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Article
United States, United Nations Announce Haiti Donors’ Conference
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman March 4, 2010 MEDIA NOTE The United States and United Nations Announce the Haiti Donors’ Conference The United States and the United Nations, in cooperation with the Government of Haiti, and with the support of Brazil, Canada, the European Union, France, and Spain will co-host a ministerial International Donors’ Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti at the United Nations in New York on March 31, 2010. The goal of the conference is to mobilize international support for the development needs of Haiti to begin to lay the foundation for Haiti’s long-term recovery. The Government of Haiti faces enormous challenges following the devastating earthquake of January 12. Meeting these challenges will require a sustained and substantial commitment from the international community, in support of the Government and people of Haiti. At the donors’ conference, Haiti will present its vision for Haiti’s future and how international support can assist. Donor countries, international organizations, and other partners will have an opportunity to pledge resources, to coordinate in support of Haiti’s long-term recovery, and to commit to a sustained effort to support Haiti.
4 March 2010
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Article
United States Helping Countries Counter Illegal Drugs
By Kathryn McConnellStaff Writer Washington — The United States is committing resources to help other countries enforce anti-drug and money-laundering laws, said a top State Department official. “Our cooperative efforts are essential,” David Johnson said in a briefing at the department. Johnson is the State Department’s assistant secretary for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs U.S. assistance ranges from training law enforcement officers to providing economic assistance to farmers to help them move away from poppy production. The illegal drug trade threatens the security interests of the United States and the international community, according to the 2010 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report released March 1. “No other criminal activity can match the profits generated from illegal narcotics trafficking,” the report says. The United States recognizes that it also needs to reduce its domestic demand for illegal drugs. “Without additional progress in reducing demand at home, our gains will be under severe pressure,” the report states. The report, which covers activities in 2009, says that during the past decade, virtually every country has recognized the serious threats posed by the drug trade, and such consensus is a great advantage to future drug-control efforts. In the Western Hemisphere, Colombia’s citizens and political leadership have resolved to re-establish the rule of law, resulting in reductions in illegal drug production, according to the report. “The Colombian state is no longer in danger from insurgents fueled by the drug trade,” the report says. The United States and Mexico have agreed to cooperate more closely to strengthen institutions that prosecute those involved in the drug trade and other organized crime. Mexico also is developing the means to do background investigations of its entire police force. For the first time, trafficking groups are facing a threat from the state “which they cannot win by bribery or intimidations,” according to the report. As Mexico and Colombia continue to apply pressure on drug traffickers, countries in Central America and the Caribbean face problems from displaced traffickers who use land routes and coastal waters to move illegal drugs. To address the displacement, the United States is helping communicate police information to affected governments and is paying for police equipment, training and the development of new community programs. The United Nations confirms that the drug trade is becoming more fragmented, the report says, with new markets and routes. Drugs are being trafficked by air from the Venezuela/Colombia border through West African countries to Europe, the region with the fastest growing cocaine markets, the report says. Despite limited capacity in many West African countries to investigate and prosecute drug traffickers, there have been some successes, notably in Sierra Leone. The United States is prepared to deepen its work with Venezuela to help counter the increasing flow of illegal drugs through the country, according to the report. One problem, according to Johnson, is that while Venezuela has been willing to cooperate to fight drug trafficking by sea, it has not been willing to cooperate in stopping trafficking by air. On a positive note, Afghanistan’s poppy production declined about 30 percent between 2007 and 2009, Johnson said. In 2009, the United States shifted its approach from focusing on eradicating poppies to a more cost-effective approach of developing alternative ways for farmers to earn a living. In Helmand province, Afghans have both expanded police enforcement and offered alternatives to drug production, he said.
4 March 2010
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Article
In Brazil, Secretary Clinton Stresses Opportunity
By Erica MarreroStaff Writer Washington — At a town hall meeting at Zumbi dos Palmares University in São Paulo, Brazil, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called for increased educational opportunities and greater social inclusion for Afro-Brazilians and other underrepresented groups. Clinton also addressed global issues, including environmental protection, women’s rights and Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons. Speaking about increasing opportunities for Afro-Brazilians, the secretary said: “I think that talent is universal, but opportunity isn’t. So the more you can universalize opportunity in a society as dynamic as Brazil, the more people will rise and the more the meritocracy will work.” Her comments were made during a “townterview” — the combination of a town hall meeting and a press interview — held March 3. She spoke to a diverse group of students, faculty members and guests at the first university in Brazil devoted to students of African descent. In addition to engaging with the live audience, Clinton answered questions submitted online from all over Brazil. The event was hailed by the U.S. State Department as a sign of the commitment to cooperation that the United States and Brazil have made on several regional and global issues. Clinton addressed the need for greater work on social inclusion, climate change, advancement of women, and partnership in helping several other countries in Latin America and Africa. Addressing a question from a law professor at the Zumbi dos Palmares University about affirmative action policies in Brazil, Clinton drew on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the U.S. civil rights experience to observe that “what affirmative action should be is a recognition that historical barriers have shrunk the pipeline. Not very many people can get through it. So it needs to be opened up.” She said that education is important for that effort. Clinton noted the success of U.S. and Brazilian educational exchanges and said she hoped to see thousands of such exchanges happening between the two countries each year. Responding to a question about educational funding from a student representative of Meninos do Morumbi, a youth-based group, Clinton announced that several American companies based in Brazil had just informed her that they intend to sponsor 15 scholarships for students to learn English at Zumbi University. On the topic of women’s advancement, Clinton said, “We’ve seen a lot of progress, but we still have to make sure that we stand against domestic violence, because it cannot be tolerated anywhere, anytime.” She said schools and health care should be available to girls as well as to boys. Clinton also answered questions on climate change and the environment. “We don’t know all of the connections between what humanity does to the earth and what the earth then does, but we can see the scars. We can see the pollution in the rivers and the lakes that kill the fish. We can see the pollution in the air that gives children asthma. So we know we are doing things that are causing long-term damage.” She said part of the job now is to ask, “How do we improve the standard of living, create jobs, raise incomes for people without destroying the very earth we inhabit?” She said the United States and Brazil are working to answer that, “but we have lots to do.” Speaking on the topic of Iran, Clinton said the United States and Brazil share the same goal, to ensure a nuclear-free Iran, and that the United States hopes “to get enough support in the Security Council to send a unified message to Iran that they are perfectly free to have peaceful, civil nuclear power. But they are not, under the very agreements that they signed, entitled to a nuclear weapons program.” Another global issue discussed in the forum was regional cooperation in the Western Hemisphere, and the secretary cited the relief effort in Haiti as a prime example of the potential for collaboration, noting that “every single country in the hemisphere, even the poorest ones, have contributed something.” From Brazil, Clinton continued her visit to Latin America with the Pathways to Prosperity meeting on March 4 in San José, Costa Rica. There she met with regional leaders to discuss their commitment to democracy and open markets to support inclusive growth, prosperity and social justice.
