Tag Archives: trade

Australian PM in the U.S. / Progress in Afghanistan / A Report on Hunger

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While in the U.S., Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard met with President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and will address a joint session of the U.S. Congress. Defense Secretary Robert Gates sees progress in Afghanistan, but challenges remain.  Leaen how female farmers in the developing world could help feed up to 150 million more hungry people.  Clinton discusses International Women’s Day in an op-ed.

Australia’s Prime Minister Visits the U.S.
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Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s meetings with President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton focus upon shared efforts to transition the security control of Afghanistan to Afghan forces as well as expanding trade in the Pacific region. Gillard will also be addressing a joint session of the U.S. Congress March 9, which Obama says is “a high honor that is reserved for only our closest friends.”

Gates Sees Progress in Afghanistan
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Defense Secretary Robert Gates says that security gains achieved by Afghan and coalition forces across Afghanistan are significant, but the momentum must be maintained to begin a formal security transition later this year. “The gains we are seeing across the country are significant,” he says at a joint press conference in Kabul with President Hamid Karzai.

Secretary Clinton’s Op-Ed on International Women’s Day
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You’ve heard about the opportunities opening up in countries like China, regions like Asia and industries like green technology. But one major emerging market hasn’t received the attention it deserves: women. Today, there are more than 200 million women entrepreneurs worldwide. Women earn more than $10 trillion every year, which is expected to grow by $5 trillion over the next several years. In many developing countries, women’s incomes are growing faster than men’s.

A Report on Feeding the Hungry
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 With a little bit of help, female farmers in the developing world could help feed up to 150 million more hungry people in the world, according to a report issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Farming women in the rural areas of the world have lesser productivity than men currently, the report finds, but if they were given improved access to land, fuel, fertilizer, and seeds, they would have greater yields.

The Obama Administration’s Egypt Principles / U.S.-S. Korea Free Trade? / Going Fossil Fuel Free

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The Obama administration says America’s founding principles are guiding its approach to the unrest in Egypt. The U.S. must work with Middle Eastern countries to spread democracy, a top U.S. diplomat says. The U.S. trade representatives calls for a free trade agreement with South Korea. Though al-Qaida has been weakened, terrorism remains the top threat to the U.S. Can the world be fossil fuel free by 2050?

Democracy in the Middle East
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The Obama administration says that its approach to the situation in Egypt is being guided by American founding principles and by its desire to see the unrest be resolved in a manner that respects the universal rights of the Egyptian people. “The Egyptian people are going to be the drivers of this process,” said President Obama’s Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes. “[W]e don’t see this as a situation where we dictate outcomes.” At right, Egyptians in Tahrir Square watch Obama’s remarks.

Spreading Democracy in the Middle East
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It’s more important than ever that the United States work with Middle Eastern countries to “democratize and open up political systems, economies and societies,” says Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg in testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

South Korean Trade Deal
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U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk urges Congress to enact a free trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea this spring. South Korea is the United States’ seventh largest trading partner and has the 15th largest economy in the world. The FTA is expected to boost bilateral trade by billions of dollars and help create tens of thousands of jobs in both countries.

Terrorism Still Top Threat to U.S.
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The top U.S. intelligence officer says terrorism remains the greatest threat to the nation, though the al-Qaida terrorist group has been weakened. “We’ve apprehended numerous dangerous actors throughout the world and weakened much of al-Qaida’s core capabilities, including its operations, training, and its propaganda,” says Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

Fossil Fuel Free by 2050
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The world has the technical know-how and financial capability to run entirely on renewable energy by the middle of this century, two California researchers say. Mark Jacobson of Stanford University and Mark Delucchi of the University of California–Davis say a large-scale transformation of the world’s energy systems to wind, solar, water, geothermal and other renewable sources would not cost substantially more than continued reliance on conventional power generation.

Progress in Afghanistan / Lifting Sanctions on Iraq / Carbon Capture Challenges

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The United States is making progress toward its strategic goals in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Sanctions on Iraq are lifted. The United States urges action against child labor. Trade talks between the United States and China are yielding progress. Obama denounces a terrorist attack in Iran. And it’s going to take more than cap-and-trade to reduce greenhouse gases.

Progress in Afghanistan, Pakistan
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The United States is making progress toward its core goal of disrupting, dismantling and defeating violent extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan, President Obama says. The annual review of administration policy shows more Afghans are reclaiming their communities from the Taliban, says Obama, center at right, with Vice President Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Iraq Sanctions Lifted
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In a meeting chaired by Vice President Joe Biden, the U.N. Security Council voted to lift three key international sanctions on Iraq to acknowledge the “significant steps Iraq has taken” toward fulfilling its international obligations.

