June 28, 2013 | 14:26 | Public Domain
After a Feed the Future technology expo, President Obama speaks on the importance of confronting an urgent challenge that affects nearly 900 million people around the world -- chronic hunger and the need for long-term food security.
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
Aboard Air Force One
En Route Johannesburg, South Africa
11:38 A.M. GMT
MR. CARNEY: You probably don’t have any other questions since you just spoke to the President, but Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor, joins me today and we are here to take your questions as we make our way to South Africa.
Q One domestic question. I heard that the President had made calls to Senator Schumer and maybe others. Can you tell us about that? Read those out?
MR. CARNEY: I can. In fact, I meant to say that at the top.
Q Nice notepad.
MR. CARNEY: It’s pretty good -- it’s Alyssa Mastromonaco’s seat card.
The President, last night after returning from the official dinner, spoke with Leader Pelosi, Speaker Boehner, Senator Graham, Senator McCain, Senator Bennet, and Senator Schumer about immigration reform -- obviously congratulating the four senators who were members of the Gang of the Eight on their efforts and they paid off so well in the passage with a large bipartisan majority in the Senate of the immigration reform bill. He also tried to reach, but was not able to, Senator Flake, Senator Rubio, Senator Menendez, and Senator Durbin.
He spoke, as I mentioned at the top, with Speaker Boehner and Leader Pelosi, and urged them to take up immigration reform now that the Senate had passed a comprehensive bill with a large bipartisan majority.
Q Is it usually difficult for him to get in touch with lawmakers?
MR. CARNEY: Well, it was pretty late at night, obviously, in Dakar, so sometimes we can’t reach somebody. I don’t think -- I think everybody that we could reach was happy to take the call.
Q So what is the strategy going to be? Like how many days to try and corral support in the House and make sure that they consider the Senate bill?
MR. CARNEY: We’ll obviously work with the House in the same way that we worked with the Senate, which is to make clear what our principles are and to provide the significant amount of policy expertise that we have, and data that we have, and to be as helpful to the process as we can.
I’m not going to plot out a strategy for you, except to note that this is an effort that enjoyed substantial bipartisan support in the Senate, that enjoys substantial bipartisan support across the country, that is a boon -- would be, if passed -- a boon to our economy, a boon to the middle class, would reduce the deficit significantly in both the first 10 years and then hugely in the second 10 years, and would increase innovation and job creation at home because, as you’ve seen from the statistics, there is -- when we modernize our legal immigration system, we enhance the prospects of keeping highly talented entrepreneurs in the United States so that they can create businesses and jobs in the industries of the future in the United States.
And then add on top of that the enormous strides we’ve made when it comes to border security already since President Obama has taken office, and the fact that, in keeping with the President’s core principles, this bill that passed the Senate would go further to enhance border security.
Q Was there any discussion with Speaker Boehner when he was at the White House the other day -- if the bill looked on track to pass?
MR. CARNEY: As I think Speaker Boehner’s office read out, the conversation the other day with the four leaders of the Congress was focused on foreign policy, and the aftermath of the President’s meetings with President Xi in California, as well as the G8 Summit, and his meeting -- his state visit to Germany.
Q Can you say anything about where Sasha was yesterday? Is she okay? Because we noticed she wasn’t at the events.
MR. CARNEY: In general, we refer questions about the family to the East Wing, to the First Lady’s office, but she’s fine.
Q Was that really the President’s long-lost friend from Spain at the dinner last night?
MR. CARNEY: We haven’t talked to him about it. I know he was very glad to meet him.
MR. RHODES: Well, yes, the interesting thing I mentioned to some of you is that he was actually remarking on remembering meeting that person. He said he remembered it quite vividly, had written about it in “Dreams of My Father” before he knew that he would be attending the dinner. So it was a surprise but it certainly is an account that the President remembered. Clearly, it had an impact here in Senegal.
What we’ve seen in many of the countries is “Dreams of My Father” is a book that tells a story about the President’s life but also a story that speaks to what’s possible for people from the African continent. And so clearly in Senegal they took great pride in that encounter and how the President remembered it.
Q Did he talk to this Selle at the dinner? Did they have any other conversation?
MR. RHODES: Not that I know of -- because the President was at the head table, I don’t know if he talked to him on the way out or not. It was a very lively state dinner and, interestingly, the Minister of Tourism in Senegal is also a Grammy Award-winning artist. And so he got up and took the mic, and sang a few songs. Jay seemed to be nodding his head, I think. (Laughter.) And we remarked that there is no U.S. Cabinet member that could stand up and sing for 30 minutes at a state dinner.
MR. CARNEY: It was amazing. It was a fantastic performance, actually -- a wonderful dinner. I know the President and First Lady enjoyed it.
Q Did the President sing?
MR. CARNEY: The President did not sing. It was -- very little of it was in English. (Laughter.)
MR. RHODES: Just one scheduling update on tomorrow. I just wanted to give you guys a little bit of background. So, as you know, in addition to the bilateral meeting, we’re doing a town hall with young African leaders. And just so you get a little more background on the format, first of all, this is taking place in Soweto, which is obviously an inspirational location for South Africans, given its role in the anti-Apartheid movement, particularly the June, 1976 protests against Apartheid.