4 March 2010
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Article
United States Helping Countries Counter Illegal Drugs
A soldier holds an oversized spoon containing raw methamphetamine seized from an illegal drug laboratory in Ensenada, Mexico.By Kathryn McConnellStaff Writer Washington — The United States is committing resources to help other countries enforce anti-drug and money-laundering laws, said a top State Department official. “Our cooperative efforts are essential,” David Johnson said in a briefing at the department. Johnson is the State Department’s assistant secretary for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs U.S. assistance ranges from training law enforcement officers to providing economic assistance to farmers to help them move away from poppy production. The illegal drug trade threatens the security interests of the United States and the international community, according to the 2010 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report released March 1. “No other criminal activity can match the profits generated from illegal narcotics trafficking,” the report says. The United States recognizes that it also needs to reduce its domestic demand for illegal drugs. “Without additional progress in reducing demand at home, our gains will be under severe pressure,” the report states. The report, which covers activities in 2009, says that during the past decade, virtually every country has recognized the serious threats posed by the drug trade, and such consensus is a great advantage to future drug-control efforts. In the Western Hemisphere, Colombia’s citizens and political leadership have resolved to re-establish the rule of law, resulting in reductions in illegal drug production, according to the report. “The Colombian state is no longer in danger from insurgents fueled by the drug trade,” the report says. The United States and Mexico have agreed to cooperate more closely to strengthen institutions that prosecute those involved in the drug trade and other organized crime. Mexico also is developing the means to do background investigations of its entire police force. For the first time, trafficking groups are facing a threat from the state “which they cannot win by bribery or intimidations,” according to the report. As Mexico and Colombia continue to apply pressure on drug traffickers, countries in Central America and the Caribbean face problems from displaced traffickers who use land routes and coastal waters to move illegal drugs. To address the displacement, the United States is helping communicate police information to affected governments and is paying for police equipment, training and the development of new community programs. The United Nations confirms that the drug trade is becoming more fragmented, the report says, with new markets and routes. Drugs are being trafficked by air from the Venezuela/Colombia border through West African countries to Europe, the region with the fastest growing cocaine markets, the report says. Despite limited capacity in many West African countries to investigate and prosecute drug traffickers, there have been some successes, notably in Sierra Leone. The United States is prepared to deepen its work with Venezuela to help counter the increasing flow of illegal drugs through the country, according to the report. One problem, according to Johnson, is that while Venezuela has been willing to cooperate to fight drug trafficking by sea, it has not been willing to cooperate in stopping trafficking by air. On a positive note, Afghanistan’s poppy production declined about 30 percent between 2007 and 2009, Johnson said. In 2009, the United States shifted its approach from focusing on eradicating poppies to a more cost-effective approach of developing alternative ways for farmers to earn a living. In Helmand province, Afghans have both expanded police enforcement and offered alternatives to drug production, he said.
4 March 2010
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Article
In Brazil, Secretary Clinton Stresses Opportunity
Hillary Rodham Clinton answers a question from a student at the town hall meeting at Zumbi dos Palmares University in São Paulo.By Erica MarreroStaff Writer Washington — At a town hall meeting at Zumbi dos Palmares University in São Paulo, Brazil, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called for increased educational opportunities and greater social inclusion for Afro-Brazilians and other underrepresented groups. Clinton also addressed global issues, including environmental protection, women’s rights and Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons. Speaking about increasing opportunities for Afro-Brazilians, the secretary said: “I think that talent is universal, but opportunity isn’t. So the more you can universalize opportunity in a society as dynamic as Brazil, the more people will rise and the more the meritocracy will work.” Her comments were made during a “townterview” — the combination of a town hall meeting and a press interview — held March 3. She spoke to a diverse group of students, faculty members and guests at the first university in Brazil devoted to students of African descent. In addition to engaging with the live audience, Clinton answered questions submitted online from all over Brazil. The event was hailed by the U.S. State Department as a sign of the commitment to cooperation that the United States and Brazil have made on several regional and global issues. Clinton addressed the need for greater work on social inclusion, climate change, advancement of women, and partnership in helping several other countries in Latin America and Africa. Addressing a question from a law professor at the Zumbi dos Palmares University about affirmative action policies in Brazil, Clinton drew on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the U.S. civil rights experience to observe that “what affirmative action should be is a recognition that historical barriers have shrunk the pipeline. Not very many people can get through it. So it needs to be opened up.” She said that education is important for that effort. Clinton noted the success of U.S. and Brazilian educational exchanges and said she hoped to see thousands of such exchanges happening between the two countries each year. Responding to a question about educational funding from a student representative of Meninos do Morumbi, a youth-based group, Clinton announced that several American companies based in Brazil had just informed her that they intend to sponsor 15 scholarships for students to learn English at Zumbi University. On the topic of women’s advancement, Clinton said, “We’ve seen a lot of progress, but we still have to make sure that we stand against domestic violence, because it cannot be tolerated anywhere, anytime.” She said schools and health care should be available to girls as well as to boys. Clinton also answered questions on climate change and the environment. “We don’t know all of the connections between what humanity does to the earth and what the earth then does, but we can see the scars. We can see the pollution in the rivers and the lakes that kill the fish. We can see the pollution in the air that gives children asthma. So we know we are doing things that are causing long-term damage.” She said part of the job now is to ask, “How do we improve the standard of living, create jobs, raise incomes for people without destroying the very earth we inhabit?” She said the United States and Brazil are working to answer that, “but we have lots to do.” Speaking on the topic of Iran, Clinton said the United States and Brazil share the same goal, to ensure a nuclear-free Iran, and that the United States hopes “to get enough support in the Security Council to send a unified message to Iran that they are perfectly free to have peaceful, civil nuclear power. But they are not, under the very agreements that they signed, entitled to a nuclear weapons program.” Another global issue discussed in the forum was regional cooperation in the Western Hemisphere, and the secretary cited the relief effort in Haiti as a prime example of the potential for collaboration, noting that “every single country in the hemisphere, even the poorest ones, have contributed something.” From Brazil, Clinton continued her visit to Latin America with the Pathways to Prosperity meeting on March 4 in San José, Costa Rica. There she met with regional leaders to discuss their commitment to democracy and open markets to support inclusive growth, prosperity and social justice.
4 March 2010
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Article
Remarks by Clinton, Costa Rican and Dominican Republic Officials
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman March 4, 2010 REMARKS Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Costa Rican Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno Ugarte And Dominican Republic Deputy Foreign Minister Clara Quinones de Longo March 4, 2010 San Jose, Costa Rica MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Good afternoon, we are going to begin our (inaudible) Pathways to Prosperity in the Americas. At the main table, we have the President of the Republic Mr. Oscar Arias, the Foreign Minister of Costa Rica Bruno Stagno, the Secretary of State of the United States Madam Hillary Clinton, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Dominican Republic Clara Quinones, the Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica Marco Vinicio Ruiz. We are going to begin with words from the foreign minister of Costa Rica. FOREIGN MINISTER STAGNO: (Via interpreter) Good day to everyone. Thank you for joining us. As you know, we have just wrapped up this third ministerial meeting of Pathways to Prosperity. I would like to briefly address this initiative. It was created about 18 months ago. We held a first meeting at the head of state level in September of 2008, which was the formal launching of the initiative. And in the last 18 months, we have held three ministerial meetings. The initiative today covers 14 countries of this hemisphere and there are three observer nations – Belize, Brazil, and Trinidad and Tobago. The countries that are part of this initiative today represent about 65 percent of the population of the hemisphere and 73 percent of its territory. But even more importantly, we represent more than 80 percent of the Western Hemisphere’s GDP and a significant amount of world GDP, which is 29 percent. But we have a very specific feature here which is that we have and north-and-south axis that goes from Canada to Chile, which means that this initiative is 14,600 kilometers long in area, which presents opportunities and challenges. One of the challenges, specifically one which today was a subject at the ministerial meeting, which was also part of the conversation that was held among the technical experts, has to do with taking concrete measures to reduce costs and the logistical delays by virtue of these great distances that do separate us but at the same time unite us. Moreover, we are adopting a ministerial declaration which will be handed out to all of you that covers all of the different work within this initiative, all of our intentions, all of our aims that we want to carry out as we move forward with Pathways to Prosperity, especially in light of the next ministerial which will take place in the Dominican Republic next year. So I’m going to wrap up with that. I want to thank all of you for your presence and, above all, I want to thank you for all of the convergence that was achieved here between the participating countries – among the participating countries which recognize the challenges and opportunities that free trade stands for, the opportunities for the development of our people. MODERATOR: Next, the floor goes to the Secretary of State of the United States, Madam Hillary Clinton. SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you very much for hosting this conference and I appreciate the foreign minister’s management of the meeting and it’s a great honor to be here with President Arias. Costa Rica is a champion for the values and goals that we all share, from its global leadership on environmental sustainability to its efforts to promote regional unity, development, and stability. And the success of President Arias in mediating seemingly intractable conflicts is a testament to his moral leadership and to Costa Rica’s credibility. We saw this once again with his work during the crisis in Honduras. So it is a pleasure to be back here in Costa Rica for this very important ministerial. And it is also very exciting to have our Dominican friends with us, and I’m looking forward to the meeting in the Dominican Republic next year. I want to thank President Fernandez and the Dominican people for the generosity and solidarity that you have shown to the people of Haiti. It has been extraordinarily important. These recent hemisphere challenges – the coup in Honduras, the earthquake in Haiti, the terrible earthquake now in Chile – have tested our capacity and our will to respond collectively. And I believe we are meeting that challenge together. We have to extend this spirit of cooperation, however, beyond times of crisis to help us meet the common challenges we face every day. President Arias summarized those in his closing remarks. We are on the pathway to prosperity; we want to arrive. We want to be able to see the benefits of the hard work of the people in the Americas. And that’s what this program is all about. It is a forum for nations committed to democracy and open markets to share best practices and smart ideas for promoting social and financial inclusion and widening the circle of inclusive prosperity. I think we have a lot to learn from each other. The Americas are one of the world’s