SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS AT SEATTLE PASSPORT AGENCY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks to the Staff at the Seattle Passport Agency
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Korea University
Seattle, WA
May 18, 2015

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much, Teresa. Thank you very much. I’m really happy to be here with everybody. Are you doing all right?

STAFF: (Cheers.)

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, you’re getting paid a lot of overtime, I hear. (Laughter.) So I mean, that’s pretty good. That’s all right. I just want to thank you all. I thought it’d be fun to come by here. I just was in China, and a lot of folks there – last year, actually, at my last visit – I didn’t do it this time – I was able to give out a bunch of visas to kids, to business people. A big fourth grade class was coming over here.

And – but most recently and most poignantly, I was in Djibouti a little over a week ago, and that’s the result of a tragedy, obviously. And you’ve got this enormous influx of American Yemenis trapped in Yemen who want to come home, and they were trying to get out on various ships. So our consular division there has been absolutely spectacular. People have been out there on the docks meeting boats as they come in trying to assure people that their lives are going to be okay.

And so a lot of people don’t know this division, and yet you’re the face of the State Department and you’re the face of America for countless numbers of people. I gather about 40,000 people come in here passport direct, and then about 150,000 passports and visas are issued through other mechanisms and paper and so forth, which is an incredible, staggering number.

And needless to say Seattle – which is why I’m here – is so important to trade, to American jobs, to this new global world that we live in. And so more and more people are going to be asking you for overtime – (laughter) – and obviously, this is a division that’s going to be increasingly pressured everywhere around the world. It’s a good thing, not a bad thing. It’s a good thing, because with that travel, with those reunifications of families and so forth, comes a huge positive event and moment for America and for those people.

And a lot of people don’t realize it; you actually save marriages. It’s true, right? You actually wind up uniting a family with an adopted child. You get a senior citizen who may have difficulties reuniting with their family in a moment of difficulty, or somebody’s had a terrible loss and there’s an urgency to processing. So this is a place where human relationships and human emotions get served, and I’m proud of that. And I think every single one of you, I’m sure you are just equally as proud of that.

Somebody told me that they came in here and they were so concerned and upset, and then they – one of you took care of them, and they left here happy and said we should have a Hug a State Department Employee Day. (Laughter.) And as far as I’m concerned, we could do that every day. It would be great.

So I just wanted to come by and say hi and see if, notwithstanding that I come from Boston and New England, you guys would let me come in the door. (Laughter.) Mea culpa. (Laughter.) But I’m really happy to be here with you. Thank you. A profound thank you to you from President Obama, from me, from all of America, for the hard work you do here and for the tremendous way in which you represent our country . We’re very proud of you. So thank you very, very much . Glad to be here, thank you. (Applause.)

SECRETARY KERRY MAKES REMARKS WITH IGAD LEADERS

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Remarks With IGAD Leaders After Their Meeting

Remarks

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Treaty Room

Washington, DC

August 5, 2014

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SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much. It’s my pleasure to be here with the IGAD leaders: the presidents of Kenya, of Uganda, and Djibouti; and the prime minister of Ethiopia, who is the chair of this effort. And we just met with respect to the situation in South Sudan, and there is a unanimous agreement that this war must end and must end now. These leaders will go back to their region and meet in Addis Ababa very, very soon, where they will decide on specific actions that they are prepared to take in unanimous fashion with their countries in an effort to guarantee that the war comes to an end. They are prepared to issue a final ultimatum to the parties to come to the table, and in addition to that, the United Nations Security Council will be visiting – the entire Security Council – next week to make it clear there is no other alternative except to proceed with the plan of these leaders that they have put on the table.
The United States is fully supportive of that effort, and we will do everything in our power to make a difference. There’s a threat of starvation for 50,000 children, there’s a continued threat to life, there is a tribal series of attacks on both sides taking place that is simply unacceptable. And I wanted to thank the leaders for their leadership. We applaud their initiative to find an African solution and to take the leadership, and we’re particularly encouraged by that.
I was just asked if it’s all right with everybody if the prime minister wants to say a few things as the chair.

