mission as well as for our missions around the world, this has been over the last couple of years a very difficult journey because of COVID-19.  And I know that you’ve recently emerged from a difficult third wave.  But I want to say thank you because you’ve kept going, you’ve supported each other, and you’ve helped Senegal’s COVID-19 response. Now, I don’t know if they’re here, but Dr. Jay Lee and Omer Pasi, where are you?  (Cheers.)  You and your medical team have kept this mission safe with vaccines.  You provided accurate and timely information to all of our people.  I can’t thank you enough for doing that. And Fama Gueye, are you here?  (Cheers.)  I understand you kept everyone connected.  And especially in challenging times like COVID-19, keeping people connected – thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Inaudible.)  (Applause.) To those of you who helped facilitate the provision of vaccines to Senegal – more than a million so far – you’ve made a huge difference.  You have literally, literally saved lives.  Some of you helped to build up Senegal’s health systems, and those of you who helped ramp up vaccine manufacturing at Institut Pasteur, again, you’re making a real difference in people’s lives. The other thing I want to talk about briefly is the work that we’re doing, that you’re doing, on commercial diplomacy, on investing in the future of this country and the future of our relationship.  We’ve got more American companies doing business here in Senegal than ever before, and that is only going to grow thanks to your work.  We’ve got the first direct Dakar-New York flight, and this embassy is hard at work driving more commercial diplomacy.  We signed a number of Memorandum of Understanding today with four leading companies that will help invest and grow and strengthen the infrastructure here in Senegal, and that’s going to make a difference in people’s lives too. And they represent what I know Tuli likes to call the American model, deals that represent good jobs for the United States and for the people of Senegal.  So thank you very much to the economic team, the business team, for pushing that. A couple other things to mention.  To all of you, you’re doing outstanding work representing our country here in Dakar.  We need to do our part at the State Department to make sure that this is the best workplace that it can be.  Last month, I put out a modernization agenda for the department, something we just launched.  And there are a few things that we’re going to try and do over the next couple of years.  We’re going to work to build our capacity and expertise in new areas, because so much of what you’re called upon to do in dealing with climate change, in dealing with pandemics, in building our economic relationships, so much of that depends on new skills that we want to make sure the department develops and that you develop. We want to make sure that new voices are brought to the fore in thinking about and innovating in our policy, and we have new ways to do that.  We want to make sure that not only are we building but we’re retaining a diverse workforce, and that means addressing some of the quality of life and work-life balance issues that I know so many of you have.  We’re modernizing our tech, our communications, our analytical capabilities, and we’re going to be reinvigorating in-person diplomacy and public engagement because that’s at the heart of what you do, that’s at the heart of what we do. The bottom line is this:  We want the department, this department that we share, to be as effective as it can be in the world, and we want you to have the tools and the support that you need to do your job as well as you can. So as I said yesterday in Nigeria, we are looking to strengthen our partnerships across Africa, including here in Senegal, because this continent will make the difference on so many challenges and opportunities of our time.  You know this so well:  Over the next 25 or 30 years, one in four people on Planet Earth will be African.  Africa is part of our common future, and I want to make sure it’s part of our common present.  That’s what we’re going to be doing over the next couple of years. And the work you’re doing here in Senegal is a vital piece of that effort.  So whether you started at the embassy last week or whether you’re into your third decade of service; whether you’re Foreign Service, Civil Service, Locally Employed Staff, a family member, a contractor; whether you’re here with one of the other agencies that work together as part of our family, I really just wanted to come by and say very simply thank you.  Thank you for the great work that you do on behalf of the United States.  Thank you for the great work that you do bringing Senegal and the United States together.  Thank you for your service to the American people.  I’m grateful for it.  Thank you.  (Applause.) Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Senegalese Foreign Minister Aïssata Tall Sall Before Their Meeting 11/20/2021 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Senegalese Foreign Minister Aïssata Tall Sall Before Their Meeting 11/20/2021 09:32 PM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Dakar, Senegal Ministry of Foreign Affairs SECRETARY BLINKEN:  (Via translation.)  Thank you very much.  I want to say that I am very pleased to be here in Senegal, and I am also very pleased that we are here working together. Our presidents set a significant agenda, and I am convinced that by working together over the coming months, we will be able to achieve results and strengthen even more the relationship between the United States and Senegal. I have to say, when we consider the challenges facing us, facing our people, facing the world, Africa is essential.  