most dynamic and diverse regions. And we can do more to move toward greater regional integration. Talent is present everywhere; you can visit any town or school from Alaska to Patagonia, and you’ll see it. But unfortunately, opportunity is far from universal. Too many people in too many places never have the chance to realize their dreams of starting a business, pursuing an education, or lifting themselves and their families out of poverty. So the United States will be focusing on several Pathways initiatives to support entrepreneurs and create new opportunities across the Americas. But I want to echo one of the important comments by President Arias. There have to be changes in government policies in order to promote these solutions, whether it is creating the opportunity for collateral for secured transactions in Honduras or raising the tax rates on the wealthy in other countries to fund public services like schools, we’re not just talking about micro-interventions. We’re talking about assisting individuals and businesses, but promoting broader change in order to realize the objectives we share. So we will promote the establishment of small business development centers to help new enterprises get off the ground and start creating jobs. We will increase our support and mentoring for women entrepreneurs who are often overlooked or excluded. We will work with our partners to modernize laws governing lending to help small and medium size businesses, and to develop more efficient and effective customs clearance processes which are crucial to attracting foreign investment and facilitating commerce. And we will encourage our Pathways partners to consider tariff relief for goods they import from Haiti, because Haitians need a functioning economy, not just international aid, to build a sustainable future. How will we tell whether we’re being successful? Only when we see the changes in people’s lives across our hemisphere. Conferences, initiatives, partnerships of all kinds are only useful if they produce results and if we embrace a spirit of shared responsibility. So today, in my remarks, I urged all Pathways partners to establish concrete plans of action, measure the progress of our programs, meet our obligations, and share the results. And hopefully, when we meet again in the Dominican Republic, we will have progress to celebrate, and even more good ideas to share. So again, let me thank our host and applaud the hard work and commitment of all of the countries represented here today. MODERATOR: Next, we are going to end this session with a speech from Clara Quinones, the foreign minister of the Dominican Republic. DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER QUINONES: (Via interpreter) Good day, everyone. President Arias, my utmost respect and my congratulations for you in putting together this conference. I think we have made progress on the initiatives – the result of this initiative. I’ve had the honor of sharing the session with Madam Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, who has been very enthusiastic in her work with this initiative. We’re very glad to have her here for the push that she provides. The Dominican Republic is honored to be the host of the next ministerial meeting of this Pathways to Prosperity in the Americas initiative next year. President Fernandez as well as the entire Dominican people will take on this responsibility with great enthusiasm and you should all be very sure that we are going to take an active role in all of the different working groups so that the Dominican Republic can do a proper assessment, as the Secretary of State has said, of the progress that has been achieved, and the most essential part of this initiative also, which is that free trade and the benefits of globalization should have benefits for the poorest, for the people who are most at risk. I want to make use of this opportunity to mention the tragic situation that our brothers in Chile are going through in this catastrophe. I want to express our solidarity with the people and Government of Chile, and I want to reiterate our commitment toward Haiti, our neighbor that, as we know, has been destroyed – its capital, Port-au-Prince, on the last 12th of January. We have a commitment toward Haiti. President Fernandez is working very hard with the international community, with President Preval, with the donors, so as to – so that on the 2nd of June the Dominican Republic will host a world summit on Haiti, Haiti’s reconstruction. It’s a great opportunity for all of us to contribute with a long and medium-term program to rebuild Haiti. We are talking about the great need of resources (inaudible) the international community, all of our friends, help this country so that they can recover from that catastrophe which affected all of the Haitian people. Thank you very much. MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Next we are going to have three questions, previously agreed to, with the national and international media. To begin with, we have a question from (inaudible), a journalist from La Nacion, here in Costa Rica. QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Good afternoon, thank you very much. Unfortunately, given the growth of trade, the drug trafficking cartels have also grown. Madam Clinton, it will be important to know if with your visit here to President Arias, will there be more cooperation, will there be greater agreements on combating drug trafficking specifically? And if I may, I would also like to hear your comment in – the new first female president of this country’s coming to power. And I was wondering if that has a special significance that there’s a new female president on the continent. Thank you very much. SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, as to your second question, I am delighted that Costa Rica has elected a woman president, a highly qualified, serious woman. I look forward to meeting with her this afternoon. It won’t surprise you to hear that I think two of the best words in any language are “Madam President,” so I am very excited for this choice that Costa Rica made. With respect to the scourge of drug trafficking, we’re well aware that the Central American countries are bearing a greater burden in combating these criminal cartels today than they were in the past. As you know, we have worked very closely with Colombia, with Mexico, and with the Central American countries. We believe strongly that governments have to be strengthened. They have to be given the tools and resources necessary to combat these criminal elements, to build strong, non-corrupt police forces. And we will continue to do what we can in partnership with the governments throughout the region. We also have stated very clearly that we understand the United States bears part of the responsibility for the challenges that governments are confronting. The demand in the American market is centered in the United States and we are trying to do more to lower that demand. So we are trying to do our part both in our own country and in partnership with countries like Costa Rica and others. But we must restore law and order. Citizen security is one of our highest priorities, and we will work together to achieve that. MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) The next question comes from the international media based here in Costa Rica. This is from Nancy Delemos. QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Good afternoon, Madam Hillary. I would like to go into a little more detail about drug trafficking. Is there a specific proposal from the U.S. Government as far as the repeated requests from Central America to increase resources under the Merida plan? In fact, President Arias has emphatically, on several occasions, has insisted that the countries here in the region need more resources and that the Merida plan has centered mainly on Mexico. So that’s related to (inaudible) question. Another question is, toward the end of your Latin American tour, how do you feel about the balance after a visit to Brazil, where you didn’t get President President Lula’s support for the Iran sanctions? And yesterday, the foreign minister was very critical about your visit to the region. He said that you were dividing the countries of the – of Central America. So what is your take on the relationship between the U.S. and Central America in light of those events? SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, first, with respect to Merida, we are increasing the aid that will be coming to Central America because we recognize that you need more resources. And there are many different aspects of what we want to do in partnership with the countries of Central America. Maritime security, obviously, is one. Increasing the capacity of police, judiciary, resources. Working to weed out corruption – I was impressed with the recent announcements coming out of Guatemala with arrests of high-ranking officials for corruption. So there’s a lot to be done. And we are increasing our efforts, including our financial efforts. With respect to the region, I don’t know what you’re referring to. We had excellent discussions in Brazil with both the foreign minister and the president. We share the same goal. The goal is to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. There is no difference in the goals between the United States and Brazil. There is a perceived difference in the best way to achieve that goal. Brazil believes that through continuing outreach and negotiations, they might be able to persuade Iran to come to the negotiating table. The United States has been attempting that. President Obama personally has reached out to the Iranians for more than a year. And unfortunately, we have seen no evidence that this approach is a fruitful one. Therefore, we are working with a number of countries in the United Nations to present new sanctions to the Security Council. And we are working to achieve broad-based support for that, and we expect to be able to do so. And finally, on Central America, again, I don’t know what you’re referring to, but the United States believes strongly in democracy and we are supporting the return of constitutional democracy to Honduras. The election which was held was by all observers found to be free, fair, and legitimate. President Lobo has moved quickly to implement many of the recommendations that first came from President Arias’s work on the San Jose accords and then were incorporated into the Tegucigalpa Accord. He has a unity government. He has a truth commission that will be stood up. He expedited the safe departure of former President Zelaya. And we think that Honduras has taken important and necessary steps that deserve the recognition and the normalization of relations. I have just sent a letter to the Congress of the United States notifying them that we will be restoring aid to Honduras. Other countries in the region say that they want to wait a while. I don’t know what they’re waiting for, but that’s their right, to wait. We believe that President Lobo and his administration have taken the steps necessary to restore democracy. And we share the condemnation of the coup that occurred, but we think it’s time to move forward and ensure that such disruptions of democracy do not and cannot happen in the future. MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Lastly, this is a question for the traveling press corps with the Secretary of State. The question comes from Daniel Dombey of the Financial Times. QUESTION: Secretary Clinton, forgive me, if I can, I’d like to ask a question about Washington, to bring you back to Washington for a moment. Before entering the Administration, both you and President Obama supported the campaign to label the Ottoman era massacres of Armenians as genocide. In recent days, both you and he have made direct appeals to Howard Berman, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, against a House resolution, a draft House resolution that would make precisely such a labeling of those events. Despite that, he is supporting the resolution and the committee is poised to vote. Could you explain why you and the President have reversed course on this issue and what’s at stake in this vote? Thanks very much. SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I think circumstances have changed in very significant ways. When President Obama took office and I became Secretary of State, we determined that the process undertaken by the Swiss in bringing the Turkey – Turkish and Armenian governments together was a very worthy one that we intended to support, and we have done so. I was personally in Zurich at the time that the protocols for the normalization of relationship between the two countries were signed. We think that is the appropriate way to manage the problems that have stood in the way of normalization between the two countries. Within the protocols, there was an agreed-upon approach to establishing a historical commission to look at events in the past. I do not think it is for any other country to determine how two countries resolve matters between them, to the extent that actions that the United States might take could disrupt this process. Therefore, both President Obama and I have made clear, both last year and again this year, that we do not believe any action by the Congress is appropriate, and we oppose it. Now, the committee that you referred to has voted out such a resolution, I think three times in the past. They’re likely to vote it out again. But we do not believe that the full Congress will or should act upon that resolution, and we have made that clear to all the parties involved. MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Thank you very much. This is the end of our press conference. Good afternoon.