But also we’re going to be bringing in young people at locations in Uganda, Nigeria, and Kenya. And so young people in those locations will have an opportunity to participate in the town hall, to ask questions of the President. It will be broadcast in those countries on NTV Uganda, Channels TV Nigeria, and KBC Kenya. Obviously, these are countries we weren’t able to get to on this trip who are really important partners to the United States.
And by bringing in these virtual locations, we’ll be able to reach hundreds of millions of people through the broadcast of this town hall. And we’ll also be amplifying it on all of our digital and social media platforms. The Young African Leaders Program that this grows out of is one that we’ve briefed you on -- the President initiated it in Washington, the First Lady held a town hall in South Africa -- but there have been over 2,000 events across Africa focused on the development of young African leaders.
Tomorrow, the President will be discussing how we’re going to expand this into an exchange program that can over the next several years bring a significant number of Africans to the United States. We’ll have additional details for you guys on that after we land, but I think the town hall speaks to the ability for the President to speak to young people not just in South Africa, but in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, and across the continent.
Q Is this the HBCU event? The event that deals with HBCUs?
MR. RHODES: Yes. HBCUs -- basically, as we are looking at how to -- and we are going to expand this program, and we’ll get you the details on that when we land -- we need university partners in the United States in order to move forward with this exchange program, and HBCUs are going to be a part of that process. We’ve been in a dialogue with them as well as public universities and other private universities in the United States, and we feel it’s important for HBCUs to be a part of exchange programs that bring Africans to study in the United States.
Q I want to ask you -- topic of the HBCUs. HBCUs in America are undergoing some major financial issues right now. In the news recently, Howard University had financial issues. Is the President and the administration aware of that -- is that some of the reason why there’s a promotion of HBCUs with this event?
MR. RHODES: I can’t speak to the domestic funding question -- a bit out of my lane -- what I can say is that when we do partner with universities like HBCUs in the United States, the U.S. government helps provide the resources necessary for them to be able to host exchange students. So we would work with HBCUs and other universities so that we’re providing additional support to carry out this exchange program. But we can take the question on the HBCUs more broadly.
Q Thanks a lot, guys.
MR. CARNEY: You bet.
(Gaggle resumes.)
MR. RHODES: ...The University of Capetown is the location where Robert F. Kennedy gave the “ripples of hope” speech -- 47 years ago, June 6th, 1966. And it was in a time when it was only a couple of years after Nelson Mandela’s sensing that the Apartheid regime was entrenched, and it was really a shot in the arm to young people and to those who were opposing Apartheid. And I think that the President will certainly reference that in his remarks.
And I think it speaks to the fact that you have the extraordinary movement that emerged within South Africa by Nelson Mandela and others, but also that even though U.S. government policy, frankly, did not effectively and appropriately align with the anti-Apartheid movement for far too long, that there were many individuals in the United States who stood with those who wanted a better South Africa, and wanted to see equality between the races. And Robert F. Kennedy was a part of that legacy, as was so many other people who joined the divestment movement and other things.
So we are not joined by the Kennedys on this trip, but we very much feel the spirit of Robert F. Kennedy. And that’s one of the reasons why the University of Capetown is such a good venue.
Q I want to go back to a little bit of history with these Africa trips with Presidents. Some in the African American community are very upset that President Obama did not take a delegation like Bill Clinton did to South Africa. Ron Brown’s widow -- late Ron Brown, Commerce Secretary’s wife, Jesse Jackson, then-Maryland Congressman, Kwiesi Mfume, Bob Johnson -- I mean, just a whole host of business, congressional, just -- black leaders. Why didn’t the President bring those leaders? Or not those leaders, but a delegation of black leaders this time?
MR. RHODES: Number one, we’re creating opportunities for people to participate in these events, including in the business events in Tanzania and South Africa. We didn’t bring a delegation abroad -- we obviously have a full plane here -- but what I would say is we met with African American leaders in the planning and preparations for this trip, so we were able to speak, for instance, to Mayor Young, Ambassador Young, to Reverend Sharpton, to Martin Luther King, Jr. III.
Many African leaders were able to provide their -- African American leaders, I’m sorry, were able to provide their input and share their experience, which helped inform preparation for the trip. We also met with the many members of the diaspora community in the United States.
So their views informed much of what we’re doing. Similarly, for instance, we have a Doing Business in Africa initiative that is focused on promoting trade and investment in Africa, but that also includes finding ways to connect small businesses in the United States, including African American-owned small businesses, with markets and counterparts in Africa as well. So we do want to be building those connections.
In terms of delegation, what we focused on were bringing members of the President’s economic team, his U.S. trade representative, his head of the Ex-Im Bank, his head of OPIC, so that we can move forward with the type of dialogue that will lead to greater trade and investment, and that will be represented at different business meetings. And we’re also bringing business leaders to South Africa and to Tanzania for meetings with the President and his team, and I think that sends a signal of how much promise we see in Africa.
Q Patrick didn’t come. (Laughter.)
MR. RHODES: Not yet -- not yet.
END
11:54 A.M. GMT
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
Aboard Air Force One
En Route Johannesburg, South Africa
11:22 A.M. GMT
THE PRESIDENT: I just want to emphasize how important the work that we’re doing on agriculture is and I hope you got a sense from those folks who had set up their booths how much of a direct impact it can make in the lives of people in a really concrete way.