Not only do we have the desire, but we have the need to work as partners.  Together, we are facing the COVID-19 pandemic and working together to build a stronger system to prevent the next pandemic.  Together, we are facing the climate challenge.  Together, we are after COVID-19 to build a global economy that is inclusive, growing, and will benefit everyone. The United States and Senegal are also working together as partners to support and strengthen democracy in Africa and around the world since democracies experience challenges.  Countries like Senegal and the United States together can show the way.  After all, in about twenty-five years, one in four people on the planet will be African.  It is time to renew this global partnership, and indeed that starts with a close partner like Senegal.  Many issues have been raised about working together on security, law, and the Build Back Better approach.  All of this is in a spirit of strengthening and renewing our ties as partners.  Once again, I am very pleased to be here and thank you for this extraordinary welcome to Senegal.   Secretary Antony J. Blinken with Senegalese Foreign Minister Aïssata Tall Sall Before Their Meeting 11/20/2021 You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary Antony J. Blinken with Senegalese Foreign Minister Aïssata Tall Sall Before Their Meeting 11/20/2021 09:32 PM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Dakar, Senegal Ministry of Foreign Affairs SECRETARY BLINKEN:  (Via translation.)  Thank you very much.  I want to say that I am very pleased to be here in Senegal, and I am also very pleased that we are here working together. Our presidents set a significant agenda, and I am convinced that by working together over the coming months, we will be able to achieve results and strengthen even more the relationship between the United States and Senegal. I have to say, when we consider the challenges facing us, facing our people, facing the world, Africa is essential.  Not only do we have the desire, but we have the need to work as partners.  Together, we are facing the COVID-19 pandemic and working together to build a stronger system to prevent the next pandemic.  Together, we are facing the climate challenge.  Together, we are after COVID-19 to build a global economy that is inclusive, growing, and will benefit everyone. The United States and Senegal are also working together as partners to support and strengthen democracy in Africa and around the world since democracies experience challenges.  Countries like Senegal and the United States together can show the way.  After all, in about twenty-five years, one in four people on the planet will be African.  It is time to renew this global partnership, and indeed that starts with a close partner like Senegal.  Many issues have been raised about working together on security, law, and the Build Back Better approach.  All of this is in a spirit of strengthening and renewing our ties as partners.  Once again, I am very pleased to be here and thank you for this extraordinary welcome to Senegal.   Four Years of Wrongful Detention for the Citgo 6 11/21/2021 You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Four Years of Wrongful Detention for the Citgo 6 11/21/2021 08:10 AM EST Ned Price, Department Spokesperson Today marks four years since U.S. nationals Jorge Toledo, Gustavo Cardenas, José Pereira, Tomeu Vadell, José Luis Zambrano, and Alirio Zambrano traveled to Venezuela for a CITGO Petroleum business meeting and were not allowed to come home.  After being invited to Venezuela, masked security agents detained all six men and imprisoned them on specious charges without due process or access to a fair trial.  As a fourth Thanksgiving holiday approaches, we continue to seek their unconditional return and the release of all U.S. nationals wrongfully detained overseas.     Secretary Blinken will continue to relentlessly pursue the release of these individuals.  To the Venezuelan authorities who have imprisoned them, we ask that they be allowed to return to the United States to reunite with their families. Secretary Blinken’s Call with Tunisian President Saied 11/21/2021 You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary Blinken’s Call with Tunisian President Saied 11/21/2021 09:03 AM EST The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with President Kais Saied to discuss recent developments in Tunisia, including the formation of the new government and steps to alleviate the economic situation. The Secretary encouraged a transparent and inclusive reform process to address Tunisia’s significant political, economic, and social challenges and to respond to the Tunisian people’s aspirations for continued democratic progress. Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Alassane Samba Diop And Mamadou Ibra Kane of E-Media Group 11/21/2021 You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Alassane Samba Diop And Mamadou Ibra Kane of E-Media Group 11/21/2021 03:11 PM EST Dakar, Senegal U.S. Embassy (All via translation.) QUESTION: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to a special interview with the U.S.  Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken.  Good evening.  SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good evening.  QUESTION: (inaudible) You’re ending your trip to Africa, which brought you to Kenya and Nigeria, with a stop in Senegal.  