Biden-Harris Trade and Investment Blog.

  UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Office of Press Relations For Immediate Release May 3, 2024 STATEMENT BY ADMINISTRATOR SAMANTHA POWER  World Press Freedom Day Today, as democracies around the world confront serious backsliding and autocrats continue to repress the free flow of information and ideas, journalists are more essential than ever to safeguarding democratic values. From those employed by international media organizations to those working for local newspapers, courageous journalists all over the world help shine a light on corruption, encourage civic engagement, and hold governments accountable. And they do so at great personal risk – including when their reporting exposes the tactics of regimes or leaders working to undermine human rights. Today, violence, harassment, repression, and censorship against journalists are at record highs. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 2023 saw the second-highest number of imprisoned journalists in...

  Media Note - Office of the Spokesperson - September 20, 2023 Today, the United States and the European Union extended a warm welcome to Canada, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Germany, Japan, and Nigeria, recognizing them as newly designated Champions of the Global Methane Pledge (GMP). This group of champions, who are already at the forefront of efforts to reduce methane emissions, has come together to offer their support and impetus to the 150 countries and various partners involved in the Global Methane Pledge. In their roles as champions, they will continue to stimulate actions within their own countries to further the cause of methane reduction. The Global Methane Pledge (GMP) was initially introduced by the United States and the European Union at COP26 in 2021. Today, it boasts the endorsement of 150 countries that have voluntarily committed to taking measures aimed at collectively reducing global methane emissions by a minimum of 30 percent from 2020 levels by 2...

As we move further into the digital age, it's more important than ever to ensure that everyone has access to technology and the opportunities it provides. The United States administration, led by Vice President Kamala Harris , has made tremendous strides in promoting digital inclusion on the continent of Africa. This public-private partnership has invested in Africa's digital economy, closing the digital divide and unlocking incredible growth and opportunities for the world.  VP Kamala Harris said, "By investing in Africa's digital economy, we can close the digital divide, and unlock incredible growth and opportunities for the world." This statement shows the dedication and commitment of the US government to ensure that Africa is not left behind in the digital revolution. One of the areas of focus of this public-private partnership is digital inclusion , which VP Kamala Harris has identified as a critical issue. The partnership has made significant progress in t...

What was the second Summit for Democracy, and what were some of the commitments made by participating countries during the summit? On March 30, 2023, US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken closed the second Summit for Democracy, which was attended by heads of state and representatives from more than 100 countries, leaders of subnational governments, and partners from civil society and the private sector. The summit was launched by President Biden to strengthen democracy worldwide and recognize democracy as a powerful tool for delivering for people. The summit included commitments from participating countries to strengthen democratic values and institutions, combat corruption, support a free and independent press, protect civic and human rights, and bolster democratic institutions. For example, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic created new anti-corruption strategies, while France, Slovakia, New Zealand, and the US contributed to initiatives to help independent news outlets become more...

  Welcome to my blog post on the Advancing Democracy and Internet Freedom in a Digital Age Summit for Democracy. In this post, we will focus on the insightful contributions made by Funke Opeke, the CEO and founder of Main One . Her contributions during the panel session with Secretary Antony J. Blinken were particularly inspiring and thought-provoking. Funke Opeke, made an appearance at the Summit for Democracy to discuss " Advancing Democracy and Internet Freedom in a Digital Age. " Opeke talked about her company's work in Africa, where they've been working to close the digital divide. She highlighted the importance of liberalization and private capital to achieve growth in access to the internet. Opeke also spoke about the need for "patient capital" that considers affordability and provision of other elements in the value chain to grow the market. She emphasized the positive effects of improved internet access, including job creation and financial inclu...

  Wow, this is huge news! At The Summit for Democracy2023, 45 governments have come together to endorse new Guiding Principles on Government Use of Surveillance Technologies . As a tech enthusiast and privacy advocate, I'm thrilled to see that governments are taking steps to prevent the misuse of surveillance technologies and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. Governments around the world have been increasingly using surveillance technologies to monitor their citizens . While some may argue that it is necessary to protect national security and public safety , these technologies have been misused time and again to violate human rights and restrict access to information. In the worst cases, governments have employed these technologies as part of a broad state apparatus of oppression. The use of surveillance technologies has been a contentious issue for many years, and it has become more urgent as technology advances and governments become more adept at using it to contr...