Obviously, we’ve got budget constraints back home, which means that we’ve got to come up with new and creative ways to promote development and deliver aid -- and this Food for the Future program and our New Alliance on Food Security is doing exactly that. Every dollar that we’re putting in, we’re getting a huge amount of private-sector dollars. We’re focusing on how do people become more productive as opposed to simply giving them food or giving them medicine.
What we announce later on this trip around power -- what we’re calling Power Africa is going to be utilizing that same model. But what you’re really starting to see is people understanding what works, working with small producers, leveraging -- so, for example, you notice we’re doing nutrition issues, but then also using it as an economic development tool.
And all that creates the kind of critical mass where, in a country like Senegal or Tanzania, where maybe 70 percent of the people are involved in agriculture, you can see each one of those small farmers suddenly increasing their income by 20 percent, 30 percent, 50 percent. That then becomes the basis for a nascent middle class in those countries; that in turn can help create local manufacturers, local consumer goods. And eventually, these then become export markets for the United States. So it’s not just a matter of alleviating hunger or reducing poverty; it’s creating the basis for the entire continent to get incorporated into world markets in a way that ultimately will benefit not just Africa but also the United States.
So our foreign aid budget is around 1 percent of our total federal budget. It’s chronically the least popular part of our federal budget. But if you look at the bang for the buck that we’re getting when it’s done right, when it’s well designed, and when it’s scaled at the local level with input from local folks, it can really make a huge difference. And what we’ve designed I think is so effective that we’ve been able to see other countries essentially put their money into a similar model, and we’re also thereby leveraging all of international assistance around this issue.
So it’s something I’m really proud about and I know Raj Shah already had a chance to brief with you guys, but you should get to know him during the course of this trip because I think he can really give you insight in terms of how much difference this is making.
Q Can you talk about this -- is this what you see as your legacy for Africa -- a kind of changed model? I mean, a lot of analysts back in Washington are talking about how you’re not making the kind of grand programs that Bush and Clinton did in Africa, and so I’m wondering if you can address that a little bit.
THE PRESIDENT: First of all, if you look at a program like PEPFAR, President Bush deserves enormous credit for that. It is really important. And it saved lives of millions of people. But even on PEPFAR, for example, what we’re doing is transitioning so that it’s not just a matter of delivering antiviral drugs; it’s also how do we create a health infrastructure in these countries that’s sustainable.
And I think everything we do is designed to make sure that Africa is not viewed as a dependent, as a charity case, but is instead viewed as a partner; that instead of chronically receiving aid, it is starting to get involved in trade, get involved in production, and over time is going to be able to feed itself, house itself, and produce its own goods. And that’s what Africa wants.
Now, some of this is driven by necessity. Given the budget constraints, for us to try to get the kind of money that President Bush was able to get out of the Republican House for massively scaled new foreign aid programs is very difficult. We could do even more with more resources. But if we’re working smarter, the amount of good that we can bring about over the next decade is tremendous.
Q Mr. President, can you say -- one of the criticisms leveled at the United States is that it’s fallen behind China in terms of the amount of attention that it gives to Africa. President Xi has made numerous visits; this is your first extended visit. How does the United States compete with China in terms of showing its interest and in the reduced-budget world that we’re living in?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, I think it’s a good thing that China and India and Turkey and some of these other countries -- Brazil -- are paying a lot of attention to Africa. This is not a zero-sum game. This is not the Cold War. You’ve got one global market, and if countries that are now entering into middle-income status see Africa as a big opportunity for them that can potentially help Africa.
What we have going for us, though, is our values, our approach to development, our approach to democracy remains one that is greatly preferable to a country like Senegal. In my discussions, a lot of people are pleased that China is involved in Africa.
On the other hand, they recognize that China’s primary interest is being able to obtain access for natural resources in Africa to feed the manufacturers in export-driven policies of the Chinese economy. And oftentimes that leaves Africa as simply an exporter of raw goods, not a lot of value added -- as a consequence, not a lot of jobs created inside of Africa, and it does not become the basis for long-term development.
But we shouldn’t view the participation of a country like China or Brazil in Africa as a bad thing. It should be a signal to us, though, that there’s great opportunity there and that we cannot afford to be left on the sidelines because we’re still stuck with old stereotypes about what Africa’s future is going to be.
Q What kind of commitments do you think U.S. companies are looking for from you on this trip to be able to see Africa as a continent for investment? And what kind of signal does the expo today -- what should that be sending to companies back home?
THE PRESIDENT: One of the main things that we want American companies to see is that Africa is ready to do business and that there’s huge potential there. What African countries have to do -- and this is a message I’m delivering consistently -- is ensure that there’s stability and good governance so that American companies can reduce some of those risks that have nothing to do with business and have to do with will they be able to get their profits out, will they have to pay a bribe, will they have to find ways to negotiate with bureaucracies endlessly.
And that’s why our first message in Africa, in Senegal, revolved around issues of democracy, transparency, accountability. There is a huge economic component to that. Those countries where businesses can feel confident that there will be peaceful transitions of power, that corruption is prosecuted, where there’s rule of law, where there’s protection of private property, where the government is practical and not wildly ideological -- that is what will attract American businesses, because I think when I talk to a lot of CEOs, they see the potential there, but what they don’t want to do is find themselves five years out suddenly with a different government, suddenly their money is stuck, their workers are being shaken down -- that’s the kind of thing we want to make sure that we emphasize throughout this trip.
