U.S. Department of State Launches Initiative to Promote U.S. Private Sector Security In AsiaWashington, DC October 21, 2008 The U.S. Department of State's Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) has launched a new initiative to promote safety and security for U.S. private sector organizations in the Pan-Asia region. More than 100 private sector entities attended the inaugural meeting of the Pan-Asia Regional Council (PARC) in San Francisco, October 21-22, 2008. "The Pan-Asia region is filled with many emerging market economies that are attractive to the U.S. private sector," said Todd Brown, a Special Agent with the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the Executive Director of OSAC. "However, the region also presents a number of unique security and cultural issues that often make it challenging to operate there." Citing a need for assistance, members of the U.S. private sector asked OSAC in late 2007 to create a regional council specifically focused on Pan-Asia. Modeled after OSAC's successful Latin America Regional Council, the PARC will serve American multinational companies, academic institutions, and nongovernmental organizations with interests in Asia. The PARC will address a broad range of challenges that the U.S. private sector faces in the region, including protection of intellectual property, natural disasters, terrorism, and political instability. OSAC is firmly committed to the success of PARC and will provide member organizations with unclassified country- and region-specific information, in addition to coordinating the council's overall activities. The primary benefit of the PARC, however, will come from the members themselves. "The private sector is an invaluable resource for information because they are experiencing the security challenges in the region first hand," stated Brown. "The Pan-Asia Regional Council will provide a unique opportunity for the private sector to network and share their information and experiences. "By joining this council, these organizations have committed to work together to help each other succeed in the region." For more information on becoming a member of OSAC or the PARC, please visit www.osac.gov. About OSAC The Overseas Security Advisory Council was established in 1985 as a Federal Advisory Committee with a U.S. Government Charter to promote security cooperation between the U.S. Department of State and American business and private sector interests worldwide. With a constituency of more than 5,500 U.S. companies and other private-sector organizations with overseas interests, OSAC operates a Web site (www.osac.gov), which offers its members the latest in safety- and security-related information, public announcements, warden messages, travel advisories, significant anniversary dates, terrorist group profiles, country crime and safety reports, special topic reports, foreign press reports, and much more. The OSAC staff includes international security research specialists dedicated solely to serving the U.S. private sector. Additionally, OSAC has a network of 100 country councils around the world that brings together U.S. embassies and consulates with the local U.S. community to share security information. OSAC is co-chaired by the Director of the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) and a selected representative of the private sector. The OSAC Executive Director is a Diplomatic Security Special Agent. For more information, please visit https://www.osac.gov
About The Bureau of Diplomatic Security The Bureau of Diplomatic Security is the U.S. Department of State's law enforcement and security arm. The special agents, engineers, and security professionals of the Bureau are responsible for the security of 285 U.S. diplomatic missions around the world. In the United States, Diplomatic Security personnel protect the U.S. Secretary of State and high-ranking foreign dignitaries and officials visiting the United States, investigate passport and visa fraud, and conduct personnel security investigations. In 2007, DS participated in 1,955 arrests globally, primarily for passport and visa fraud, including 406 arrests overseas in cooperation with foreign police. Read more in the U.S. Department of State's Visa and Passport Security Strategic Plan at: http://www.state.gov/m/ds/rls/rpt/79895.htm. Additional information about the U.S. Department of State and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security may be obtained at www.state.gov/m/ds. Contact: |
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