Eradicating Child Labor
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Governments around the world should take urgent and effective steps to eradicate child labor practices in their countries, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis says.

U.S.-China Make Trade Progress
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The just-concluded 21st session of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade makes progress on intellectual property rights, open markets and government procurement restrictions.

Obama Denounces Iran Attack
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President Obama denounces a bombing attack targeting Iranian civilians in Chabahar as “disgraceful and cowardly” and says those who carried out the attack “must be held accountable.”

The Challenge of Carbon Capture
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Cap-and-trade and renewable energy alone likely won’t be able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, governments and companies are increasingly looking for new and unconventional solutions to the climate problem. Ten major demonstration projects are underway, along with more than 50 smaller projects, with the goal to bring between five and 10 commercial projects online by 2016.

Hope for a Global Climate Treaty / Core Issues in the Middle East / A Muslim Basketball League in the USA

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After the COP-16 climate summit, there is renewed hope for a global climate treaty. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the Middle East peace process should focus on core issues. Chinese and U.S. defense officials talk. At a conference in Algeria, North African business is on the agenda, while talks in New Zealand center on economic cooperation. It’s called mHealth and it’s improving health care for remote populations. U.S. officials mark Human Rights Day. We’ve got a two part series on an Iranian American activist. And finally, there’s a basketball league in California with a Mecca division and a Medina division.

Hope for Global Climate Treaty
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Because of agreements reached at the U.N.-led COP-16 climate summit in Cancún, Mexico, the world may finally be on its way toward a legally binding treaty that includes all major greenhouse gas emitters and compensates nations most vulnerable to climate change. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton calls the outcome a “significant step forward.” At right, environmental activists call attention to rising sea levels outside the conference.

Clinton: Focus on Core Issues in ME Process
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The United States believes it is time for the Middle East peace process to focus on the core issues of the conflict: borders and security, settlements, refugees and Jerusalem, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says. “It is no secret that the parties have a long way to go and that they have not yet made the difficult decisions that peace requires,” Clinton, right, says.

U.S., Chinese Military Talks
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U.S. and Chinese defense officials recently discussed how to develop more sustained and durable military-to-military relations, Under Secretary of Defense Michele Flournoy says. “I won’t say that we agreed on every issue. Where we did differ, we had a very candid and frank and productive exchange of views,” she says.

A International Business Conference in Algiers
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At the U.S.-Maghreb Entrepreneurship Conference held in Algeria, North African and American business leaders discussed the potential, and the challenge, of launching businesses in countries from Libya to Mauritania. Inspired by President Obama’s June 2009 speech in Cairo and last April’s Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, the conference provided workshops and networking opportunities for North African entrepreneurs.

Trans-Pacific Partnership Talks
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Negotiations aimed at updating the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement made steady progress across a range of issues during just-concluded talks in New Zealand, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Take Two Aspirin and Text Me in the Morning
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Mobile phone health information, or mHealth, is improving health in populations that are difficult for doctors to reach. Even the most basic mobile phone can make medical information more accessible to doctors and patients alike.

A Day to Remember Human Rights
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U.S. officials from the president on down marked International Human Rights Day on December 10, which commemorates the adoption by the United Nations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

An Iranian American Activist
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Melody Moezzi is an Iranian American who became a lawyer, then a writer, a speaker and a political volunteer. She embraced Islam, then wrote and spoke against stereotypes of Muslims in America. When she learned she had bipolar disorder, she began writing for fellow patients and works to clear up misconceptions about them. Read our two part series on Moezzi and her activism.

A Muslim American Basketball League
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Orange County’s Muslim Basketball League, started in 2004 with eight teams, now includes 33 teams, split into the Mecca division and the Medina division. The league grew out of a desire for young Muslim men to socialize while doing something they love. At left, the Mecca division team Intifada after winning a championship.

In Indonesia, @America / North Korea Talks / Journalism in the USA

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There’s a new place for cultural exchange in Indonesia. North Korea’s recent provocative action has jeopardized peace and stability in Asia, the U.S., Japan and South Korea say. In Haiti, the U.S. is working to end the cholera outbreak. A new trade agreement between the U.S. and South Korea will help both countries. Russian and U.S. authorities join forces in fighting drug trafficking. Jordanians get a lesson in conflict avoidance negotiations. We’ve got a climate control update from COP-16. And, finally, a report on the Edward R. Murrow program for international journalists.

In Indonesia, @america
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In Indonesia, Under Secretary of State for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy Judith McHale, right, recently attended the opening of the new U.S. cultural center — @america. The center aims to expand engagement between young Indonesians and young Americans through interactive games and live events. McHale described @america as “what we hope will be the first of a new generation of American cultural centers.” 
 