PRIME MINISTER DESALEGN: Secretary Kerry, thank you very much for letting me speaking with IGAD leaders. We in the IGAD region and leaders have agreed that the war has to stop and stop very, very quickly. And the region has come a long way in sorting out the problem, and to solve this problem we will stand together. And in this regard, we have come to the end now. The violation of the ceasefire has taken place by Riek Machar.

And so the region has put the comprehensive solution to the government of transitional national unity, which is going to be established in South Sudan. And both parties has to agree to this proposal of the region. And I think if the parties do not agree on the proposal that the region has put in place after studying (inaudible) circumstances in South Sudan, then the region is going to take strong action, as we have put in the IGAD summit – punitive action that has to be taken immediately after convening the meeting of IGAD heads of state and government in Addis Ababa very soon after this summit.

So the region has come to the climax and the human catastrophe has to stop. In this regard, we are ready to propose our proposal, and if they agree, then your ambassador will come to South Sudan. If not, then the region is going to take strong action.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister. Thank you very much. Thank you all.

RECENT DEFENSE DEPARTMENT PHOTOS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
U.S. soldiers install a transmission in an AH-64 Apache helicopter on Forward Operating Base Fenty, Afghanistan, Feb. 14, 2014. The soldiers, who are maintainers, are assigned to 159th Combat Aviation Brigade. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joseph Green.

A U.S. Marine performs battlefield movements during a live-fire exercise at Arta Range, Djibouti, Feb. 18, 2014. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Staci Mill.

RECENT U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT PHOTOS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

A U.S. Marine throws a training grenade during a live-fire exercise at Arta Range, Djibouti, Feb. 18, 2014. The Marine is assigned to 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Battalion Landing Team, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment. The unit is deployed with the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group as a theater reserve and crisis response force throughout the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Staci Miller.

A grenade explodes near its targets after being thrown by a U.S. Marine during a live-fire exercise at Arta Range, Djibouti, Feb. 18, 2014. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Staci Miller.

GULF AF ADEN COUNTERTERRORISM FORUM OPENING REMARKS

FROM:  STATE DEPARTMENT 
Opening Remarks at the Second Gulf of Aden Counterterrorism Forum
Media Note
Geeta Pasi
U.S. Ambassador to Djibouti
Djibouti, Djibouti
February 3, 2014

Good morning. Welcome to the Second Gulf of Aden Regional Counterterrorism Forum. I am honored to join Djibouti in welcoming you. I would like to acknowledge the strong and growing partnership that we enjoy with the Government of Djibouti in countering terrorism in the region and beyond. Our strategic partnership continues to contribute to a region and a world with a brighter and better future.

The Gulf of Aden region is a critical front in the fight against terrorism. Many of you seated here today play a vital role in advancing this effort – whether within your Ministries of Justice, Foreign Affairs, Interior, Defense, or other services. Your hard work, and that of your governments, help all of us make progress towards our shared goals of regional peace and stability. Our conference this week provides us the opportunity to reflect on our successes, identify challenges, and determine ways forward.

The U.S. government is committed to the fight against both al Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula and al-Shabaab.

In Somalia, U.S. security assistance is focused on two key efforts: first, support for peacekeeping operations, including the provision of training, equipment, and transportation to the troop contributors to AMISOM, and second, support to security sector reform activities and related mentoring, training, equipment, and logistical support for the Somali National Forces. Working together with international partners and the Somali National Security Forces, the U.S. government has a vision to see Somalia’s security sector capacity increase, through the training, equipping, and professionalization of its security institutions, to one day effectively address, on its own, the threats posed by al-Shabaab.

In Yemen, we are working to build local capacity to counter the terrorist threat as well. But first, let me take a moment to commend the people of Yemen on the conclusion of their National Dialogue on January 25, a critical milestone in the political transition process. A democratic, unified, and stable Yemen will be best able to meet the needs of its citizens and participate fully as a partner in supporting regional security. The United States remains firmly committed to supporting the Yemeni people and the government throughout the subsequent stages of the transition process.