4 March 2010
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Article
U.S., Brazil Plan Cooperation on Climate, Gender, Development
The agreements were signed after Secretary Clinton, left, met with Brazilian President Lula, center, and Foreign Minister Amorim.By Stephen KaufmanStaff Writer Washington — The United States and Brazil have signed three agreements designed to boost their cooperation in aiding developing countries, promoting gender equality and building on the December 2009 Copenhagen Accord to combat global climate change. They were signed during Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s March 3 visit to Brazil. In her remarks with Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Luiz Nunes Amorim in Brasilia, Clinton said the agreements are part of an “expanded engagement” between the United States and Brazil, as the two countries launch a “global partnership dialogue.” The agreement on climate cooperation launches a “Climate Change Policy Dialogue” to discuss strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from sources such as deforestation and forest degradation, and promote advances in clean energy through joint research, development, deployment and dissemination of clean-energy technology. The dialogue will also discuss climate change adaptation issues, scientific research and capacity building for climate change. Clinton said the agreement will help build on the Copenhagen Accord, and she expressed admiration for “all that Brazil has achieved in this area,” with hopes that the two countries will “work cooperatively together on behalf of other countries as well.” The United States and Brazil, which have a long partnership in fighting poverty through development assistance to third countries, also agreed to expand their cooperation to “foster economic development, improve health care and increase social inclusion in countries that face the greatest poverty challenges, particularly in Africa and Latin America,” according to the agreement on technical cooperation. The agreement suggests that new activities could include supporting other countries in “sector-specific studies and policy reviews, provision of technical assistance,” and offering training in the United States and Brazil to the recipient country’s technical specialists. Clinton said the agreement “will enhance our efforts to widen the circle of prosperity, increase social and economic inclusion, improve health care, and give people the tools they need to lift themselves out of poverty in those countries in greatest need” in the Western Hemisphere and Africa. But that goal cannot be achieved, she added, without allowing women and girls from those countries to fully participate in society. The third agreement focuses on cooperation to improve the lives, opportunities and equality of women. Clinton said joint efforts to eliminate gender-based violence, stop the trafficking of women and children, and increase women’s equal rights and opportunities in the political and working worlds are “not only the right thing to do, but … the smart thing to do.” “Investing in the potential of women and girls is one of the surest ways to achieve economic progress, political stability and greater prosperity,” she said. According to the agreement, programs may include “joint training sessions and seminars, campaigns to raise awareness, exchange programs, partnerships with the private sector, and cooperation programs with third countries.” Praising Brazil’s leadership and assistance to Haiti, both as the leading country providing security for the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and its response to the January 12 earthquake, Clinton said the United States and Brazil are passionately committed to democracy and freedom. “We share a sense of social responsibility, a belief that we are both better when others are given the chance to develop themselves,” she said.
4 March 2010
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Article
Remarks by Clinton, Costa Rican and Dominican Republic Officials
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman March 4, 2010 REMARKS Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Costa Rican Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno Ugarte And Dominican Republic Deputy Foreign Minister Clara Quinones de Longo March 4, 2010 San Jose, Costa Rica MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Good afternoon, we are going to begin our (inaudible) Pathways to Prosperity in the Americas. At the main table, we have the President of the Republic Mr. Oscar Arias, the Foreign Minister of Costa Rica Bruno Stagno, the Secretary of State of the United States Madam Hillary Clinton, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Dominican Republic Clara Quinones, the Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica Marco Vinicio Ruiz. We are going to begin with words from the foreign minister of Costa Rica. FOREIGN MINISTER STAGNO: (Via interpreter) Good day to everyone. Thank you for joining us. As you know, we have just wrapped up this third ministerial meeting of Pathways to Prosperity. I would like to briefly address this initiative. It was created about 18 months ago. We held a first meeting at the head of state level in September of 2008, which was the formal launching of the initiative. And in the last 18 months, we have held three ministerial meetings. The initiative today covers 14 countries of this hemisphere and there are three observer nations – Belize, Brazil, and Trinidad and Tobago. The countries that are part of this initiative today represent about 65 percent of the population of the hemisphere and 73 percent of its territory. But even more importantly, we represent more than 80 percent of the Western Hemisphere’s GDP and a significant amount of world GDP, which is 29 percent. But we have a very specific feature here which is that we have and north-and-south axis that goes from Canada to Chile, which means that this initiative is 14,600 kilometers long in area, which presents opportunities and challenges. One of the challenges, specifically one which today was a subject at the ministerial meeting, which was also part of the conversation that was held among the technical experts, has to do with taking concrete measures to reduce costs and the logistical delays by virtue of these great distances that do separate us but at the same time unite us. Moreover, we are adopting a ministerial declaration which will be handed out to all of you that covers all of the different work within this initiative, all of our intentions, all of our aims that we want to carry out as we move forward with Pathways to Prosperity, especially in light of the next ministerial which will take place in the Dominican Republic next year. So I’m going to wrap up with that. I want to thank all of you for your presence and, above all, I want to thank you for all of the convergence that was achieved here between the participating countries – among the participating countries which recognize the challenges and opportunities that free trade stands for, the opportunities for the development of our people. MODERATOR: Next, the floor goes to the Secretary of State of the United States, Madam Hillary Clinton. SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you very much for hosting this conference and I appreciate the foreign minister’s management of the meeting and it’s a great honor to be here with President Arias. Costa Rica is a champion for the values and goals that we all share, from its global leadership on environmental sustainability to its efforts to promote regional unity, development, and stability. And the success of President Arias in mediating seemingly intractable conflicts is a testament to his moral leadership and to Costa Rica’s credibility. We saw this once again with his work during the crisis in Honduras. So it is a pleasure to be back here in Costa Rica for this very important ministerial. And it is also very exciting to have our Dominican friends with us, and I’m looking forward to the meeting in the Dominican Republic next year. I want to thank President Fernandez and the Dominican people for the generosity and solidarity that you have shown to the people of Haiti. It has been extraordinarily important. These recent hemisphere challenges – the coup in Honduras, the earthquake in Haiti, the terrible earthquake now in Chile – have tested our capacity and our will to respond collectively. And I believe we are meeting that challenge together. We have to extend this spirit of cooperation, however, beyond times of crisis to help us meet the common challenges we face every day. President Arias summarized those in his closing remarks. We are on the pathway to prosperity; we want to arrive. We want to be able to see the benefits of the hard work of the people in the Americas. And that’s what this program is all about. It is a forum for nations committed to democracy and open markets to share best practices and smart ideas for promoting social and financial inclusion and widening the circle of inclusive prosperity. I think we have a lot to learn from each other. The Americas are one of the world’s most dynamic and diverse regions. And we can do more to move toward greater regional integration. Talent is present everywhere; you can visit any town or school from Alaska to Patagonia, and you’ll see it. But unfortunately, opportunity is far from universal. Too many people in too many places never have the chance to realize their dreams of starting a business, pursuing an education, or lifting themselves and their families out of poverty. So the United States will be focusing on several Pathways initiatives to support entrepreneurs and create new opportunities across the Americas. But I want to echo one of the important comments by President Arias. There have to be changes in government policies in order to promote these solutions, whether it is creating the opportunity for collateral for secured transactions in Honduras or raising the tax rates on the wealthy in other countries to fund public services like schools, we’re not just talking about micro-interventions. We’re talking about assisting individuals and businesses, but promoting broader change in order to realize the objectives we share. So we will promote the establishment of small business development centers to help new enterprises get off the ground and start creating jobs. We will increase our support and mentoring for women entrepreneurs who are often overlooked or excluded. We will work with our partners to modernize laws governing lending to help small and medium size businesses, and to develop more efficient and effective customs clearance processes which are crucial to attracting foreign investment and facilitating commerce. And we will encourage our Pathways partners to consider tariff relief for goods they import from Haiti, because Haitians need a functioning economy, not just international aid, to build a sustainable future. How will we tell whether we’re being successful? Only when we see the changes in people’s lives across our hemisphere. Conferences, initiatives, partnerships of all kinds are only useful if they produce results and if we embrace a spirit of shared responsibility. So today, in my remarks, I urged all Pathways partners to establish concrete plans of action, measure the progress of our programs, meet our obligations, and share the results. And hopefully, when we meet again in the Dominican Republic, we