Q Sir, looking forward to your trip in South Africa comes at a time when, obviously, a lot of people in the region are focused on the ailing health of Nelson Mandela. I know you have a relationship with him -- do you hope to visit him? Do you think that your message there will change?
THE PRESIDENT: I think the message will be consistent because it draws on the lessons of Nelson Mandela’s own life -- that if we focus on what Africa as a continent can do together and what these countries can do when they’re unified, as opposed to when they’re divided by tribe or race or religion, then Africa’s rise will continue. And that’s one of the central lessons of what Nelson Mandela accomplished not just as President, but in the struggle to overcome Apartheid and his years in prison.
We’ll see what the situation is when we land. I don’t need a photo-op, and the last thing I want to do is to be in any way obtrusive at a time when the family is concerned about Nelson Mandela’s condition. I’ve had the opportunity to meet with him. Michelle and the girls had an opportunity to meet with him. Right now, our main concern is with his wellbeing, his comfort, and with the family’s wellbeing and comfort.
So when we get there we’ll gauge the situation, but I think the main message we’ll want to deliver if not directly to him but to his family is simply our profound gratitude for his leadership all these years and that the thoughts and prayers of the American people are with him, and his family, and his country. I think in that sense, the sentiment of Americans is universally shared around the world.
Q Have you gotten an update on his condition or talked to his family lately?
THE PRESIDENT: We’ll find out more when we land.
END
11:36 A.M. GMT
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
Since coming into office in 2009, President Obama has made global food security a foreign policy priority. At last year’s Camp David G-8 Summit, President Obama joined with other G-8 leaders, African heads of state, the African Union and private sector leaders in launching the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, with an ambitious pledge to lift 50 million people out of poverty in sub-Saharan Africa by 2022.
Over the last year, the President also welcomed the commitment of the American people to food security and improved nutrition -- U.S. based non-governmental organizations themselves pledged more than $1 billion over three years in private funding for food security activities globally, and $750 million over five years for nutrition programs, including those aimed at supporting children in the critical 1,000 days from a woman's pregnancy to her child's second birthday.
New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition
The New Alliance combines policy reforms, targeted assistance and private sector investments to fuel the growth of Africa’s agriculture economies, link smallholder farmers to markets, increase incomes and improve nutrition. During its first year, private sector companies – small and large, from Africa and around the world - signed letters of intent to invest more than $3.7 billion in New Alliance countries, and the number of countries participating tripled as founding New Alliance partners Ethiopia, Ghana and Tanzania welcomed first Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Mozambique and then Benin, Malawi, and Nigeria. Each of these countries has negotiated rigorous Country Cooperation Frameworks for accelerating investment that set forth policy reforms, private investment intentions, and donor commitments to align predictable assistance flows behind recipient country priorities. Senegal is slated to join the New Alliance in the fall of 2013.
Country Progress: New Alliance countries have already made significant progress. Ghana Nuts, once a recipient of U.S. Government development assistance, is now a leading agro processor and signed a letter of intent under the New Alliance to promote soya and expand maize procurement and processing in Ghana. The Government of Tanzania’s decision this year to end a longstanding export ban on maize, rice and other crops will help rural farmers collect fair prices for their harvests. In Ethiopia, DuPont has opened a state-of-the-art seed processing plant and warehouse that will help 35,000 smallholder maize farmers increase their yields by as much as 50 percent. And just eight months after officially joining the New Alliance in September 2012, Mozambique, Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso have also begun implementing key policy reforms to improve efficiency and transparency and boost the incomes of smallholders employed throughout the agriculture sector.
Private Investment: More than 70 global and local companies have committed to invest over $3.7 billion in these first six countries to, for example, increase smallholder incomes by expanding seed production and distribution, establish small-scale irrigation systems, and source local food for national, regional, and global supply chains. A recent report by Grow Africa, an African-led, multi-stakeholder initiative jointly convened by the African Union, NEPAD and the World Economic Forum, estimates that more than $60 million has been invested over the past year to help link smallholder farmers to commercial markets, with some 800,000 people reached through training, services, and market access.
Leadership: Participants in the New Alliance including the G-8, the African Union and the World Economic Forum formed a Leadership Council following the Camp David G-8 Summit in order to drive further progress and accountability in reaching the goals of the New Alliance. The Council meets regularly and includes both private sector and civil society representatives.
Accountability: All New Alliance partners commit themselves to follow the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries, and Forests (“the Voluntary Guidelines”) and the principles of Responsible Agricultural Investment (RAI). As well, New Alliance partners have committed to accountability through regular progress reports and the establishment of the Leadership Council to track impact and progress of the New Alliance.
The Obama Administration’s Global Leadership on Food Security
Mobilizing the International Community: The United States has helped to forge a strong and swift global response against hunger and food insecurity. President Obama's pledge at the G-8 Summit at L'Aquila of at least $3.5 billion over three years helped to leverage and align an additional $18.5 billion – for a total of over $22 billion - in support of a common approach. The United States was instrumental in the development of five key principles that were subsequently adopted at the Rome World Food Security Summit in November 2009. Now known as the Rome Principles, these principles constitute the foundation for collective, global action on agricultural development and food security.
