On February 22, 2018, the United States determined under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 (CBW Act) that the Government of North Korea used the chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate Kim Jong Nam, in the Kuala Lumpur airport.

These sanctions are in addition to existing U.S. comprehensive sanctions against targeting unlawful North Korean activities. The sanctions took effect upon publication of this determination in the Federal Register on March 5, 2018.

The United States strongly condemns the use of chemical weapons to conduct an assassination. This public display of contempt for universal norms against chemical weapons use further demonstrates the reckless nature of North Korea and underscores that we cannot afford to tolerate a North Korean WMD program of any kind.

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The Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) in partnership with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) will host the third annual global Zoohackathon over two weekends in 2018: September 15-16 and September 22-23.

The Zoohackathon aims to harness the power of innovation to counter the scourge of international wildlife trafficking. The poaching and illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife products funnels billions of dollars to criminal networks each year. Following the hackathon model, Zoohackathon volunteer participants are hosted by zoos and collaborate in teams to develop tech solutions for real wildlife conservation problems. Experts working on the frontlines of wildlife protection will provide the problem sets for participants. Solutions created during a Zoohackathon can take many different forms including websites and mobile apps. At the end of the event, teams pitch their ideas to an expert panel of judges who select which teams will win prizes and potentially receive support to develop and deploy their solutions in the field.

Wildlife trafficking remains a pernicious transnational crime that threatens security, economic prosperity, the rule of law, long-standing conservation efforts, and human health. The United States is committed to combating this urgent problem. On February 9, 2017, President Trump signed Executive Order 13773, which highlighted wildlife trafficking as one of four priority areas in the effort to dismantle organized crime syndicates.

Now in its third year, the Zoohackathon will build on its previous success, expanding the networks of conservationists and technologists who can work together to deliver innovative products that can help end wildlife trafficking.

For more information, visit the Zoohackahon website or contact zoohackathon@state.gov. Be sure to follow the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs on Twitter @StateDeptOES and #Zoohackathon.

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 following is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:

Secretary Tillerson engaged his counterparts from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in a productive discussion Monday. The four NATO Allies agreed to deepen their cooperation to combat Russia’s disinformation efforts and malicious cyber activity. They discussed strategies to address the threat Russia poses to European security and Russia’s lack of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbors. They also made preparations for the Baltic summit President Trump will host in April, as well as the NATO summit in July.

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Today, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced nearly $533 million in humanitarian assistance for the people of Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, and Nigeria, as well as countries in the Lake Chad region, where millions are facing life-threatening food insecurity and malnutrition as a result of ongoing conflict or prolonged drought. While humanitarian aid is truly life-saving, this assistance will not solve these crises, most of which are largely manmade.

With this new funding from the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, the United States is providing emergency food and nutrition assistance to help vulnerable populations, including tens of thousands of tons of in-kind food aid. Additionally, the funding supports safe drinking water programs, emergency health care and hygiene programs to treat and prevent the spread of disease, and reunification of families separated by conflict. This assistance also includes life-saving medical supplies, improved sanitation, and emergency shelter, and prioritizes programs that protect vulnerable groups.

Of the newly announced funds, nearly $184 million is for affected populations from South Sudan, more than $110 million for affected populations from Ethiopia, more than $110 million for affected populations from Somalia, and more than $128 million for affected populations from Nigeria and countries in the Lake Chad region.

In the Lake Chad region and South Sudan, years of conflict have led to acute food insecurity. In Somalia, ongoing violence has exacerbated the humanitarian impacts of severe and protracted drought. In Ethiopia, continued drought has worsened an already dire food security situation. A swift influx of U.S. assistance, along with that of other donors, is helping improve humanitarian conditions in all of these countries. But ultimately it is up to the leaders in these countries, particularly in South Sudan, to stop the violence and put the welfare of their citizens at the forefront of their actions. Millions will continue to be at risk as long as parties to these conflicts continue to engage in violence. The United States calls on all parties to allow aid workers safe and unhindered access to help communities in need.

The United States is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance for these crises in Africa, providing nearly $3 billion since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2017. We commend the humanitarian contributions made by all donors, and encourage additional contributions to meet growing needs.

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On behalf of President Trump and the people of the United States, I want to convey our warmest wishes to the people of Ghana on the 61^st anniversary of the Republic’s independence.

Ghana and the United States are strong partners, and we share important values such as the ideals of democracy, human rights, free enterprise, peace, and stability. Our longstanding partnership is based on our mutual interest in regional peace, security, and prosperity. As a leading democracy on the African continent, we count on Ghana to remain a model for the region.

On this special occasion, I send my best wishes for a wonderful independence celebration.

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