Today, the U.S. government announced nearly $87 million in additional humanitarian assistance for the people of Yemen at the Yemen High-Level Pledging Conference held in Geneva, Switzerland.

With this new assistance, which includes funds from the Department of State and USAID, the United States is providing food assistance and continued support for safe drinking water, treatment for malnourished children, emergency shelter, protection, and other critical aid to millions of vulnerable Yemenis and refugees living in Yemen.

The United States continues to urge all parties to this conflict to allow unhindered access for all humanitarian and commercial goods through all points of entry into Yemen and throughout the country to reach the Yemenis in desperate need.

The United States is one of the largest donors in response to Yemen’s humanitarian crisis. Since October 2016, the U.S. government has provided more than $854 million to address the humanitarian situation in Yemen.

We commend those who have joined us in making generous pledges. In particular, we thank the governments of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for their recent combined $930 million contribution to the UN’s coordinated response. We call on other donors to increase their share of funding, and we welcome the announcements of additional pledges at the pledging conference today.

While these contributions will provide some immediate relief, no amount of humanitarian or development assistance will end this conflict and the suffering of millions. An enduring solution will only come through a comprehensive political agreement, which will require compromise from all sides.

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The United States congratulates Carlos Alvarado Quesada on his election as the next President of Costa Rica in free, fair, and peaceful voting that continues to be a model for the region.

Our long and enduring partnership with Costa Rica is rooted in a shared history of support for human rights, democracy, and security for all people. Costa Rica plays a key role as our partner promoting regional economic prosperity, security, and good governance throughout the hemisphere.

We look forward to building on that partnership with the Alvarado administration.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

The Department of State has amended the designation of Pakistan-based terrorist organization Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LeT) to include the aliases Milli Muslim League (MML) and Tehreek-e- Azadi-e Kashmir (TAJK). The aliases have been added to LeT’s designations as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224.

These designations seek to deny LeT the resources it needs to plan and carry out further terrorist attacks. Among other consequences of the designations, LeT’s property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the group.

Ambassador Nathan A. Sales, the Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the Department of State, noted that “today’s amendments take aim at Lashkar e-Tayyiba’s efforts to circumvent sanctions and deceive the public about its true character. Make no mistake: whatever LeT chooses to call itself, it remains a violent terrorist group. The United States supports all efforts to ensure that LeT does not have a political voice until it gives up violence as a tool of influence.”

Formed in the 1980s, LeT was responsible for the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India that killed 166 people, including six Americans, and has killed dozens of Indian security forces and civilians in recent years. LeT continues to operate freely within Pakistan, holding public rallies, raising funds, and plotting and training for terrorist attacks. The Department of State designated LeT as an FTO and SDGT on December 26, 2001. Its leader, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, is also designated as an SDGT.

To avoid sanctions, LeT has repeatedly changed its name over the years. In January 2017, LeT began operating under the name Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir. LeT has engaged in terrorist activities under this name, including inciting terrorism, as well as recruiting and fundraising. In August 2017, LeT chief Hafiz Saeed created the MML to serve as a political front for the group. LeT members make up MML’s leadership and the so-called party openly displays Saeed’s likeness in its election banners and literature.

Concurrently with today’s State Department actions, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated seven members of the MML central leadership body for acting for on behalf of LeT: Saifullah Khalid, Muzammil Iqbal Hashimi, Muhammad Harris Dar, Tabish Qayyuum, Fayyaz Ahmad, Faisal Nadeem, and Muhammad Ehsan.

Today’s actions notify the U.S. public and the international community that TAJK and MML are aliases of LeT. Terrorism designations expose and isolate organizations and individuals, and deny them access to the U.S. financial system. Moreover, designations can assist the law enforcement activities of U.S. agencies and other governments.

A list of State Department-designated FTOs and SDGTs is available here: https://www.state.gov/j/ct/rls/other/des/index.htm.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells will travel to New Delhi, India, April 3-6. On April 4, she will co-lead the U.S. delegation with Acting Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton at the U.S.-India-Japan Trilateral Dialogue. On April 6, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Wells will participate in the India-U.S. Forum, hosted by the Ananta Centre and the Ministry of External Affairs. During her visit, she will also meet with senior Indian government officials to discuss regional and global issues and meet with representatives from the private sector.

For more information, please follow her activities @State_SCA or contact SCA-Press@state.gov.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

Following his re-election, we look forward to continuing to work with President Abdelfattah al-Sisi to advance our strategic partnership and address our common challenges, while encouraging respect for and protection of basic rights and freedoms. The United States values its strong partnership with Egypt and will continue to work to advance our shared objectives.

We have noted reports of constraints on freedoms of expression and association in the run-up to the elections. We will continue to encourage a broadening of opportunities for political participation for Egyptians, and emphasize the importance of the protection of human rights and the vital role of civil society in Egypt.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.