What impressions are you taking away as you leave Africa? SECRETARY BLINKEN: I’m left with the idea that we have the need and the opportunity to strengthen our relations.  The partnership between the United States and Africa. Not only should we strengthen it but also to renew it, and have a real partnership.  Because when we think about the big issues that we face before us, whether climate , or the pandemic, or building inclusive economies for everyone, or defending democracy, we can’t do it without Africa.  In 25 or 30 years, one in four people on our planet will be from Africa.  Africa is indispensable.  And Senegal is a key partner for the United States because we have the same values.  We have the desire to work together.  And I’m going back to Washington, with great enthusiasm to build these partnerships for the future because I know it’s good for the United States and I believe it’s good for Africans as well, and either way we must find ways to support each other and move forward together.  QUESTION: I’d like to start with the economy.  The economy is important (inaudible) beautiful nature.  There is gold, water, oil, gas.  The Senegal that you are visiting today is an oil (inaudible).  The African youth does not understand the poverty they are living in.  What African resources are exported (inaudible)? SECRETARY BLINKEN: It starts with this.  Because there is a need for infrastructure around the world, especially in Africa.  Enormous amounts of money are needed to do this, but it’s not just the resources that you devote to it that matter, it’s how you use them.  And for us, it is very important that the people who benefit first are the people on the ground in the country in question and not others.  It’s important that these investments are made in a way that benefits the local community, that the country in question, our partners, are not in debt and in a situation where in the future it is impossible to repay this debt.  It’s important that we move forward with regard to the environment, the rights of workers, and that we make things that will last, things of good quality.  And above all, that investments are not only in what we call “hardware,” but also in “software” – in human beings and especially in the exchange of knowledge and abilities.  Because the goal, in fact, is ultimately that the problems and opportunities in Africa are to be resolved first by Africans and for that we need not only a sharing of infrastructure but also of knowledge.  That’s true partnership.  QUESTION: Exactly.  The Millennium Challenge Account is on its second contract, this time dedicated to energy.  Alassane Samba Diop said earlier that Senegal is ready to exploit its oil and gas resources, especially natural gas, since energy interests you.  Today we want to make gas a fossil fuel energy which Senegal and also other countries on the continent refuse to do.  What is the position of Senegal on these energies? SECRETARY BLINKEN: So, we have a fight that we must lead together (inaudible). QUESTION: Sorry, I meant to say “what is the position of the United States?” SECRETARY BLINKEN: Yes, but I am taking into account several things.  There’s a fight that the world has to carry out together because if we don’t make sure that temperatures don’t rise above 1.5 degrees we have a catastrophe ahead of us.  You already have consequences.  So that’s one thing.  At the same time, we must accelerate the use of renewable energy, however it is a transition.  It can’t be done overnight.  We understand that in some countries, some partners, some situations, this transition will require the use of methods other than renewables, for a period of time, before this transition can be done.  QUESTION: (inaudible) So you are in tune with him.  SECRETARY BLINKEN: You have to take that into account, absolutely.  But there is a second thing that is very important.  We have a responsibility in the United States because historically we have a country that has industrialized relatively very, relatively early.  So we have historically contributed a lot to global warming and carbon emissions.  Well, now we are responsible for about fifteen percent of the emissions.  But we have a responsibility, and this responsibility tells us that we have to contribute to the means for change and resilience in developing countries.  So there’s an international fund for that.  President Biden in the spring doubled our support for that fund, and he doubled it again at a session at the UN General Assembly.  We are absolutely convinced that other developed countries should do the same to ensure that resources for change, for resilience will be there, and that includes in Senegal.  QUESTION: (inaudible) People in charge of African nations, countries in this region (inaudible) the Sahel region, Mali, Burkina Faso, the coup d’état today in Guinea. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Yes. QUESTION: and they do not understand democracy (inaudible). SECRETARY BLINKEN: So, Senegal has a clear role to play because it is a strong democracy with a tradition of institutions, and leadership, which I think can carry the flag of democracy in the region, in Africa, and even well beyond Africa.  When Senegal takes the presidency of the African Union next year, it will be a very important moment.  Because right now we have challenges coming up in the Sahel, (inaudible) in Ethiopia, in Sudan and others, in Guinea .  And I think Senegal has a very important role to play because it is a strong democracy.  