U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly will travel to Miami, Florida to convene, in partnership with the Government of Mexico, the Conference on Prosperity and Security in Central America, to be held on June 15-16.

The Conference will bring together a diverse group of government and business leaders from the United States, Mexico, Central America, and other countries to address the economic, security, and governance challenges and opportunities in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The participants will dedicate the first day of the conference to advancing prosperity and economic growth in the region and the second day to achieving a stable and secure Central America.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will host an event on June 14 for the public and private sector participants, which will contribute to the June 15-16 discussion.

For media inquiries to the Department of State, please contact mediarequests@state.gov.

For media inquiries to the Department of Homeland Security, please contact mediainquiry@dhs.gov.

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At a ceremony on Monday, June 5, Under Secretary Thomas Shannon will accept Montenegro’s instrument of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty. Montenegro’s Prime Minister Dusko Markovic will officially deposit the instrument at the ceremony, making Montenegro the twenty-ninth NATO Ally. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will also participate in the ceremony to welcome Montenegro as the Alliance’s newest member. On June 7, Montenegro’s flag will fly over NATO Headquarters for the first time.

As President Trump has said, the NATO Alliance has been the bulwark of international peace and security for nearly 70 years. This event represents the culmination of many years of effort on behalf of the government and people of Montenegro to join the Euro-Atlantic community of nations. Montenegro’s NATO membership will support greater integration, democratic reform, trade, security, and stability with all of its neighbors. Montenegro’s accession also reaffirms to other aspirants that NATO’s door remains open to those countries willing and able to make the reforms necessary to meet NATO’s high standards, and to accept the risks, responsibilities as well as benefits of membership.

The program will take place on June 5, at 12:00 in the State Department’s Treaty Room.

This event is pooled video and open to still photographers and written press. Journalists and still photographers will need to arrive at the 23rd Street entrance to the Department of State by 11:30 am.

Media representatives may attend this event upon presentation of one of the following: (1) A U.S. Government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification card (driver’s license, passport).

For further information from the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Press Relations at (202) 647-2492.

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External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

SECRETARY TILLERSON: Mr. Minister, welcome to the State Department.

FOREIGN MINISTER FERREIRA: Thank you (inaudible).

SECRETARY TILLERSON: We’re pleased to have you and your delegation with us today.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, any reaction on the Paris agreement deal?

SECRETARY TILLERSON: Well, it was a policy decision and I think it’s important that everyone recognize the United States has a terrific record on reducing our own greenhouse gas emissions. It’s something I think we can be proud of and that was done in the absence of a Paris agreement. I don’t think we’re going to change our ongoing efforts to reduce those emissions in the future either, so hopefully people can keep it in perspective. Thank you.

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External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:

This morning Secretary Tillerson met with Foreign Minister of Brazil Aloysio Nunes Ferreira.

The Secretary and Foreign Minister each remarked on the strong bilateral relations between the two countries and the importance of the U.S.-Brazil partnership. Secretary Tillerson thanked his counterpart for the Government of Brazil’s support on a variety of topics, including our commitment to promote economic growth, investment, and job creation in both countries. The two leaders also discussed our cooperation on law enforcement, security, regional, and global issues, including the situation in Venezuela.

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The United States is deeply concerned by the recent violence in Bangassou, the Central African Republic (CAR), and continuing violence by armed groups in other parts of the country, especially around Bria and Bambari. We strongly condemn these acts of violence and the targeted attacks against humanitarian actors whose sole purpose in the CAR is to provide lifesaving support to the population. We underscore the fundamental need for all actors to work together to promote peace and prosperity in a country that has suffered for far too long from instability and conflict.

The United States mourns the recent deaths of six peacekeepers from MINUSCA, the UN peacekeeping mission in the CAR. The security and support provided by MINUSCA is essential for the CAR to move beyond crisis. The United States strongly supports the work of the UN and MINUSCA to promote peace and long-term stability in the CAR.

The people of the CAR have consistently demanded justice for the atrocities they have suffered. The United States fully supports justice and reconciliation—not only as measures for individuals who have suffered—but as essential steps towards building a peaceful and inclusive CAR. We commend President Touadéra and his government for their commitment to justice, the rule of law, and accountability for perpetrators of mass atrocities, including through the creation of the Special Criminal Court.

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.