Feed the Future: Launched in 2010, Feed the Future is the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative. With a focus on smallholder farmers, particularly women, and building on the standard set by the African Union when its members committed to develop comprehensive food security plans, Feed the Future is driven by country-led priorities and rooted in partnership with governments, other donor organizations, the private sector, and civil society to enable long-term success. In addition to supporting national plans and investing in science and innovation, Feed the Future is investing in support of a goal to reduce the prevalence of poverty and stunting by 20 percent in the areas where Feed the Future works. Today Feed the Future is releasing its 2013 Progress Report (www.feedthefuture.gov/progress), demonstrating that in 19 focus countries, Feed the Future has:
The Commitment of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC): With its country-owned approach to development, MCC has invested $2.4 billion in food security solutions developed, implemented, and owned by African governments themselves. MCC is supporting the priorities of African governments to make agricultural markets work, strengthen land rights, and improve infrastructure by funding 1,600 kilometers of roads, irrigation for over 118,000 hectares, and legal recognition for more than 1.2 million hectares of rural land. As food security cannot be achieved without private investment, America’s African partners have strengthened land rights, improved land administration and increased the transparency, efficiency and security of land transactions in over half of MCC’s compacts. Senegal’s five year, $540 million compact aims to unlock the country’s agricultural productivity through investments in critical roads and irrigation projects.
Multilateral Partnerships: The United States has partnered with G-20 countries, developing countries, the World Bank and other multilateral organizations to establish the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program. Launched in April 2010 with commitments from the United States, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, this innovative new fund mobilizes public and private resources to scale up agricultural assistance to low-income countries. To date, the fund has awarded over $650 million to 18 low-income countries for increasing agricultural productivity, improving household nutrition, and raising rural incomes. In October 2012, as a signal of continued support for GAFSP, the United States committed to provide $1 to GAFSP for every $2 pledged by other donors up to a total of $475 million over three years.
In 2013 and as a result of commitments made at the 2012 G-8 Summit at Camp David, the United States is delivering on leveraging our investments, opening access to agricultural data, and improving agricultural productivity through technology. We launched a $25 million Agricultural Fast Track Fund with Sweden and the African Development Bank to increase the number of investment-ready agricultural infrastructure projects in New Alliance countries by defraying front-end project development costs. The United States, other G-8 countries and the World Bank convened the International Conference on Open Data for Agriculture in Washington D.C. to promote policies and invest in projects that open access to publicly funded, global agriculturally relevant data streams and make this data readily accessible to users in Africa and world-wide. This week, the United States will launch the Scaling Seeds & Other Technologies Partnership, led by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa in collaboration with African governments, multilateral organizations, private sector and civil society partners, to promote technology-driven agricultural productivity growth starting in Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
This week, the President gave a major speech on climate change policy, hosted a roundtable discussion with business leaders, named a new director of the FBI, and welcomed the next class of Presidential Innovation Fellows.
June 27, 2013 | 03:27 | Public Domain
This week, the President gave a major speech on climate change policy, hosted a roundtable discussion with business leaders, named a new director of the FBI, and welcomed the next class of Presidential Innovation Fellows.
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
I congratulate President Ts. Elbegdorj on his success in the election held on Wednesday in Mongolia. President Elbegdorj has been an important leader in advancing democracy and freedom in his country and a key partner for the United States in Asia and globally. I look forward to working with him to further strengthen the friendship and ties between our two countries. Through its impressive democratic achievements and its progress on economic liberalization, Mongolia serves as a significant example of positive reform and transformation for peoples around the world.
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:
James Costos, of California, to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Andorra.
Ronald J. Binz, of Colorado, to be a Member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the term expiring June 30, 2018,vice Jon Wellinghoff, term expiring.
Robert Bonnie, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment, vice Harris D. Sherman, resigned.
Patrick Hubert Gaspard, of New York, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of South Africa.
Krysta L. Harden, of Georgia, to be Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, vice Kathleen A. Merrigan, resigned.
Ellen C. Herbst, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce, vice Scott Boyer Quehl, resigned.
Ellen C. Herbst, of Virginia, to be Chief Financial Officer, Department of Commerce, vice Scott Boyer Quehl, resigned.
Steve A. Linick, of Virginia, to be Inspector General, Department of State, vice Howard J. Krongard, resigned.
Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, vice Jane Holl Lute, resigned.
Katherine M. O'Regan, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, vice Raphael William Bostic.
Susan J. Rabern, of Kansas, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Navy, vice Gladys Commons, resigned.
James C. Swan, of California, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Kirk W. B. Wagar, of Florida, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Singapore.
Alexa Lange Wesner, of Texas, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Austria.
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
Presidential Palace
Dakar, Senegal
8:35 P.M. GMT
PRESIDENT SALL: (As interpreted.) Your Excellency, Barack Obama; distinguished First Lady, Michelle Obama; distinguished First Lady of Senegal, Marieme Sall; distinguished members of the American delegation; distinguished Speaker of the Parliament; distinguished Prime Minister; Madame President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council; distinguished senior ministers, distinguished ministers; honorable members of Parliament; Your Excellencies, distinguished ambassadors; dear friends and dear guests.
