The following is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:

Secretary Tillerson met with Djiboutian President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh in Djibouti on March 9 to affirm the United States’ commitment to our broad partnership with the Government of Djibouti as it addresses regional political, development, and security challenges. The Secretary thanked President Guelleh for continued security cooperation, which promotes the common economic and security interests of the people of Djibouti and the United States. The Secretary also encouraged President Guelleh and Djibouti to further efforts to make Djibouti a more attractive destination for foreign investment.

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As the PyeongChang Winter Paralympic Games commence on March 9, the U.S. Department of State is recognizing the important issues of disability rights and equal access by expanding its support for adaptive sports diplomacy exchange programs worldwide in 2018.

The State Department’s International Sports Programming Initiative is supporting a delegation of American coaches and young athletes with disabilities to attend the games in partnership with the Utah-based National Ability Center. The coaches and athletes will receive training for adaptive alpine skiing and snowboarding and will also attend the Paralympic Games’ opening ceremonies, in partnership with Yonsei University. A reciprocal visit of Koreans with disabilities will also take place to the United States later this year. In addition, a separate program for training in adaptive sport and recreation programs will occur in Thailand through the National Ability Center in collaboration with Clemson University.

From March 24-April 29, the State Department will partner with the University of Tennessee for its annual disability sports mentorship program, Sport for Community. Drawing upon themes from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), this five-week exchange pairs emerging global leaders in sports with mentors from U.S. adaptive sports organizations. The goal is to expand opportunities for people with disabilities through sports-based action plans.

Additionally, a slate of Sports Envoy and Visitor programs are planned in 2018 for expert American coaches and athletes to provide clinical lessons and promote the development of community organizations for persons with disabilities. The first Sports Envoy program will be held March 10-16 in Kuwait and will feature Paralympian and National Wheelchair Basketball Hall of Famer Trooper Johnson. Envoy programs in May and June will send American Paralympians and disability sports leaders to China, Botswana, and Venezuela. Throughout the year, youth athletes and coaches in wheelchair sports from around the world will come to the United States to participate in Sports Visitor programs.

For press inquiries, contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at ECA-Press@state.gov. To learn more about State Department sports diplomacy, follow our programs on Twitter @SportsDiplomacy.

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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 is pleased to announce the U.S. Delegation attending the 62nd Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), to be held March 12-23, 2018 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The CSW’s annual two-week session is the UN’s most important annual meeting on women’s issues. Representatives of the CSW’s 45 member governments, along with officials from other governments and participants from several thousand civil society organizations worldwide, convene to discuss ways to improve women’s lives. The theme of this year’s session is “Challenges and Opportunities in Achieving Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Rural Women and Girls.”

Ambassador Nikki Haley, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, will serve as the Head of Delegation. Ambassador Kelley E. Currie, United States Representative to the UN Economic and Social Council, will serve as the Deputy Head of Delegation.

Other members of the U.S. Delegation include senior officials and technical experts from the Department of State, the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the United States Agency for International Development.

For more information, please visit: http://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw62-2018.

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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 has designated Ahmad Iman Ali and Abdifatah Abubakar Abdi as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. E.O. 13224 imposes strict sanctions on foreign persons determined to have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States.

These designations seek to deny Ahmad Iman Ali and Abdifatah Abubakar Abdi the resources they need to plan and carry out terrorist attacks. Among other consequences, all of their 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 them.

Ahmad Iman Ali is a prominent al-Shabaab commander who has served as the group’s leader in Kenya since 2012. He is director of the group’s Kenyan operations, which has targeted Kenyan African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops in Somalia, such as the January 2016, attack in El Adde, Somalia. Ali is also responsible for al-Shabaab propaganda targeting the Kenyan government and civilians, such as a July 2017, video in which he issues threats to Muslims serving in Kenya’s security forces. Ali has also served as an al-Shabaab recruiter, focusing on poor youth in Nairobi slums, and has fundraised at mosques to support al-Shabaab activities.

In 2015, Abdifatah Abubakar Abdi was placed on the Kenyan government’s wanted list of terrorists known or suspected to be members of al-Shabaab. Abdi is wanted in connection with the June 2014, attack in Mpeketoni, Kenya that claimed more than 50 lives.

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 actions of other U.S. agencies and other governments. In addition to being designated today by the Secretary of State, Ahmad Iman Ali and Abdifatah Abubakar Abdi have also been listed at the United Nation’s Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 751 (1992) and 1907 (2009) concerning Somalia and Eritrea.

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

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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 following is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:

Secretary Tillerson met with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu in Addis Ababa today, addressing a wide range of shared interests in security, economic growth, and governance. The Secretary underscored U.S. appreciation for Ethiopia’s role in improving regional security as a both caretaker of refugees and of contributor to peacekeeping operations, and as a leader in both the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the African Union. The Secretary emphasized that the United States supports Ethiopia as it does the hard work of advancing democratic reforms to broaden political participation. The Secretary also encouraged the Foreign Minister to continue to focus on private sector growth and the transparency that creates the environment for increased investment.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
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