This morning the United States received long overdue news that Pastor Andrew Brunson was moved from Buca Prison to house arrest in Turkey. We understand that he will be monitored electronically. While this move is a positive development, it is not enough. We have seen no credible evidence against Mr. Brunson, and we call on Turkish authorities to resolve his case immediately in a transparent and fair manner.

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The below is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:‎

Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan met today with Lord Ahmad, the UK’s Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the United Nations on the sidelines of the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. Deputy Secretary Sullivan highlighted the importance of an orderly and predictable Brexit and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the transatlantic relationship. The two also discussed U.S.-UK cooperation on human rights, religious freedom, and combatting trafficking-in-persons, as well as a range of other bilateral and global priorities.

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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 Department of State strongly condemns today’s barbaric ISIS-claimed attacks that took place in Syria’s southwestern Sweida province, deliberately targeting and killing scores of civilians and injuring many more. We extend our condolences to the families of these innocent victims. We remain steadfast in our efforts to defeat ISIS and de-escalate the violence in Syria to bring greater peace and stability to this region.

The destruction of ISIS remains one of President Trump’s top priorities and the administration is unwavering in our commitment to working with the U.S.-led Global Coalition to achieve that goal.

We reiterate our support for the people of Syria and continue to work with the UN to end the violence and form a lasting political settlement to the seven-year crisis in accordance with UNSCR 2254, which must include full representation for all Syrians.

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 below is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:‎

Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan met today with Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs David Zalkaliani on the sidelines of the International Religious Freedom Ministerial, at the Department of State in Washington, DC. During the meeting, Deputy Secretary Sullivan thanked Georgia for its contribution to NATO’s Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan and reinforced U.S. support for Georgia’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. The two leaders discussed outcomes of the NATO Summit and ongoing judicial and economic reforms in Georgia.

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.

This week at the 2018 International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam PEPFAR announced critical new progress toward reaching HIV epidemic control and strong commitments to address key gaps in the HIV/AIDS response among men and key populations.

Several African countries are now on track to reach HIV epidemic control by 2020 with PEPFAR support. New data from Namibia demonstrate that PEPFAR investments have helped reduce the country’s rate of new HIV infections by 50 percent over the past five years. In Namibia, 77 percent of all HIV-positive adults have achieved HIV viral load suppression, a widely used measure of effective HIV treatment in a population. This surpasses the global target of 73 percent three years ahead of schedule.

PEPFAR also joined Sir Elton John, the Duke of Sussex, and other partners in launching the MenStar Coalition. MenStar will expand the diagnosis and treatment of HIV infections in men aged 24-35, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, who data show access HIV testing and treatment at lower rates than their female counterparts. With a planned contribution of over $800 million to support MenStar’s goals, PEPFAR, pending Congressional approval, through its 2018 Country Operational Plans, intends to reach an additional 1 million men with HIV treatment and support over 90 percent of men in this age group to be virally suppressed to effectively interrupt HIV transmission.

PEPFAR also announced $360 million in planned investments for key populations over the next year, including $260 million, pending Congressional approval, through its 2018 Country Operational Plans and nearly $100 million from its Key Populations Investment Fund. This will expand their non-discriminatory access to quality, lifesaving HIV services, restoring health and dignity and advancing progress toward achieving HIV/AIDS epidemic control.

For further information, contact SGACPublicAffairs@state.gov. Follow the PEPFAR at @PEPFAR and www.pepfar.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.