Mr. President, three months after having warmly received me at the White House, you are visiting me with your wife, your children and the important delegation accompanying you. And you have honored us by choosing Senegal as your entry point to Africa for your first visit to the continent since your brilliant reelection last November.
In relationships between states, every choice conveys a symbol and a message. My fellow countrymen and myself, we understand and appreciate your visit as a token of friendship and esteem for us. This feeling, Mr. President, is mutual, and it is for you and for your great people.
(Speaks in English.) We welcome you, Mr. President, and First Lady Michelle Obama. We wish you and your delegation a pleasant stay in Senegal, the Land of Teranga.
(As interpreted.) Ties between the American and Senegalese people are ancient, robust, and trustworthy. And the circumstances of history have bequeathed common memories to us.
In 1776, when the American people started their historical struggles for their freedom, in the north of Senegal, some revolutionaries rebelled the same year for the same principles of justice and freedom against excesses committed by the authorities in place. In 1761, according to Johnson and Patricia Smith in "Africans in America," it was said that in 1761, a 7-year-old Senegalese girl embarked for a one-way trip. She disembarked in Boston, Phillis Wheatley, which was her slave name -- thanks to her creative genius, became the first known black poetess in the United States of America.
This was a (inaudible) in our common history, even in the dark hours of slavery. More than two centuries later, another trip has united us, and this time, as free citizens. And, Mr. President, you wrote this in your bestseller, "Dreams From My Father." It was in Spain, in a bus bound for Barcelona, you took a liking to one of my compatriots, Mr. Selle Dieng. I hope he is here in this room. Selle -- he's here. (Applause.) Thank you, Selle, and Mr. President.
So in this book of yours, you said that he told you about his wife he had left behind in Senegal and of his dream to earn enough money to bring her over. He offered coffee and water to you -- a coincidental meeting, a shared history, a small gesture of kindness, you say. This gesture of human fraternity expresses the values uniting Senegalese and Americans, definite and strong values -- faith in God, family and work, openness to the other, an attachment to democracy and freedom.
This is the reason why so many of my fellow countrymen feel so comfortable in your country and are successfully pursuing their American Dream. In Harlem, we have "Little Senegal" when you go to 16th Street. It's well known to all our compatriots. We would like to thank the American people for their tradition of hospitality.
I would like to also commend the excellent quality of our bilateral relations. Our two countries are cooperating for peace and a safer world rid of scourges of terrorism and cross-border crime. I commend your leadership, particularly in these times when the situation here in the Sahara has become a global threat and deserves special attention. I hope our countries can put together a joint strategy in response to this new challenge.
In the economic and social fields, we have a robust partnership with the commitment of the Peace Corps in Senegal for more than half a century, USAID's actions and the existence of instruments such as AGOA and the Millennium Challenge account. Mr. President, I cannot forget that during the pre-election turmoil, which our country went through in 2011 and 2012. The United States of America maintains their trust in the maturity and resilience of the Senegalese people and relentlessly supported our democratic tradition. We greatly appreciated this gesture of solidarity in between peoples with common values.
Today, as agreed to in Washington, I would like to confirm our will to forge ahead with you -- forge ahead for the promotion of democracy and good governance in the spirit of our commitments stemming from the last G8 Summit; forge ahead in opening new opportunities of partnership between our countries; forge ahead for the promotion of the youth for the growth and prosperity of our peoples in a safer world.
(Speaks in English.) Looking back to more than 50 years of commitment and achievement between our two countries, I am confident that even greater opportunities are lying ahead. And I want to tell you and the great American people that we are more than willing to go forward in our renewed partnership. And we are ready -- yes, we are ready and, yes, we can. (Laughter and applause.)
(As interpreted.) Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, I'm happy to raise a toast to the health and wellbeing of our illustrious guests -- President Barack Obama of the United States of America, the First Lady Michelle Obama -- to whom I'd like to pay my respects; to the health and well-being of their children and their delegation; and to the continuous prosperity of the friendly American people.
Long live the United States of America. Long live Senegal. Long live the friendship between Senegal and the United States of America. Thank you and God bless you. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT OBAMA: President Sall, Madame First Lady, distinguished guest and friends -- on behalf of myself and Michelle, our children, our entire delegation, we want to thank you for the incredible hospitality that you’ve shown us today. We have been deeply moved and are deeply appreciative of all the arrangements that you’ve made.
I am told that you have a tradition here of singing poets. Do not worry, I am not going to sing. (Laughter.) But I would like to quote from one of your greatest poets -- one of the world’s greatest poets -- your first President, Léopold Senghor.
The year after Senegal achieved independence, President Senghor came to the White House and met with President Kennedy. And during his visit to the United States, President Senghor said, “Senegal is a small country, but it is a republic which is inspired by the principles of democracy.”
And here in Senegal, we’ve seen -- I’ve seen personally -- the principles of democracy at work in this generation and I believe in future generations. Mr. President, I salute you and your administration for seeking what you have called “a new mindset, a new consciousness” -- government that upholds “the sanctity of the public good.”