I know that President Macky Sall is someone who has a lot of faith in the country’s constitution.  And I’m sure that’s what he has in mind in as he is heading up Senegalese democracy.  QUESTION: What do you think about the transition in Mali and Guinea? Because today, what we have military juntas in those countries.  SECRETARY BLINKEN: These transitions must be made, democratic transitions.  In Mali there is a plan that has been signed by the CDO.  Elections in the spring, and this election must take place.  We are working with our partners in the region, African institutions, and our partners outside of the region, such as France, to support the democratic transition in Mali.  Also to manage this very, very difficult problem of insecurity.  Unfortunately, we see extremism and terrorism spreading in the Sahel.  We need a comprehensive approach.  That is to say, we obviously need security, but that is not enough.  We also need (inaudible) development, a higher level of opportunity, because –even though there will always be extremists, that’s not going to change –there are all sorts of people who feel they have no choice because there is no opportunity.  So we have to act on that.  We have to act on both the security issues, but also on the development issues, to create that opportunity, to create a real choice for those people. QUESTION: Does Russia’s presence in Mali bother you, the United States? SECRETARY BLINKEN: I think it is not useful at all to have external actors, and especially actors, for example, like private militia forces like Wagner that add to the problem.  They don’t solve the problem.  QUESTION: One last question, is President Biden thinking of coming to Senegal during his presidency? SECRETARY BLINKEN: I’m sure he would like to come.  I can’t make his schedule for him but I know he has a very significant appreciation for Senegal.  He said that when I was leaving Washington.  It’s him, actually, that planned this trip across Africa with me, to Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal.  And he knows that we have in Senegal a key partner in Africa.  And I’m sure that he will find a way to come.  QUESTION: Anthony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State, thank you for this interview with our E-Media group.  Good evening.  SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you. Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Alassane Samba Diop And Mamadou Ibra Kane of E-Media Group 11/21/2021 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Alassane Samba Diop And Mamadou Ibra Kane of E-Media Group 11/21/2021 03:11 PM EST Dakar, Senegal U.S. Embassy (All via translation.) QUESTION: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to a special interview with the U.S.  Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken.  Good evening.  SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good evening.  QUESTION: (inaudible) You’re ending your trip to Africa, which brought you to Kenya and Nigeria, with a stop in Senegal.  What impressions are you taking away as you leave Africa? SECRETARY BLINKEN: I’m left with the idea that we have the need and the opportunity to strengthen our relations.  The partnership between the United States and Africa. Not only should we strengthen it but also to renew it, and have a real partnership.  Because when we think about the big issues that we face before us, whether climate , or the pandemic, or building inclusive economies for everyone, or defending democracy, we can’t do it without Africa.  In 25 or 30 years, one in four people on our planet will be from Africa.  Africa is indispensable.  And Senegal is a key partner for the United States because we have the same values.  We have the desire to work together.  And I’m going back to Washington, with great enthusiasm to build these partnerships for the future because I know it’s good for the United States and I believe it’s good for Africans as well, and either way we must find ways to support each other and move forward together.  QUESTION: I’d like to start with the economy.  The economy is important (inaudible) beautiful nature.  There is gold, water, oil, gas.  The Senegal that you are visiting today is an oil (inaudible).  The African youth does not understand the poverty they are living in.  What African resources are exported (inaudible)? SECRETARY BLINKEN: It starts with this.  Because there is a need for infrastructure around the world, especially in Africa.  Enormous amounts of money are needed to do this, but it’s not just the resources that you devote to it that matter, it’s how you use them.  And for us, it is very important that the people who benefit first are the people on the ground in the country in question and not others.  It’s important that these investments are made in a way that benefits the local community, that the country in question, our partners, are not in debt and in a situation where in the future it is impossible to repay this debt.  It’s important that we move forward with regard to the environment, the rights of workers, and that we make things that will last, things of good quality.  And above all, that investments are not only in what we call “hardware,” but also in “software” – in human beings and especially in the exchange of knowledge and abilities.  Because the goal, in fact, is ultimately that the problems and opportunities in Africa are to be resolved first by Africans and for that we need not only a sharing of infrastructure but also of knowledge.  That’s true partnership.  QUESTION: Exactly.  