will have progress to celebrate, and even more good ideas to share. So again, let me thank our host and applaud the hard work and commitment of all of the countries represented here today. MODERATOR: Next, we are going to end this session with a speech from Clara Quinones, the foreign minister of the Dominican Republic. DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER QUINONES: (Via interpreter) Good day, everyone. President Arias, my utmost respect and my congratulations for you in putting together this conference. I think we have made progress on the initiatives – the result of this initiative. I’ve had the honor of sharing the session with Madam Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, who has been very enthusiastic in her work with this initiative. We’re very glad to have her here for the push that she provides. The Dominican Republic is honored to be the host of the next ministerial meeting of this Pathways to Prosperity in the Americas initiative next year. President Fernandez as well as the entire Dominican people will take on this responsibility with great enthusiasm and you should all be very sure that we are going to take an active role in all of the different working groups so that the Dominican Republic can do a proper assessment, as the Secretary of State has said, of the progress that has been achieved, and the most essential part of this initiative also, which is that free trade and the benefits of globalization should have benefits for the poorest, for the people who are most at risk. I want to make use of this opportunity to mention the tragic situation that our brothers in Chile are going through in this catastrophe. I want to express our solidarity with the people and Government of Chile, and I want to reiterate our commitment toward Haiti, our neighbor that, as we know, has been destroyed – its capital, Port-au-Prince, on the last 12th of January. We have a commitment toward Haiti. President Fernandez is working very hard with the international community, with President Preval, with the donors, so as to – so that on the 2nd of June the Dominican Republic will host a world summit on Haiti, Haiti’s reconstruction. It’s a great opportunity for all of us to contribute with a long and medium-term program to rebuild Haiti. We are talking about the great need of resources (inaudible) the international community, all of our friends, help this country so that they can recover from that catastrophe which affected all of the Haitian people. Thank you very much. MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Next we are going to have three questions, previously agreed to, with the national and international media. To begin with, we have a question from (inaudible), a journalist from La Nacion, here in Costa Rica. QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Good afternoon, thank you very much. Unfortunately, given the growth of trade, the drug trafficking cartels have also grown. Madam Clinton, it will be important to know if with your visit here to President Arias, will there be more cooperation, will there be greater agreements on combating drug trafficking specifically? And if I may, I would also like to hear your comment in – the new first female president of this country’s coming to power. And I was wondering if that has a special significance that there’s a new female president on the continent. Thank you very much. SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, as to your second question, I am delighted that Costa Rica has elected a woman president, a highly qualified, serious woman. I look forward to meeting with her this afternoon. It won’t surprise you to hear that I think two of the best words in any language are “Madam President,” so I am very excited for this choice that Costa Rica made. With respect to the scourge of drug trafficking, we’re well aware that the Central American countries are bearing a greater burden in combating these criminal cartels today than they were in the past. As you know, we have worked very closely with Colombia, with Mexico, and with the Central American countries. We believe strongly that governments have to be strengthened. They have to be given the tools and resources necessary to combat these criminal elements, to build strong, non-corrupt police forces. And we will continue to do what we can in partnership with the governments throughout the region. We also have stated very clearly that we understand the United States bears part of the responsibility for the challenges that governments are confronting. The demand in the American market is centered in the United States and we are trying to do more to lower that demand. So we are trying to do our part both in our own country and in partnership with countries like Costa Rica and others. But we must restore law and order. Citizen security is one of our highest priorities, and we will work together to achieve that. MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) The next question comes from the international media based here in Costa Rica. This is from Nancy Delemos. QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Good afternoon, Madam Hillary. I would like to go into a little more detail about drug trafficking. Is there a specific proposal from the U.S. Government as far as the repeated requests from Central America to increase resources under the Merida plan? In fact, President Arias has emphatically, on several occasions, has insisted that the countries here in the region need more resources and that the Merida plan has centered mainly on Mexico. So that’s related to (inaudible) question. Another question is, toward the end of your Latin American tour, how do you feel about the balance after a visit to Brazil, where you didn’t get President President Lula’s support for the Iran sanctions? And yesterday, the foreign minister was very critical about your visit to the region. He said that you were dividing the countries of the – of Central America. So what is your take on the relationship between the U.S. and Central America in light of those events? SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, first, with respect to Merida, we are increasing the aid that will be coming to Central America because we recognize that you need more resources. And there are many different aspects of what we want to do in partnership with the countries of Central America. Maritime security, obviously, is one. Increasing the capacity of police, judiciary, resources. Working to weed out corruption – I was impressed with the recent announcements coming out of Guatemala with arrests of high-ranking officials for corruption. So there’s a lot to be done. And we are increasing our efforts, including our financial efforts. With respect to the region, I don’t know what you’re referring to. We had excellent discussions in Brazil with both the foreign minister and the president. We share the same goal. The goal is to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. There is no difference in the goals between the United States and Brazil. There is a perceived difference in the best way to achieve that goal. Brazil believes that through continuing outreach and negotiations, they might be able to persuade Iran to come to the negotiating table. The United States has been attempting that. President Obama personally has reached out to the Iranians for more than a year. And unfortunately, we have seen no evidence that this approach is a fruitful one. Therefore, we are working with a number of countries in the United Nations to present new sanctions to the Security Council. And we are working to achieve broad-based support for that, and we expect to be able to do so. And finally, on Central America, again, I don’t know what you’re referring to, but the United States believes strongly in democracy and we are supporting the return of constitutional democracy to Honduras. The election which was held was by all observers found to be free, fair, and legitimate. President Lobo has moved quickly to implement many of the recommendations that first came from President Arias’s work on the San Jose accords and then were incorporated into the Tegucigalpa Accord. He has a unity government. He has a truth commission that will be stood up. He expedited the safe departure of former President Zelaya. And we think that Honduras has taken important and necessary steps that deserve the recognition and the normalization of relations. I have just sent a letter to the Congress of the United States notifying them that we will be restoring aid to Honduras. Other countries in the region say that they want to wait a while. I don’t know what they’re waiting for, but that’s their right, to wait. We believe that President Lobo and his administration have taken the steps necessary to restore democracy. And we share the condemnation of the coup that occurred, but we think it’s time to move forward and ensure that such disruptions of democracy do not and cannot happen in the future. MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Lastly, this is a question for the traveling press corps with the Secretary of State. The question comes from Daniel Dombey of the Financial Times. QUESTION: Secretary Clinton, forgive me, if I can, I’d like to ask a question about Washington, to bring you back to Washington for a moment. Before entering the Administration, both you and President Obama supported the campaign to label the Ottoman era massacres of Armenians as genocide. In recent days, both you and he have made direct appeals to Howard Berman, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, against a House resolution, a draft House resolution that would make precisely such a labeling of those events. Despite that, he is supporting the resolution and the committee is poised to vote. Could you explain why you and the President have reversed course on this issue and what’s at stake in this vote? Thanks very much. SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I think circumstances have changed in very significant ways. When President Obama took office and I became Secretary of State, we determined that the process undertaken by the Swiss in bringing the Turkey – Turkish and Armenian governments together was a very worthy one that we intended to support, and we have done so. I was personally in Zurich at the time that the protocols for the normalization of relationship between the two countries were signed. We think that is the appropriate way to manage the problems that have stood in the way of normalization between the two countries. Within the protocols, there was an agreed-upon approach to establishing a historical commission to look at events in the past. I do not think it is for any other country to determine how two countries resolve matters between them, to the extent that actions that the United States might take could disrupt this process. Therefore, both President Obama and I have made clear, both last year and again this year, that we do not believe any action by the Congress is appropriate, and we oppose it. Now, the committee that you referred to has voted out such a resolution, I think three times in the past. They’re likely to vote it out again. But we do not believe that the full Congress will or should act upon that resolution, and we have made that clear to all the parties involved. MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Thank you very much. This is the end of our press conference. Good afternoon.