I’ve seen the principles of democracy in Senegal’s commitment to human dignity. Michelle and I will never forget today’s visit to Gorée Island, where we looked out that “door of no return.” The world owes so much to Senegal for preserving this piece of history -- one of the world’s great heritage sites.
And as I said at Gorée Island, it’s a reminder of the potential in humanity that we can show one another, but it also I think reminds us of how vigilant we have to be in upholding the dignity and the rights of all people.
And, finally, I’ve seen the principle of democracy in the people of Senegal -- the citizens that I met with today who stood up for democracy; the young girls that Michelle met today who are busy shaping this nation -- just incredible young women -- because Senegal recognizes the value of women’s leadership.
And I couldn’t be here today if I didn’t mention that today, back in the United States, is NBA draft day -- (laughter) -- and that there’s going to be a team that makes a wise decision by drafting a favorite son of Senegal, Gorgui Dieng, who is an outstanding big man, and maybe the Bulls will get him. (Applause.)
So, Mr. President, I want to propose a toast to our gracious hosts, to our two great nations, to the abiding friendship between our peoples -- à votre santé. (Applause.)
END
8:48 P.M. GMT
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:
President Obama said, “I am grateful that these impressive individuals have chosen to dedicate their talents to serving the American people at this important time for our country. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”
President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:
Krysta Harden, Nominee for Deputy Secretary, Department of Agriculture
Krysta Harden is the Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a position she has held since 2011. Prior to this, Ms. Harden served as Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations at USDA from 2009 to 2011. From 2004 to 2009, she served as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Conservation Districts. Previously, Ms. Harden was the Senior Vice President of Gordley Associates from 1993 to 2004. She served as Staff Director for the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, Subcommittee on Peanuts and Tobacco from 1992 to 1993. From 1981 to 1992, she held a number of roles including Legislative Director, Chief of Staff, and Press Secretary for Congressman Charles Hatcher. Ms. Harden received her B.A. in Journalism from the University of Georgia.
Alejandro Mayorkas, Nominee for Deputy Secretary, Department of Homeland Security
Alejandro Mayorkas is currently the Director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Previously, he was a partner at O’Melveny & Myers LLP from 2001 to 2009. He served as the United States Attorney for the Central District of California from 1998 to 2001. From 1989 to 1998, he was the Assistant United States Attorney for the Central District of California. He has served on the boards of Bet Tzedek Legal Services and United Friends of the Children. He served as Chair of the American Bar Association Committee on Ethics and Professionalism and as a Commissioner for the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice. He received a B.A. from the University of California at Berkley and a J.D. from Loyola Law School.
Ron Binz, Nominee for Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and upon appointment to be designated Chair
Ron Binz is the Principal for Public Policy Consulting, a position he has held since 2011. He is also a Senior Policy Advisor with the Center for the New Energy Economy. Previously, Mr. Binz served as Chairman of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission from 2007 to 2011. From 1995 to 2006, he was President of Public Policy Consulting, and from 1996 to 2003, he was President and Policy Director of the Competition Policy Institute. Mr. Binz served as the Director of the Colorado Office of Consumer Counsel from 1984 to 1995. He received a B.A. from St. Louis University and an M.A. from the University of Colorado.
Robert Bonnie, Nominee for Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Agriculture
Robert Bonnie is a Senior Policy Advisor at the United States Department of Agriculture, a position he has held since 2009. Prior to this, he worked for the Environmental Defense Fund where he held a number of roles from 1995 to 2008, including Vice-President of Land Conservation and Wildlife and Managing Director of the Center for Conservation Incentives. Mr. Bonnie served on the Board of Visitors at the Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences. He was a member of the Board of Directors for the Piedmont Environmental Council and Scenic America. Mr. Bonnie received a A.B. from Harvard College and an M.F. and M.E.M. from the Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment.
Ellen Herbst, Nominee for Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Administration, Department of Commerce
Ellen Herbst is currently Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, a position she has held since 2009. From 2005 to 2009, Ms. Herbst served as the Director of the National Technical Information Service at the Department of Commerce. Prior to this, Ms. Herbst was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Spectra Systems Corporation from 2002 to 2005. She held the same position with Virtual Compliance from 2000 to 2001, and Giesecke & Devrient America from 1996 to 2000. Previously, Ms. Herbst held a number of roles at the DuPont Company during her 14 year tenure including, Business Manager of the Digital Systems Division and Business Manager of the Equipment Service Division. Ms. Herbst received a B.S. from the University of Delaware and an M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.
Dr. Katherine M. O'Regan, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, Department of Housing and Urban Development
Dr. Katherine M. O’Regan is an Associate Professor of Public Policy at the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University, where she has taught since 2000. She has also been Director of the Public and Nonprofit Masters Program at Wagner since 2002. From 2005 to 2007, she was Co-Director at Wagner’s Taub Center for Urban Policy Research, and from November 2002 to June 2004, she was Associate Dean of Faculty and Academic Affairs. Prior to joining the Wagner faculty, Dr. O’Regan spent 10 years teaching at the Yale School of Management. During her time at Yale, she also served as a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and as a guest scholar at the Economic Studies Program at the Brookings Institution. Earlier in her career, Dr. O’Regan was an analyst in the Office of Hearings and Appeals at the U.S. Department of Energy. Her recent board work includes the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, The Reinvestment Fund, and the editorial board for the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management. Dr. O’Regan received a B.S. from the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley.