The Millennium Challenge Account is on its second contract, this time dedicated to energy.  Alassane Samba Diop said earlier that Senegal is ready to exploit its oil and gas resources, especially natural gas, since energy interests you.  Today we want to make gas a fossil fuel energy which Senegal and also other countries on the continent refuse to do.  What is the position of Senegal on these energies? SECRETARY BLINKEN: So, we have a fight that we must lead together (inaudible). QUESTION: Sorry, I meant to say “what is the position of the United States?” SECRETARY BLINKEN: Yes, but I am taking into account several things.  There’s a fight that the world has to carry out together because if we don’t make sure that temperatures don’t rise above 1.5 degrees we have a catastrophe ahead of us.  You already have consequences.  So that’s one thing.  At the same time, we must accelerate the use of renewable energy, however it is a transition.  It can’t be done overnight.  We understand that in some countries, some partners, some situations, this transition will require the use of methods other than renewables, for a period of time, before this transition can be done.  QUESTION: (inaudible) So you are in tune with him.  SECRETARY BLINKEN: You have to take that into account, absolutely.  But there is a second thing that is very important.  We have a responsibility in the United States because historically we have a country that has industrialized relatively very, relatively early.  So we have historically contributed a lot to global warming and carbon emissions.  Well, now we are responsible for about fifteen percent of the emissions.  But we have a responsibility, and this responsibility tells us that we have to contribute to the means for change and resilience in developing countries.  So there’s an international fund for that.  President Biden in the spring doubled our support for that fund, and he doubled it again at a session at the UN General Assembly.  We are absolutely convinced that other developed countries should do the same to ensure that resources for change, for resilience will be there, and that includes in Senegal.  QUESTION: (inaudible) People in charge of African nations, countries in this region (inaudible) the Sahel region, Mali, Burkina Faso, the coup d’état today in Guinea. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Yes. QUESTION: and they do not understand democracy (inaudible). SECRETARY BLINKEN: So, Senegal has a clear role to play because it is a strong democracy with a tradition of institutions, and leadership, which I think can carry the flag of democracy in the region, in Africa, and even well beyond Africa.  When Senegal takes the presidency of the African Union next year, it will be a very important moment.  Because right now we have challenges coming up in the Sahel, (inaudible) in Ethiopia, in Sudan and others, in Guinea .  And I think Senegal has a very important role to play because it is a strong democracy.  I know that President Macky Sall is someone who has a lot of faith in the country’s constitution.  And I’m sure that’s what he has in mind in as he is heading up Senegalese democracy.  QUESTION: What do you think about the transition in Mali and Guinea? Because today, what we have military juntas in those countries.  SECRETARY BLINKEN: These transitions must be made, democratic transitions.  In Mali there is a plan that has been signed by the CDO.  Elections in the spring, and this election must take place.  We are working with our partners in the region, African institutions, and our partners outside of the region, such as France, to support the democratic transition in Mali.  Also to manage this very, very difficult problem of insecurity.  Unfortunately, we see extremism and terrorism spreading in the Sahel.  We need a comprehensive approach.  That is to say, we obviously need security, but that is not enough.  We also need (inaudible) development, a higher level of opportunity, because –even though there will always be extremists, that’s not going to change –there are all sorts of people who feel they have no choice because there is no opportunity.  So we have to act on that.  We have to act on both the security issues, but also on the development issues, to create that opportunity, to create a real choice for those people. QUESTION: Does Russia’s presence in Mali bother you, the United States? SECRETARY BLINKEN: I think it is not useful at all to have external actors, and especially actors, for example, like private militia forces like Wagner that add to the problem.  They don’t solve the problem.  QUESTION: One last question, is President Biden thinking of coming to Senegal during his presidency? SECRETARY BLINKEN: I’m sure he would like to come.  I can’t make his schedule for him but I know he has a very significant appreciation for Senegal.  He said that when I was leaving Washington.  It’s him, actually, that planned this trip across Africa with me, to Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal.  And he knows that we have in Senegal a key partner in Africa.  And I’m sure that he will find a way to come.  QUESTION: Anthony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State, thank you for this interview with our E-Media group.  Good evening.  SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you. Fatal Terrorist Attack in Jerusalem’s Old City 11/21/2021 You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Fatal Terrorist Attack in Jerusalem’s Old City 11/21/2021 07:53 PM EST Ned Price, Department Spokesperson We strongly condemn the terrorist attack today by a Hamas gunman in Jerusalem’s Old City, which killed one person and injured others.  