4 March 2010
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Article
U.S., Brazil Plan Cooperation on Climate, Gender, Development
The agreements were signed after Secretary Clinton, left, met with Brazilian President Lula, center, and Foreign Minister Amorim.By Stephen KaufmanStaff Writer Washington — The United States and Brazil have signed three agreements designed to boost their cooperation in aiding developing countries, promoting gender equality and building on the December 2009 Copenhagen Accord to combat global climate change. They were signed during Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s March 3 visit to Brazil. In her remarks with Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Luiz Nunes Amorim in Brasilia, Clinton said the agreements are part of an “expanded engagement” between the United States and Brazil, as the two countries launch a “global partnership dialogue.” The agreement on climate cooperation launches a “Climate Change Policy Dialogue” to discuss strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from sources such as deforestation and forest degradation, and promote advances in clean energy through joint research, development, deployment and dissemination of clean-energy technology. The dialogue will also discuss climate change adaptation issues, scientific research and capacity building for climate change. Clinton said the agreement will help build on the Copenhagen Accord, and she expressed admiration for “all that Brazil has achieved in this area,” with hopes that the two countries will “work cooperatively together on behalf of other countries as well.” The United States and Brazil, which have a long partnership in fighting poverty through development assistance to third countries, also agreed to expand their cooperation to “foster economic development, improve health care and increase social inclusion in countries that face the greatest poverty challenges, particularly in Africa and Latin America,” according to the agreement on technical cooperation. The agreement suggests that new activities could include supporting other countries in “sector-specific studies and policy reviews, provision of technical assistance,” and offering training in the United States and Brazil to the recipient country’s technical specialists. Clinton said the agreement “will enhance our efforts to widen the circle of prosperity, increase social and economic inclusion, improve health care, and give people the tools they need to lift themselves out of poverty in those countries in greatest need” in the Western Hemisphere and Africa. But that goal cannot be achieved, she added, without allowing women and girls from those countries to fully participate in society. The third agreement focuses on cooperation to improve the lives, opportunities and equality of women. Clinton said joint efforts to eliminate gender-based violence, stop the trafficking of women and children, and increase women’s equal rights and opportunities in the political and working worlds are “not only the right thing to do, but … the smart thing to do.” “Investing in the potential of women and girls is one of the surest ways to achieve economic progress, political stability and greater prosperity,” she said. According to the agreement, programs may include “joint training sessions and seminars, campaigns to raise awareness, exchange programs, partnerships with the private sector, and cooperation programs with third countries.” Praising Brazil’s leadership and assistance to Haiti, both as the leading country providing security for the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and its response to the January 12 earthquake, Clinton said the United States and Brazil are passionately committed to democracy and freedom. “We share a sense of social responsibility, a belief that we are both better when others are given the chance to develop themselves,” she said.
4 March 2010
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Article
Remarks by Secretary Clinton at Pathways to Prosperity Meeting
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman March 4, 2010 REMARKS Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Pathways to Prosperity Ministerial March 4, 2010 San Jose, Costa Rica SECRETARY CLINTON: I look around this table and I see nations dedicated to strengthening democracy, spreading opportunities, and promoting inclusive prosperity throughout the Americas. Since we were together last year in El Salvador, our region has been tested by a number of crises, including the political upheaval in Honduras and the devastating earthquake in Haiti and Chile. I was in Santiago two days ago, where I had the opportunity to meet and consult with both President Bachelet and President-elect Pinera. And it is so important that we all, once again, come to the aid of our neighbors. Assistance is starting to flow in from across the hemisphere and it is reminiscent, tragically, of the great efforts made to support our friends in Haiti. Chile was one of the first to respond to Haiti’s earthquake. The Chilean rescue and recovery workers performed heroic efforts. They worked around the clock to find and rescue survivors. Now it is time to stand with both Chile and Haiti as they recover and rebuild. These emergencies highlight the strength of our ties as neighbors, partners, and friends, and they amplify the importance of the work we are doing through Pathways. We are here to help create conditions that enable people to obtain the economic and social opportunities critical to national and regional stability and progress. Whether our countries are seeking to defuse threats to democracy, protect against the effects of natural disasters, or build long-term prosperity, it is vital that we spread the benefits of economic growth and integration to more people in more places. In our region, prosperity has widened in recent decades. We’ve worked to promote growth and create jobs through sound fiscal policy, bilateral trade agreements, multilateral pacts like NAFTA and CAFTA-DR, and institutions like the Inter-American Development Bank. But for too many people in too many places, including in my own country, opportunity is limited and fleeting. So through Pathways, we are working to close the opportunity gap that exists for the farmers, craft people, and small business owners who are excluded from financial services and who lack access to global markets. We seek to engage women and historically marginalized populations such as indigenous peoples and Afro descendents to give them the chance to contribute to and share in the broader economic progress. And as the number of young people across the hemisphere rises, we are working together to make sure that the number of schools, access to higher education, and jobs rise as well. What I like about Pathways to Prosperity is that it provides a critical forum where nations committed to democracy and open markets can share the best practices for promoting social and financial inclusion. We can and must learn from each other. The Americas, as we heard from the minister from Costa Rica, are one of the world’s most dynamic and diverse regions, with a strong economic base that is evident in the multitude of creative solutions already at work in our countries. And I’ve had a chance to see these solutions in practice. In El Salvador, a public-private partnership has provided credit to small and medium size businesses, sparking entrepreneurship, and raising family incomes. In Brazil, where I was yesterday, I met with a group of businesses that represented partnership between Brazilian and U.S. Governments, and over 100 U.S. companies called Mais Unidos, which promotes corporate social responsibility, job training, English language training, especially for at-risk Brazilian young people, so that they too have the tools to compete. And like you, I have followed the progress that Uruguay and Panama have made towards spreading the benefits of the digital age through initiatives that distribute laptops to children. I was just in Uruguay, meeting with the out-going president and now-president Mujica, and their “one laptop per child” program has given a great boost to learning and access to the wider world. Legislation passed in Honduras makes credit now available to farmers and small businesses through secured transactions. Every single one of these programs can be a model for the rest of us, and that is what I hope comes from our meeting today. And I want to recognize our host, Costa Rica, a global leader in environmental sustainability. Costa Rica co-hosted a conference in January with the Organization of American States on how to encourage public participation in environmental decision making. Yesterday, the EARTH Institute here in Costa Rica led a discussion on the business challenges and opportunities facing women in the Americas, and the Rainforest Alliance, Wal-Mart, and other organizations discussed their efforts to bring micro-enterprises into global supply chains. That is a critical element of sustainable and inclusive development. Now, none of these programs or policies will close the opportunity gap on its own. But together, they move us toward the goal of giving all people of the Americas the chance to fulfill their God-given potential, to earn a living, receive an education, participate in the global economy, and if they choose, to start or expand a business. I am so impressed by the people in our hemisphere. I’ve traveled throughout this hemisphere for 17 years now, and I meet people with smart ideas, a great work ethic, and a strong entrepreneurial spirit everywhere. What I have concluded is that talent is universal, but opportunity is not. They just need a chance to show what they can do, to compete in a business environment that is fair and secure. And together, we can help provide for that. To that end, the United States will be focusing on several Pathway initiatives to support entrepreneurs across the hemisphere. First, we’ve had success in our country with the creation of small business development centers where people can go to get information and advice about starting a business. Some Pathway countries have adopted this model, and we’re looking to share it with others by organizing exchange visits between