Captain Susan Rabern, USN, (Ret), Nominee for Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Financial Management and Comptroller, Department of Defense
Captain Susan Rabern, USN, (Ret), is Director of the Center for Leadership and Ethics at the Virginia Military Institute. Previously, she served as Deputy Director for the Office of Military Affairs at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) from 2007 to 2009. From 2003 to 2007, she was a Special Assistant in the Office of the Superintendent and Chief of Staff at the Virginia Military Institute. From 2002 to 2003, she was the Chief Financial Officer at USAID. In 2002, she also served as the Assistant Commissioner and Chief Financial Officer for the then, U.S. Customs Service. From 2000 to 2002, she was the Assistant Director and Chief Financial Officer at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Previously, she served in the U.S. Navy in a number of roles including: Captain and Commanding Officer for U.S. Naval Support Activity from 1998 to 1999, Chief of the Personnel Support Division for the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1996 to 1998, and Commanding Officer for the U.S. Navy Pay and Personnel Support Activity Europe in Naples, Italy from 1993 to 1995. She also served as a research fellow at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at the National Defense University from 1995 to 1996 and again in 2000. She received a B.A. from the University of Kansas, an M.B.A. from San Diego State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.
Steve A. Linick, Nominee for Inspector General, Department of State
Steve A. Linick is the Inspector General of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, a position he has held since October 2010. From 2006 to 2010, he worked at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) as the Executive Director of the National Procurement Fraud Task Force. In addition, from 2009 to 2010, he was Deputy Chief of the Fraud Section in the DOJ Criminal Division, having served as Acting Deputy Chief of the Fraud Section from 2006 to 2009. He previously worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia from 1999 to 2006, serving as the Deputy Chief of the Fraud Unit from 2004 to 2006. He also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California from 1994 to 1999. Earlier in his career, Mr. Linick served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and as an associate at the law firm Newman & Holtzinger in Washington, D.C. He received a B.A. and M.A. from Georgetown University and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.
Patrick Gaspard, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa, Department of State
Patrick Gaspard is Executive Director of the Democratic National Committee, a position he has held since 2011. Previously, he served as an Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Political Affairs from 2009 to 2011. Prior to that, he was the National Political Director for Obama for America. He served as the Executive Vice President and Political Director for the Service Employees International Union. In 2004, he served as the National Field Director for America Coming Together, and from 2003 to 2004, he was the National Deputy Field Director for Dean for America. From 1998 to 1999, he was the Chief of Staff for the New York City Council. Earlier in his career, Mr. Gaspard held a number of positions with the City of New York, including Special Assistant in the Office of the Manhattan Borough President and Special Assistant in the Office of Mayor Dinkins.
Ambassador James Swan, Nominee for Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Department of State
Ambassador James Swan, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is Special Representative for Somalia. Previously, he served as Ambassador to Djibouti from 2008 to 2011. Ambassador Swan served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs from 2006 to 2008. Previously, he served as Director of Analysis for Africa in the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research from 2005 to 2006. He was the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from 2001 to 2004. Other overseas postings include: Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d’Affaires in Brazzaville, DRC; Political Section Chief in Cameroon; Political Officer in Nicaragua; and Consular Officer in Haiti. Before joining the Foreign Service, he worked as a management analyst in the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education. Ambassador Swan received a B.S. from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and an M.A. from Johns Hopkins University.
Kirk Wagar, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Singapore, Department of State
Kirk Wagar is Founder and Managing Partner of Wagar Law, P.A., a Miami-based law firm that represents individuals and small businesses in insurance disability disputes since 1998. He served as the Florida Finance Chair for Obama for America in 2008 and 2012. From 2011 to 2012, Mr. Wagar served on the Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee of the Export Import Bank. Since 2002, he has been a member on the Board of Governors for the American Association for Justice and a member of the Board of Directors for the Florida Justice Association. From 2003 to 2005, he served on the Board of Directors for the Dade County Trial Lawyers. From 1993 to 1994, he was Chief of Staff of the National Model United Nations, where he previously served as Assistant Chief of Staff from 1992 to 1993. He received a B.A. from Roberts Wesleyan College and a J.D. from the University of Miami.
Alexa Wesner, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Austria, Department of State
Alexa Wesner is Founder and Chair of Be One Texas, a collaborative that directs investment in groups doing civic engagement, voter registration, and Get Out the Vote among under-represented populations in Texas. She was appointed as a Member of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in 2009. From 1997 to 2002, she served as Co-Founder and President of HireTECH, a high technology recruiting and consulting firm in Austin, Texas. From 1994 to 1997, she worked at Trilogy, a sales and marketing software company, first as the Director of Recruiting and then as a Director of Marketing. Ms. Wesner served as Chair of the Citizens Committee for the Texas A&M University System Proposal to Develop a Center for Innovation and Advanced Development and Manufacturing. Additionally, she has served on the boards of and worked with a variety of nonprofits in Texas, including the Austin Film Society, Breakthrough Austin, Austin Museum of Art, the Blanton Museum, LifeWorks, Arthouse, GENaustin, and the Downtown Austin Parks Committee. Ms. Wesner received a B.A. from Stanford University.