We offer our condolences to the victims and their families. Public Schedule – November 22, 2021 11/21/2021 You are subscribed to Public Schedule for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Public Schedule – November 22, 2021 11/21/2021 09:09 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson ***THE DAILY PUBLIC SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE*** SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN 10:30 a.m. Secretary Blinken meets with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, at the Department of State. (POOLED CAMERA SPRAY AT TOP) The camera spray will be livestreamed on https://www.youtube.com/user/statevideo. DEPUTY SECRETARY WENDY R. SHERMAN Deputy Secretary Sherman attends meetings and briefings, from the Department of State. DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR MANAGEMENT AND RESOURCES BRIAN P. MCKEON Deputy Secretary McKeon attends meetings and briefings, from the Department of State. UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS VICTORIA J. NULAND Under Secretary Nuland attends meetings and briefings, from the Department of State. BRIEFING SCHEDULE 2:00 p.m. Department Press Briefing with Spokesperson Ned Price (POOLED PRESS COVERAGE) The Department Press Briefing will be livestreamed on www.state.gov. Lebanon National Day 11/22/2021 You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Lebanon National Day 11/22/2021 08:41 AM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State On behalf of the United States of America, I extend my heartfelt best wishes to the people of Lebanon on their Independence Day. The United States recognizes both the rich culture and perseverance of the Lebanese people, who have faced and overcome many challenges over the past 78 years.  During these trying times, the United States will continue to stand by the people of Lebanon and support their hopes for a better future. Lebanon National Day 11/22/2021 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Lebanon National Day 11/22/2021 08:41 AM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State On behalf of the United States of America, I extend my heartfelt best wishes to the people of Lebanon on their Independence Day. The United States recognizes both the rich culture and perseverance of the Lebanese people, who have faced and overcome many challenges over the past 78 years.  During these trying times, the United States will continue to stand by the people of Lebanon and support their hopes for a better future. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Kerry’s Travel to the United Arab Emirates 11/22/2021 You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Kerry’s Travel to the United Arab Emirates 11/22/2021 10:23 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry will travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday, November 22, to attend the signing ceremony for Project Prosperity, a new regional clean energy and water cooperation effort.  This agreement will further efforts of partner nations Jordan, Israel, and the UAE to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region, and provide a new source of fresh water. For media inquiries, please contact ClimateComms@state.gov. Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita Before Their Meeting 11/22/2021 You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita Before Their Meeting 11/22/2021 12:09 PM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Washington, D.C. Benjamin Franklin Room SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Good morning, everyone.  It’s a pleasure to have my friend Nasser Bourita, the foreign minister of Morocco, here at the State Department.  We’ve had the opportunity to talk and see each other on a number of occasions since January.  But it’s especially good to have him here at the department because we have a longstanding partnership with Morocco, one that we want to strengthen and deepen. We’ll have an opportunity today to talk about a number of issues in the region.  We’ll have an opportunity to talk about the very important normalization of relations between Morocco and Israel and the work that is being done there.  And it’s also, I think, a timely visit because we now have a new Special Envoy for the Secretary-General of the United Nations for the Western Sahara Staffan de Mistura, and I look forward to talking to the minister about his work and efforts there. But with that, Nasser, welcome.  It’s great to have you here. FOREIGN MINISTER BOURITA:  Thank you.  Thank you very much, Tony, and always a pleasure to be here.  And as you said, we have a very longstanding partnership and it’s time to enrich it more – enrich our strategic dialogue, our military cooperation, how to defend our interests, and other matters around the world.  And I think the challenges we are facing, the global ones – climate change, extremism – but also in some regions in Libya and Africa gives more relevance to this relation, and this is exactly the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI – to promote and to make this relation stronger and stronger.  Thank you. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you. Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita Before Their Meeting 11/22/2021 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. ... [Περικομμένο μήνυμα]  Προβολή ολόκληρου του μηνύματος ΑπάντησηΠροώθηση