The Department of State released today Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume XLI, Global Issues II.

This volume is part of a subseries of volumes of the Foreign Relations series that documents the foreign policy decision making of the administration of President Ronald Reagan. This volume addresses the administration’s foreign policy toward a myriad of non-military issues, many of which have grown in relevancy since the 1980s.

Diplomatic issues presented in this volume include: the foreign policy community and its response to the AIDS epidemic, the debate about international population and the emergence of the Mexico City policy, disaster relief in underdeveloped countries, changes in human rights policy brought about by Reagan policymakers, the decision not to sign the Law of the Sea Treaty, the global effort to protect the ozone layer, and international efforts to curb whaling practices.

This volume was compiled and edited by Dr. Alexander Poster. The volume and this press release are available on the Office of the Historian website at http://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1981-88v41. Copies of the volume will be available for purchase from the U.S. Government Publishing Office online at http://bookstore.gpo.gov (GPO S/N 044-000-02693-7; ISBN 978-0-16-094161-0), or by calling toll-free 1-866-512-1800 (D.C. area 202-512-1800). For further information, contact history@state.gov.

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On the eve of World AIDS Day 2017, the United States announced that the impact of President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has reached historic highs through the program’s rapid acceleration of HIV prevention and treatment efforts, driven by transparent, accountable, and cost-effective investments.

As of September 30, 2017, PEPFAR supported more than 15.2 million men and boys with substantial protection from HIV infection through the provision of voluntary medical male circumcision. This high-water mark was reached due to the largest single-year increase (3.4 million) in these results since the beginning of PEPFAR. PEPFAR also achieved landmark levels in its support for antiretroviral treatment, now supporting more than 13.3 million men, women, and children with this lifesaving intervention.

For the first time, the latest PEPFAR data also show significant declines in new HIV diagnoses among adolescent girls and young women. In the 10 African countries (63 districts) implementing PEPFAR’s pioneering DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe) public-private partnership, the majority (65 percent) of the highest HIV burden communities or districts achieved greater than a 25-40 percent decline in new HIV diagnoses among young women. ‎Importantly, new diagnoses declined in nearly all DREAMS intervention districts.

To ensure children thrive and are protected from HIV, PEPFAR also now supports more than 6.4 million orphans, vulnerable children, and their caregivers affected by HIV/AIDS. To ensure babies are born HIV-free, PEPFAR has supported more than 2.2 million babies who have been born HIV-negative to HIV-positive mothers.

The new data adds to PEPFAR impact results released in the past year, which show that five African countries are approaching control of their HIV epidemics. They also highlight critical advances being made under the PEPFAR Strategy for Accelerating HIV/AIDS Epidemic Control (2017-2020), which was launched by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at the 2017 United Nations General Assembly.

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On behalf of the United States, I congratulate the people of Barbados on 51 years of independence.

Today, we celebrate the spirit and the contributions of Barbadians. We extol the Government of Barbados for its steadfast leadership in the Caribbean, particularly in organizing an effective response to the recent hurricanes. Our close coordination underscored our shared values of working towards a more secure and prosperous region.

The United States looks forward to pursuing common goals with the people of Barbados. Together, we will work to promote the well-being of the people of the United States and Barbados as defined in the United States – Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act.

On behalf of President Trump and the people of the United States, I wish all Barbadians a wonderful Independence Day.

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The United States is deeply concerned by the November 28 ruling of the Constitutional Tribunal of Bolivia to declare inapplicable provisions of the country’s constitution that prohibit elected officials, including the President, from serving more than two consecutive terms. The decision disregards the will of the Bolivian people as confirmed in recent referenda.

Twice in the last decade, the Bolivian people have expressed their opposition to the concept of indefinite reelection for elected officials: first in 2009, through their overwhelming vote in favor of the current constitution; and again in a 2016 referendum, when they rejected an initiative to overturn the constitutional provision that imposes the two-term limit on the President. The Bolivian people have spoken clearly on this question. The United States stands with them in calling on the current Bolivian government to respect the outcome of those referenda, as the voice of the people, consistent with their constitutional requirements.

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The below is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:‎

Secretary Tillerson met today with Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Secretary Tillerson thanked His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, for Bahrain’s strong partnership with the United States. The two leaders discussed countering Iran’s malign activities in the region, the importance of resolving the ongoing Gulf dispute, and other bilateral and regional issues of mutual concern.

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.