President Barack Obama spoke about the situation in Egypt on February 1, 2011. The President said:
"Good evening, everybody. Over the past few days, the American people have watched the situation unfolding in Egypt. We've seen enormous demonstrations by the Egyptian people. We've borne witness to the beginning of a new chapter in the history of a great country, and a long-time partner of the United States.
"And my administration has been in close contact with our Egyptian counterparts and a broad range of the Egyptian people, as well… more »
The State Department remains focused on the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens in Egypt. The Office of the Spokesman released a statement regarding the status of U.S. citizen evacuations from Egypt on February 1, 2011:
"Approximately 1,600 U.S citizens and their family members have been evacuated from Egypt in an operation that began on Monday, January 31. We will continue evacuation efforts to facilitate the safe transport of every U.S. citizen who wishes to leave the country.
"The movement of citizens from Cairo slowed slightly… more »
About the Author: Chris Hegadorn serves as Alternate Permanent Representative of the U.S. Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome. Chris joined six other Permanent Representatives on the first-ever FAO-organized field trip for member state representatives to examine operations of UN Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Cambodia country office and its regional office in Bangkok, Thailand. Below are some of his observations from the visit to Cambodia from January 24-25, 2011.
What is the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) doing in Cambodia, a country wracked by decades of war and devastation, to create sustainable food and nutrition security for its 14 million citizens (65 percent of whom are under the age of 24)? For starters, it is partnering with the… more »
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hosted the annual meeting of the President's Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons on February 1 at the Department of State. Cabinet-level officials participated in the meeting, including the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, and the Secretaries of Interior, Agriculture, Labor, Health & Human Services, and Homeland Security. You can read a transcript of their remarks here.
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 authorized the President to establish the President's Interagency Task Force (PITF), a cabinet-level task force to coordinate federal efforts to combat human trafficking. The PITF is chaired by the Secretary of State and meets at least once a year.
Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Janice Jacobs issued an updated Public Service Announcement for U.S. citizens on the situation in Egypt on January 31, 2011. She said:
"...I want to take this opportunity to provide an update on actions the State Department is taking to ensure the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens in Egypt.
"Flights have begun carrying U.S citizens to safe havens in Europe where travelers are being met by consular officers who are providing them information they can use to find lodging and make onward travel plans. We have sent more… more »
A delegation of high-level officials, led by Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg, attended the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 30 and 31. The delegation included Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Johnnie Carson and Ambassador Mary Yates, the newly-appointed Senior Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council. U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration, USAID Deputy… more »
Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip J. Crowley announced measures that the United States is taking in response to the brutal crackdown by President Lukashenka and the Government of Belarus in the wake of the presidential election of December 19, 2010.
In the statement, Assistant Secretary Crowley said, "The disproportionate use of force and initial detentions of hundreds of demonstrators; charging of five opposition presidential candidates; ongoing raids against civil society, media and political parties; the closure of the OSCE's office in Minsk; and a flawed vote count all represent major steps backwards for the country. These actions oblige the United States and others in the international community to act. As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and European Union… more »
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton traveled to Haiti on January 30, slightly one year after the devastating earthquake, to consult with members of civil society, political actors, Haiti's president, and international partners on the ongoing electoral situation, as well as reconstruction efforts.
En Route to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Secretary Clinton said, "We have a deep commitment to the Haitian people. And that goes to humanitarian aid, it goes to governance and democracy programs."
She continued, "...[W]e are focused on helping the Haitian people. And one of the ways we want to help them is by making sure that their political choices are respected."
In addition to meeting with Haitian President Rene Preval, Secretary Clinton met with leaders… more »
Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Janice Jacobs issued a Public Service Announcement for U.S. citizens on the situation in Egypt. She said:
"State Department personnel at our Embassy in Cairo and here in the United States are working round-the-clock to ensure the safety our Americans. We're monitoring the situation on the ground in Egypt, communicating information and implementing crisis response plans. We are communicating via our website, emails, call centers, social media, radio and television to get information out to U.S. citizens on the ground in Egypt who are understandably… more »
About the Author: Sarah Goldfarb serves as DipNote's Associate Editor.
Today, Secretary Clinton addressed the unfolding events in Egypt during interviews with ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX and NBC. The Secretary said, “…[T]his is an intensely complex situation. It does not lend itself to quick yes-or-no, easy answers, but instead, I think the path that President Obama has charted, that we are pursuing, that calls for no violence, that supports the aspirations and human rights of the Egyptian people, that stands behind concrete steps toward democratic and economic reform is the right path for all of us to be on.”
DipNote is the official blog of the U.S. Department of State —a place to share stories, discuss experiences, and inspire new ideas on the important foreign policy issues of the day. more »
The U.S. Administration should acknowledge that the immediate resignation of Mubarak, would be in the best interests for the Egyptian people and for the…
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Secretary Clinton (Feb. 1): "We want to develop standards and training to ensure that children in prostitution are treated as victims, not criminals, and given the help they need..." more »
Feb. 1: The State Department announced the issuance of the Fiscal Year 2010 Annual Adoption Report. This report is prepared for Congress in compliance with the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000. more »
![Egyptians in Tahir Square watch broadcast of President Obama deliver remarks, Feb. 1, 2011. [AP]](https://web.archive.org/web/20110202072313im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_0201_obama_egypt_m.jpg)
![A U.S. tourist waves from a bus as she leaves Giza, Egypt, Jan. 31, 2011. [AP Photo]](https://web.archive.org/web/20110202072313im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_0201_egypt_bus_m.jpg)
![Cambodian women farmers present a gift to Chris Hegadorn, Cambodia, Jan 2011. [State Department]](https://web.archive.org/web/20110202072313im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_0131_cambodia_m.jpg)
![Woman, evacuated from Egypt, collects luggage outside Larnaca airport, Cyprus, Jan. 31, 2011. [AP]](https://web.archive.org/web/20110202072313im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_0131_egypt_evacuation_m.jpg)
![Amb. Yates and Dep. Sec. Steinberg at the African Union Summit, Ethiopia, Jan 2011. [State Dept.]](https://web.archive.org/web/20110202072313im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_0131_au_summit_m.jpg)
![Belarusian policemen detain protesters in Minsk, Belarus, Jan. 21, 2011. [AP File Photo]](https://web.archive.org/web/20110202072313im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_0131_belarus_m.jpg)
![A protestor waves a flag at Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, Jan 30, 2011. [AP Photo]](https://web.archive.org/web/20110202072313im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/flag_m.jpg)