 

New Condemnation for N. Korea
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Recent provocative action by North Korea has jeopardized peace and stability in Asia, foreign ministers from the United States, Japan and South Korea say. Above, left to right, Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan jointly declared that Pyongyang’s “provocative and belligerent behavior … will be met with solidarity from all three countries.”

Fighting Cholera in Haiti
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U.S. officials are “working vigorously” with the Haitian government and international relief agencies in a joint effort to stop Haiti’s cholera outbreak from spreading and to treat the thousands of people already infected.

New U.S.-South Korea Trade Deal
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The proposed U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement helps the United States balance its economy with greater exports and also helps South Korea foster economic growth, President Obama says. At the White House, Obama says the deal will boost U.S. exports by $11 billion and support 70,000 jobs.

U.S., Russia Joint Drug Busts
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In the past year, some notable drug busts have grown out of bilateral cooperation through the Counternarcotics Working Group of the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission. An important component of resetting the relations between the U.S. and Russia has been in the area of drug trafficking, says Gil Kerlikowske, Director of White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Learning How to Negotiate
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William Ury, an experienced negotiation adviser and mediator, recently discussed conflict negotiation and mediation with Jordanians via digital video conference. One of the biggest challenges to negotiations, he says, is finding a way to say no that still achieves positive results.

The U.S. Climate Commitment
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Nearly a week into the COP-16 climate conference in Mexico, the U.S. delegation maintains that the United States stands by its commitments from last year’s Copenhagen Accord and remains prepared to move forward. Most important, they say, the United States is showing in real dollars and actions that it is addressing climate change at home and overseas.

International Journalists in the USA
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As part of the U.S. Department of State’s Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists, 150 journalists from 100 nations spent three weeks in the United States. During their trip, the journalists, left, visited ABC News and had discussions with members of the network’s investigative reporting unit, its main nightly news program and its late-night newsmagazine.

 

Obama in Afghanistan / Clinton in Bahrain / Banjo Diplomacy

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President Obama makes a surprise visit to Afghanistan to deliver holiday greetings to the troops. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says Iran’s nuclear ambitions are a global concern. We’ve got two stories on trade: U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke says trade can no longer depend so heavily on consumers, and the U.S. and South Korea wrap up four days of trade talks. A presidential commission releases a controversial new plan on reducing the budget deficit. And finally, find out how the U.S. and Russia are strengthening their relationship, with banjos.

President Obama in Afghanistan
President Obama made a quick, unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Friday. He traveled there to meet with American officials, speak to Afghan president Hamid Karzai, and thank U.S. troops for their service. Above, Obama is greeted by NATO Commander in Afghanistan General David Petraeus, left, and U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl W. Elkenberry, center, after stepping off Air Force One.

Iran’s Nuclear Threat
There is “no debate” in the international community over its shared concern that Iran may be developing nuclear weapons, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says. Speaking with Bahraini Foreign Minister Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa in Manama, Clinton says a nuclear armed Iran could destabilize the Middle East.

Easing World Trade Imbalances
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke says nations that have been overly reliant on exports to fuel economic growth will benefit by pursuing policies that will help boost their own consumer demand. “We can no longer depend so heavily on consumers in the United States, Europe and other developed countries to be engines of global economic growth,” says Locke.

U.S.-Korea Trade Talks Conclude
U.S. and South Korean trade negotiators wrapped up four days of trade talks on a bilateral free trade agreement. An announcement of the details is not expected before negotiators brief President Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

Cutting the U.S. Deficit
Warning Americans that “the moment of truth” had come, a presidential commission released a sweeping and controversial plan to reduce U.S. chronic budget deficits and slow the growth of the public debt by 2020. The proposal calls for drastic cuts in defense and other government spending, the elimination of popular tax breaks, and an increase in taxes most working Americans pay for social programs.

Building Bridges with Banjos
The banjo, a traditional American instrument, is helping strengthen relations between the American and Russian people. The California-based Deering Banjo Company recently chose Liza Karpacheva, a 15-year-old Russian orphan from Obninsk, Russia (sister city of Oak Ridge, Tennessee), to receive the Brian Friesen Banjo Award. Karpacheva, right, is the first non-American to receive this award.

Obama in India / Clinton in Australia / Dengue Fever

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President Obama says the United States will support India in its bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. He also addresses the flawed vote in Burma, trade, terrorism and relations between India and Pakistan, during his three-day visit to India. At the same time, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is in Australia as her trip to the Asia-Pacific region continues. There are few treatments for Dengue fever, but researchers from the United States and Indonesia are seeking ways to control the painful, sometimes deadly, disease.

