Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas A. Shannon, Jr. will welcome Polish Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Gowin to the U.S. Department of State on Monday, April 23 at 3:30 p.m. for the signing of the U.S.-Poland Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation.

The signing ceremony underscores our mutual commitment to advancing scientific research for the benefit of the American and Polish people, strengthening our official science and technology relationship that spans the last 45 years. This agreement facilitates joint research, programs, scientific workshops, conferences, and exchanges of scientific and technical data in the areas of basic research, applied research and development, and innovation activities.

The ceremony will take place in the Treaty Room and is open to the press for photographs and to cover the remarks.

Pre-set time for cameras: 2:45 p.m. from the 23rd Street entrance.

Final access time for writers and still photographers: 3:15 p.m. from the 23rd Street entrance

Media representatives may attend this briefing upon presentation of an official photo identification (driver’s license or passport) AND 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.

For further information about access to the event, please contact the Department of State Office of Press Relations at (202) 647-2492 or PAPressDuty@state.gov. Media with further questions about the signing ceremony may contact OES-PA-DG@state.gov.

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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.

American Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr., will be traveling to the Czech Republic from April 21-25 as a State Department Sports Envoy, part of the Department’s effort to strengthen people-to-people ties as part of U.S. Embassy Prague’s year-long Centennial Celebration of U.S.-Czech relations.

In partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Czech Baseball Association, Ripken will travel to the cities of Prague, Pilsen, and Brno to conduct clinics for kids, meet with coaches and local officials, and hold public discussions on the game of baseball.

During the visit, Ripken will introduce the sport of baseball and donate baseball equipment to Roma communities in Prague. He will also meet with the Czech Olympic Committee and open a baseball exhibit at the famous Pilsen Brewery.

“This is an exciting trip and I’m honored to have the opportunity to teach the game I love, while embracing the culture of the Czech Republic. I look forward to meeting everyone and learning more about how we can help grow the game of baseball internationally,” said Ripken.

In addition to his role as Major League Baseball’s special adviser to the commissioner on youth programs and outreach, Ripken was also named an “American Public Diplomacy Envoy” by the State Department in 2007. In this capacity he has previously engaged with youth, public audiences and government leaders in the countries of China, Japan, and Nicaragua.

For press inquiries in the United States, contact ECA-Press@state.gov. You can follow Cal Ripken’s visit to the Czech Republic on Twitter (@USEmbassyPrague) and Facebook (U.S. Embassy Prague). To learn more about State Department sports diplomacy, follow the program on Twitter @SportsDiplomacy.

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.

On Monday, April 23, 2018 the U.S. Department of State and the Business Council for International Understanding will co-host a business roundtable, in cooperation with the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to discuss opportunities for U.S.-Japan collaboration on infrastructure development in the Indo-Pacific region. The meeting will be held at 8:30 a.m. in the George C. Marshall Conference Center, at the Department of State.

Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs Manisha Singh will lead the event that will include approximately 100 U.S. and Japanese private sector representatives. The aim is to advance common interests raised during the U.S.-Japan Economic Dialogue, and public-private partnerships that to support best-value solutions to most effectively meet third-country economic and social sustainability goals.

There will be a camera spray preceding the Roundtable that is open to the press.

Pre-set time for cameras is 7:30 a.m. from the 21st Street entrance. Final access time for writers and stills is 8:00 a.m. from the 21st Street entrance.

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

For further information, please contact Katina Adams at EAP-Press@state.gov or 202-647-2538, or visit @USAsiaPacific on Twitter.

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.

Acting Secretary of State John Sullivan will deliver on-camera remarks on the release of the 2017 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, April 20, 2018, in the Press Briefing Room at the U.S. Department of State.

Ambassador Michael Kozak from the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor will take questions in the Briefing Room immediately following Acting Secretary Sullivan’s remarks.

Promoting and defending human rights and fundamental freedoms are central to who we are as a country, and the United States will continue to support those around the world struggling for human dignity and liberty. The 2017 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices are required by U.S. law and document the status of human rights and worker rights in nearly 200 countries and territories.

Remarks will be open to the press and streamed live on www.state.gov.

Journalists should be seated in the State Department’s Press Briefing Room (room 2209) no later than 12:45 p.m. It is accessible from the 23rd Street Entrance of the Department.

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

Instructions for embargoed access to the reports will be sent to members of the press only, on Friday, April 20, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. The entire report is EMBARGOED until the end of the press briefing, approximately 2:00 p.m. After the briefing, the reports will be available to the public on www.state.gov.

For further information, please contact the Office of Press Relations on 202-647-2492 or PAPressDuty@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.

The U.S. Department of State hosted the second U.S.-Morocco Strategic Energy Working Group meeting in Washington, D.C. on April 19, 2018. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Diplomacy Sandra Oudkirk and Director General Amina Benkhadra, National Bureau of Petroleum and Mines for Morocco, led the discussions.

Officials from the Department of Commerce also participated along with Moroccan delegation members from the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy, Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency, the Research Institute for Renewable Energy and New Energies, and the Embassy of Morocco in Washington D.C.

Discussions focused on recent developments in the Moroccan energy sector, including hydrocarbons exploration, renewables deployment, and energy efficiency; on-going Department of State and Commerce initiatives in Morocco; areas for collaboration including natural gas, energy efficiency, and renewables; and private sector investment opportunities in the energy field.

As its demand for energy rises, Morocco is working to attract U.S. investment to help meet the needs of its growing economy. The United States is an ideal partner for advancing Morocco’s energy security goals.

This event exemplifies the strong U.S.-Morocco bilateral relationship and the significant strides we have made in energy sector collaboration over the last few years.

For further information, contact Vincent Campos, Spokesperson for the Bureau of Energy Resources, at CamposVM@state.gov or visit www.state.gov/e/enr. You can also find information on Twitter at @EnergyAtState.

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.