countries. Second, we are supporting women entrepreneurs across the hemisphere. We know that women still today are often overlooked or excluded, especially when they go for credit. I’ve had women say to me, “A lot of dreams die in the parking lots of banks.” So even though these women are innovative, energetic, hardworking, and committed, we’re not doing enough to support their businesses and efforts. Last October, the United States hosted a conference for women entrepreneurs from the Americas. And we’ve launched a mentoring network to connect experienced women business leaders with women who are just starting out. In the coming months, we’ll work with you to deepen and expand that network. Third, we want to help our partners in Pathways modernize customs procedures, something that was also mentioned by the Costa Ricans. Efficient and effective customs practices are critical to attracting foreign investment and succeeding in global markets. Now, several countries in Pathways are also members of APEC. The members of APEC have agreed to reduce our trade logistics delays and costs by 5 percent. And I challenge the other members of Pathways to work with us to do the same. The United States will sponsor workshops for public and private sector officials to share best practices for improving customs procedures. At APEC, we looked at research which showed that these small changes in customs procedures that have a direct and significant impact on improving business opportunities in every country. Fourth, trade requires effective communication. This year, we have offered 100 teachers from Pathways countries training in English language instruction, and over 400,000 students across the region are learning English at the 140 bi-national centers we support. This is work we are committed to continuing, and I’d like to ask our partners in Pathways to make this a mutual exchange. Millions of U.S. citizens speak Spanish as a first or second language, or are learning how to speak it. With your help, we can have even more U.S. citizens learning Spanish, and that will increase our trade and business ties. Fifth, we are working to help small and medium-sized enterprises decrease the amount of water, energy, and raw materials they need to protect natural resources, shrink carbon emissions, and save costs. Sixth and finally, the United States is committed to working with our Pathways partners to modernize laws that govern lending so that small and medium size businesses can use assets other than real estate as collateral for loans. I visited the display that Honduras has, and they showed me the kind of equipment that can now serve as collateral in Honduras because Honduras has changed their laws: sewing machines, tool boxes, farm equipment. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the source of employment for many of our citizens. We must give them the chance to borrow larger amounts at lower interest rates with longer repayment periods if we’re going to make it easier for these enterprises to thrive. And I commend Honduras for the model programs that they are implementing. Let me say a word about the importance of job creation in Haiti. One of the great stories about this horrible tragedy in Haiti is that before the earthquake, working with the Government of Haiti, many of the countries around the table were committed to long-term development projects. Shortly before the earthquake, my husband, who works with the secretary general of the United Nations, brought over 500 business leaders from across our hemisphere to Haiti to sign contracts, to open factories, expand businesses, to develop tourism. Last spring, I visited a garment factory in Haiti that was a powerful engine for local economic growth. At that time, apparel exports made up approximately 90 percent of all exports from Haiti and supported 28,000 jobs. We expected that to grow many times over. Since the earthquake, many of Haiti’s factories are coming back online. Many others, however, are still closed, and their workers out of work. Getting Haiti’s industry moving again will help the immediate recovery effort and stimulate future growth. The United States has a trade preference program called Haiti HOPE, H-O-P-E, which extends our most favorable tariffs and terms on Haitian exports of textiles and apparel. Our Congress is considering bills that may help Haitian producers even more. Other countries have also taken such steps. Canada, for example, has an excellent program that allows Haitian products to enter tariff-free. I am sure that many of you heard about the moving conversation yesterday between women entrepreneurs in Haiti and elsewhere in the region. This one conversation reflects the deep sense of solidarity that people across the hemisphere feel for the people of Haiti. I encourage members of Pathways to channel that solidarity into new economic opportunities for the Haitian people, particularly with new market opportunities in your countries. And together, we can help Haiti recover better and build back even stronger. Now, we won’t reach the goals, the very ambitious goals that we have set, but we will make progress through persistent experimentation and collaboration. We must identify those programs and policies that are really working and move away from those that are not. And I hope all of us will establish concrete plans of action with accountability measures that really look hard at how well we are doing and demand results from these programs. And we should increase our collaboration through other partnerships as well – the Inter-American Social Protection Network launched last year in the United Nations General Assembly. And the United States is looking forward to working with all of you on innovative ways to reduce social inequalities and improve the work of public institutions. I was reminded again that wherever we live in the Americas, whatever our heritage, whatever language we speak, we all want the same thing: the chance to live safe and healthy lives; to see our families productive and moving toward a better future; to participate fully in our communities; and to do all that we can to extend those opportunities to others. I think we are building on a strong foundation, and I am very pleased to participate once again in this ministerial. And I look forward to working with all of you in the days, months, and years ahead. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
4 March 2010
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Article
Remarks by Secretary Clinton at Pathways to Prosperity Meeting
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman March 4, 2010 REMARKS Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Pathways to Prosperity Ministerial March 4, 2010 San Jose, Costa Rica SECRETARY CLINTON: I look around this table and I see nations dedicated to strengthening democracy, spreading opportunities, and promoting inclusive prosperity throughout the Americas. Since we were together last year in El Salvador, our region has been tested by a number of crises, including the political upheaval in Honduras and the devastating earthquake in Haiti and Chile. I was in Santiago two days ago, where I had the opportunity to meet and consult with both President Bachelet and President-elect Pinera. And it is so important that we all, once again, come to the aid of our neighbors. Assistance is starting to flow in from across the hemisphere and it is reminiscent, tragically, of the great efforts made to support our friends in Haiti. Chile was one of the first to respond to Haiti’s earthquake. The Chilean rescue and recovery workers performed heroic efforts. They worked around the clock to find and rescue survivors. Now it is time to stand with both Chile and Haiti as they recover and rebuild. These emergencies highlight the strength of our ties as neighbors, partners, and friends, and they amplify the importance of the work we are doing through Pathways. We are here to help create conditions that enable people to obtain the economic and social opportunities critical to national and regional stability and progress. Whether our countries are seeking to defuse threats to democracy, protect against the effects of natural disasters, or build long-term prosperity, it is vital that we spread the benefits of economic growth and integration to more people in more places. In our region, prosperity has widened in recent decades. We’ve worked to promote growth and create jobs through sound fiscal policy, bilateral trade agreements, multilateral pacts like NAFTA and CAFTA-DR, and institutions like the Inter-American Development Bank. But for too many people in too many places, including in my own country, opportunity is limited and fleeting. So through Pathways, we are working to close the opportunity gap that exists for the farmers, craft people, and small business owners who are excluded from financial services and who lack access to global markets. We seek to engage women and historically marginalized populations such as indigenous peoples and Afro descendents to give them the chance to contribute to and share in the broader economic progress. And as the number of young people across the hemisphere rises, we are working together to make sure that the number of schools, access to higher education, and jobs rise as well. What I like about Pathways to Prosperity is that it provides a critical forum where nations committed to democracy and open markets can share the best practices for promoting social and financial inclusion. We can and must learn from each other. The Americas, as we heard from the minister from Costa Rica, are one of the world’s most dynamic and diverse regions, with a strong economic base that is evident in the multitude of creative solutions already at work in our countries. And I’ve had a chance to see these solutions in practice. In El Salvador, a public-private partnership has provided credit to small and medium size businesses, sparking entrepreneurship, and raising family incomes. In Brazil, where I was yesterday, I met with a group of businesses that represented partnership between Brazilian and U.S. Governments, and over 100 U.S. companies called Mais Unidos, which promotes corporate social responsibility, job training, English language