U.S. Backs India Security Council Bid
President Obama says the United States would support India’s bid for a permanent seat on a reformed United Nations Security Council. Speaking to a joint session of the Indian parliament in New Delhi, Obama says the United States “not only welcomes India as a rising global power, we fervently support it, and we have worked to help make it a reality.”

Obama Condemns Burma Vote
President Obama says that Burma’s parliamentary elections on November 7 were neither free nor fair and failed to meet any internationally accepted standards. “The elections…demonstrated the regime’s continued preference for repression and restriction over inclusion and transparency,” Obama said in a statement.

Obama on India-Pakistan Relations
President Obama tells Indian college students that their country is taking “its rightful place” in the world and urges India to work toward a peace settlement with neighboring Pakistan. “I am absolutely convinced that the country that has the biggest stake in Pakistan’s success is India,” Obama, at right with students, says during a town hall meeting at St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai.

India’s Resolve Against Terror
President Obama pays tribute to terror victims and the resilience of Indian society, during a visit to the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel buildings in Mumbai which were attacked by terrorists in 2008. Since the attacks, the governments of India and the United States have worked together more closely “sharing intelligence, preventing more attacks, and demanding that the perpetrators be brought to justice,” Obama says.

Obama Promotes U.S.-India Trade
President Obama says increased trade will be a “win-win proposition” for the United States and India and welcomed India’s rapid economic rise as “one of the most stunning achievements in human history.” He says trade ties are “a dynamic, two-way relationship that is creating jobs, growth, and higher living standards in both our countries.”

Clinton on U.S.-Australia Trade
Trade between the United States and Australia is vital to generating jobs, creating economic opportunities, and improving lives and livelihoods, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says. “Done right, free trade and open markets are powerful tools to improve living standards far and wide,” Clinton says during a speech at the Port of Melbourne Education Center.

Enhancing U.S., Australia Ties
The United States and Australia pledge to strengthen military and defense cooperation as the two nations celebrate more than 70 years of close diplomatic relations. “Our relationship continues to be a strategic anchor of security and prosperity in this region and beyond, and our countries are working closely together,” Secretary Clinton says.

Controlling Dengue Fever
Indonesian and U.S. universities, government agencies and nonprofit organizations are working together to control dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease that can be fatal. Dengue affects 50 million people annually worldwide, and drug treatment and vaccinations are currently not available. Right, investigators from Indonesia and the United States examine a well in Yogjakarta.

Obama addresses AGOA forum

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Obama speaks via video at AGOA

President Obama addressed participants of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum in Nairobi, Kenya August 5 via video. “I see Africa as a fundamental part of our interconnected world,” he told the group.

“In our global economy, our economic fortunes are shared,” he said. AGOA has transformed U.S.-African trade relations by opening new markets and providing incentives for entrepreneurs, Obama said.

“I hope you’re enjoying Kenya — and the hospitality of the Kenyan people — as much as I always have,” the president said. Obama, whose father is from Kenya, has visited the country a couple of times, most recently when he was a senator.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also spoke at AGOA. For more, see “Clinton Says United States Believes in Africa’s Promise.”

The Fifth "C"

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[image src="http://photos.state.gov/libraries/amgov/3234/week_4/052909-061207018096-300.jpg" caption="A woman tries on a diamond ring." align="right"]
When my husband and I looked at diamond engagement rings 15 years ago, jewelers told us to keep in mind the four “Cs” – cut, color, clarity and carat weight – when choosing stones. At that time, no one mentioned a fifth “C” – conflict. If someone had, I wouldn’t be wondering now if our jewelry purchase helped fund human rights abuses or a coup effort somewhere in the world.

Conflict diamonds, also known as blood diamonds, come from areas controlled by rebel movements or their allies and are used to finance military actions against legitimate governments. According to analysts, money from the sale of blood diamonds helped fuel Sierra Leone’s civil war, which killed or maimed thousands. Physically, there is no difference between a conflict diamond and a regular one; the issue is the diamond’s provenance.

In 2000, several countries meeting in Kimberley, South Africa, proposed a certification process to monitor and control the trade in rough diamonds. The Kimberley Process, formally launched in 2002, seeks to stop the flow of conflict diamonds to international markets while simultaneously protecting the legitimate diamond industry. Through the Clean Diamond Trade Act of 2003 (PDF, 44 KB), the United States now prohibits the U.S. import or export of rough diamonds that have not been certified as “clean” through the Kimberley Process.

Although the Kimberley Process came into being too late to help my husband and me 15 years ago, I think it is now a useful tool to help protect people from unwittingly contributing to war and violence. But when will there be a similar certification process for other gemstones? And what about protections for gold and silver?