On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, we extend our best wishes to the people of the Republic of South Sudan on the seventh anniversary of their nation’s independence.

This should be a day of celebration marking South Sudan’s emergence as an independent state and the beginning of a new era of greater peace and prosperity. Instead, the conflict that broke out in December 2013 continues to impose immense suffering on South Sudan’s diverse citizens. They have already paid a heavy price for their leaders’ divisions: driven from their homes, facing life-threatening hunger, and subjected to unspeakable cruelty.

As talks among the parties continue, we remember the struggle of generations of South Sudanese for a better future. But for July 9 to be a real celebration, the fighting must stop everywhere, and South Sudanese leaders must make the tough choices to put aside narrow self-interest and put the needs of the nation first. We call upon the Government of South Sudan and all parties to the conflict to immediately stop the bloodshed and genuinely resolve their differences through dialogue that reflects the voices of a broad spectrum of society. Only when the fighting stops can South Sudan begin on a path towards inclusive economic growth and genuine reconciliation.

The United States remains a friend of the South Sudanese people. We stand ready to work with responsible leaders who are willing to deliver the peace, opportunity, and justice the people of South Sudan have long awaited.

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The below is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:

On July 8 and 9, Secretary Pompeo met in Hanoi, Vietnam with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

The Secretary and Vietnamese leaders discussed our joint commitment toward the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea. The Secretary thanked Vietnam’s leaders for their strong commitment to strictly enforce UN Security Council Resolutions related to North Korea. ‎

They also affirmed their shared interest in upholding peace and security in the South China Sea‎, and their shared concerns over militarization and reclamation of features that runs counter to international law. Both sides welcomed cooperation to uphold the freedom of navigation and overflight, with Vietnamese leaders welcoming a strong U.S. role in ensuring stability in the South China Sea.

The Secretary and Vietnamese leaders also discussed ways to further strengthen the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership so as to advance our common bilateral and regional priorities and common efforts to promote peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Secretary also raised the case of William Nguyen and encouraged a speedy resolution to his case.

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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.

Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources Frank R. Fannon will travel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Zagreb, Croatia; and Brussels, Belgium July 6-13.

In Jeddah, he will join a delegation led by Director of Policy Planning Brian Hook to convey the Administration’s Iran policy, which seeks to address the totality of Iranian threats and malign activities.

Assistant Secretary Fannon will then travel to Zagreb to meet with senior Croatian government and private sector officials to discuss Croatia’s energy diversification efforts, including progress on the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal off Krk Island in support of diversifying Europe’s energy sources.

Assistant Secretary Fannon will conclude his trip in Brussels, where he will accompany Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Secretary of Energy Rick Perry at the U.S.-EU Energy Council along with their European Union (EU) counterparts, including High Representative/Vice President Federica Mogherini, Vice President for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic, and Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Canete. The Energy Council is a high-level forum on U.S.-EU energy priorities, including promotion of energy security and transparent and secure global energy markets.

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.

The Russian government continues to stifle press freedom and media independence. We condemn the selective targeting of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Voice of America (VOA) under Russia’s law on “foreign agent” media outlets. RFE/RL and VOA remain the only media outlets designated under this law, which exacerbates long-standing restrictions on their distribution in Russia. Moreover, on July 3 the State Duma took another step toward approving legislation that would extend the “foreign agent” designation from media outlets to individual persons taking part in the creation of materials for media outlets. This bill could provide the Russian government a new tool to target independent journalists and bloggers in retaliation for their work.

The United States again calls on the Russian government to uphold its commitments under the Helsinki Final Act and its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights to respect the exercise of fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, in Russia.

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 United States will host the seventeenth annual U.S.-sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum, commonly known as the AGOA Forum, on July 11-12, 2018, at the U.S. Department of State.

The annual AGOA Forum is the premier platform that brings together African Trade Ministers with U.S. counterparts to discuss how we can work together to enhance our trade and investment relationship, including through AGOA Implementation. The 2018 AGOA Forum theme is “Forging New Strategies for U.S.-Africa Trade and Investment.” The AGOA Forum Ministerial will foster discussion of best practices for increasing AGOA utilization, addressing supply-side constraints on trade and investment, and preparing for a more reciprocal trade and investment relationship.

As in previous years, the AGOA Forum will include a number of events on the margins of the ministerial. This year’s side events, incorporating private sector, civil society, and African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) stakeholders, will take place on July 9-10, 2018.

Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan and U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer will deliver opening remarks at the 2018 AGOA Forum at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 11. These remarks and the entire opening session are open to the press and will be livestreamed at www.state.gov.

Plenary remarks by AGOA Forum Co-Chairs, U.S. Trade Representative Lighthizer and Kenyan Secretary for Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Cooperatives Adan Mohamed, will begin at 10:00 a.m. and are open to the press. Press coverage will close following remarks of the Co-Chairs.

Pre-set time for video cameras: 8:00 a.m. from the 23rd Street entrance.

Final access time for journalists and still photographers: 8:30 a.m. from the 23rd Street entrance.

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 a detailed schedule of events open to the press or inquiries, or to register for the event, please contact AF Press at AF-Press@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.