training, especially for at-risk Brazilian young people, so that they too have the tools to compete. And like you, I have followed the progress that Uruguay and Panama have made towards spreading the benefits of the digital age through initiatives that distribute laptops to children. I was just in Uruguay, meeting with the out-going president and now-president Mujica, and their “one laptop per child” program has given a great boost to learning and access to the wider world. Legislation passed in Honduras makes credit now available to farmers and small businesses through secured transactions. Every single one of these programs can be a model for the rest of us, and that is what I hope comes from our meeting today. And I want to recognize our host, Costa Rica, a global leader in environmental sustainability. Costa Rica co-hosted a conference in January with the Organization of American States on how to encourage public participation in environmental decision making. Yesterday, the EARTH Institute here in Costa Rica led a discussion on the business challenges and opportunities facing women in the Americas, and the Rainforest Alliance, Wal-Mart, and other organizations discussed their efforts to bring micro-enterprises into global supply chains. That is a critical element of sustainable and inclusive development. Now, none of these programs or policies will close the opportunity gap on its own. But together, they move us toward the goal of giving all people of the Americas the chance to fulfill their God-given potential, to earn a living, receive an education, participate in the global economy, and if they choose, to start or expand a business. I am so impressed by the people in our hemisphere. I’ve traveled throughout this hemisphere for 17 years now, and I meet people with smart ideas, a great work ethic, and a strong entrepreneurial spirit everywhere. What I have concluded is that talent is universal, but opportunity is not. They just need a chance to show what they can do, to compete in a business environment that is fair and secure. And together, we can help provide for that. To that end, the United States will be focusing on several Pathway initiatives to support entrepreneurs across the hemisphere. First, we’ve had success in our country with the creation of small business development centers where people can go to get information and advice about starting a business. Some Pathway countries have adopted this model, and we’re looking to share it with others by organizing exchange visits between countries. Second, we are supporting women entrepreneurs across the hemisphere. We know that women still today are often overlooked or excluded, especially when they go for credit. I’ve had women say to me, “A lot of dreams die in the parking lots of banks.” So even though these women are innovative, energetic, hardworking, and committed, we’re not doing enough to support their businesses and efforts. Last October, the United States hosted a conference for women entrepreneurs from the Americas. And we’ve launched a mentoring network to connect experienced women business leaders with women who are just starting out. In the coming months, we’ll work with you to deepen and expand that network. Third, we want to help our partners in Pathways modernize customs procedures, something that was also mentioned by the Costa Ricans. Efficient and effective customs practices are critical to attracting foreign investment and succeeding in global markets. Now, several countries in Pathways are also members of APEC. The members of APEC have agreed to reduce our trade logistics delays and costs by 5 percent. And I challenge the other members of Pathways to work with us to do the same. The United States will sponsor workshops for public and private sector officials to share best practices for improving customs procedures. At APEC, we looked at research which showed that these small changes in customs procedures that have a direct and significant impact on improving business opportunities in every country. Fourth, trade requires effective communication. This year, we have offered 100 teachers from Pathways countries training in English language instruction, and over 400,000 students across the region are learning English at the 140 bi-national centers we support. This is work we are committed to continuing, and I’d like to ask our partners in Pathways to make this a mutual exchange. Millions of U.S. citizens speak Spanish as a first or second language, or are learning how to speak it. With your help, we can have even more U.S. citizens learning Spanish, and that will increase our trade and business ties. Fifth, we are working to help small and medium-sized enterprises decrease the amount of water, energy, and raw materials they need to protect natural resources, shrink carbon emissions, and save costs. Sixth and finally, the United States is committed to working with our Pathways partners to modernize laws that govern lending so that small and medium size businesses can use assets other than real estate as collateral for loans. I visited the display that Honduras has, and they showed me the kind of equipment that can now serve as collateral in Honduras because Honduras has changed their laws: sewing machines, tool boxes, farm equipment. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the source of employment for many of our citizens. We must give them the chance to borrow larger amounts at lower interest rates with longer repayment periods if we’re going to make it easier for these enterprises to thrive. And I commend Honduras for the model programs that they are implementing. Let me say a word about the importance of job creation in Haiti. One of the great stories about this horrible tragedy in Haiti is that before the earthquake, working with the Government of Haiti, many of the countries around the table were committed to long-term development projects. Shortly before the earthquake, my husband, who works with the secretary general of the United Nations, brought over 500 business leaders from across our hemisphere to Haiti to sign contracts, to open factories, expand businesses, to develop tourism. Last spring, I visited a garment factory in Haiti that was a powerful engine for local economic growth. At that time, apparel exports made up approximately 90 percent of all exports from Haiti and supported 28,000 jobs. We expected that to grow many times over. Since the earthquake, many of Haiti’s factories are coming back online. Many others, however, are still closed, and their workers out of work. Getting Haiti’s industry moving again will help the immediate recovery effort and stimulate future growth. The United States has a trade preference program called Haiti HOPE, H-O-P-E, which extends our most favorable tariffs and terms on Haitian exports of textiles and apparel. Our Congress is considering bills that may help Haitian producers even more. Other countries have also taken such steps. Canada, for example, has an excellent program that allows Haitian products to enter tariff-free. I am sure that many of you heard about the moving conversation yesterday between women entrepreneurs in Haiti and elsewhere in the region. This one conversation reflects the deep sense of solidarity that people across the hemisphere feel for the people of Haiti. I encourage members of Pathways to channel that solidarity into new economic opportunities for the Haitian people, particularly with new market opportunities in your countries. And together, we can help Haiti recover better and build back even stronger. Now, we won’t reach the goals, the very ambitious goals that we have set, but we will make progress through persistent experimentation and collaboration. We must identify those programs and policies that are really working and move away from those that are not. And I hope all of us will establish concrete plans of action with accountability measures that really look hard at how well we are doing and demand results from these programs. And we should increase our collaboration through other partnerships as well – the Inter-American Social Protection Network launched last year in the United Nations General Assembly. And the United States is looking forward to working with all of you on innovative ways to reduce social inequalities and improve the work of public institutions. I was reminded again that wherever we live in the Americas, whatever our heritage, whatever language we speak, we all want the same thing: the chance to live safe and healthy lives; to see our families productive and moving toward a better future; to participate fully in our communities; and to do all that we can to extend those opportunities to others. I think we are building on a strong foundation, and I am very pleased to participate once again in this ministerial. And I look forward to working with all of you in the days, months, and years ahead. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
4 March 2010
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U.S., Brazil Fact Sheet on Cooperation for Advancement of Women
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman March 3, 2010 FACT SHEET Secretary Clinton and Brazilian Foreign Minister Amorin Announce Increased Cooperation for Advancement of Women Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim today signed a “Memorandum of Understanding for the Advancement of Women” that will strengthen bilateral cooperation between the United States and Brazil as we work to promote the full participation of women in society. The Memorandum of Understanding will promote increased cooperation in areas including eliminating violence against women, combating trafficking of women and children, promoting the participation of women in decision-making processes, and promoting equality in the workplace, economic opportunity, and improved livelihoods for women. Programs may include joint training sessions and seminars, campaigns to raise awareness, exchange programs, partnerships with the private sector, and cooperation programs with third countries. Programs may include joint training sessions and seminars, campaigns to raise awareness, exchange programs, partnerships with the private sector, and cooperation programs with third countries.
3 March 2010