As part of the political transition process, President Hadi and the Yemeni government have taken important steps toward restructuring the military and security services and toward enhancing the professionalism and capacity of Yemen’s armed forces. We encourage the Yemeni government to continue progress on this important aspect of the transition agreement, which will strengthen Yemeni capacity to secure the country against internal and external threats. The United States provides assistance to help develop the capacity of Yemen’s security forces to conduct counterterrorism operations and to secure maritime and land borders and territorial waters.

We are encouraged by the counterterrorism efforts President Hadi and the Yemeni government have taken, and remain committed to continued close coordination in the fight against terrorism.

I would like to share with you why the United States wanted to organize this second forum in Djibouti. Djibouti plays a critical security and counterterrorism role in the region and beyond -- as an active participant in regional bodies such as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and as a troop-contributing country to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and in other international fora.

Djiboutian troops have played a crucial role in stabilizing Somalia…and some of their soldiers have made the ultimate sacrifice in that effort. The combined efforts of the Somali National Security Forces and AMISOM against al-Shabaab – with financial support, training, and other support from partner nations have been key to the creation of the security conditions necessary for Somalia’s government to operate. Al-Shabaab has attacked Djiboutian forces in Beletweyne and threated to attack all troop contributing countries at home. We applaud Djibouti’s commitment to Somalia by announcing the deployment of a second battalion.

Djibouti hosts Camp Lemonnier, the largest U.S. military facility in Africa, which provides an operational headquarters for the Combined Joint Task Force for the Horn of Africa – whose mission includes supporting efforts to defeat violent extremist organizations. The United States would like to thank Djibouti for their contributions to AMISOM, as well as their continued commitment to hosting U.S. troops stationed at Camp Lemonnier.

The United States enjoys a strong partnership with Djibouti. I would like to take a moment to provide a few examples of how the United States partners with Djibouti to counter terrorism in the region.

Funds from the U.S. Regional Strategic Initiative (RSI) funded patrol boats and training for the Djiboutian Coast Guard. December marked the third anniversary of the establishment of Djibouti’s Coast Guard – we congratulate them on the progress they have made in such a short time – particularly in interdicting small boats used to smuggle illegal goods and people.

With funding from the U.S. interagency Partnership for Regional East Africa Counterterrorism program – or “PREACT”—the United States has trained the Djiboutian Navy, the Republican Guard, and Border Security Forces.

U.S. Department of Defense programs such as the Counterterrorism Fellowship Program (CTFP) fund courses that range from short-term professional training seminars to full-time programs in the United States.

Programs are designed to strengthen the capabilities of friendly countries to fight terrorism, as well as construct and strengthen the dedicated global network of counterterrorism experts and professionals.

In looking at the terrorist threat beyond the Gulf of Aden over the past decade, the United States and our partners can count many accomplishments, including remarkable success in weakening al-Qa’ida’s core leadership in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Yet the nature of the threat has evolved. Today’s terrorist organizations are more diverse, more independent, and more inclined to focus on smaller-scale attacks closer to their home base. A great deal of work remains to be done.

Continuing our counterterrorism efforts demands creativity, flexibility, and—above all – partnership. Building, strengthening, and leveraging partnerships is vital to our counterterrorism efforts. This is one of the reasons why we are so pleased to be able to convene the Second Gulf of Aden Regional Counterterrorism Forum here in Djibouti. Our goal for the week is for you to share experiences and to develop new ideas with your colleagues from the region that will help all of us counter the constantly evolving threats we face each day. We look forward to your participation in the coming days. Thank you very much.

U.S. MILITARY PRESENCE IN AFRICA

Map Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Official: DOD Seeks 'Small Footprint' in Africa
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12, 2012 - For Djibouti, location is everything.

The small African nation hosts the one forward operating base the United States maintains on the African continent, and that is due to its unique location, said Amanda J. Dory, deputy assistant secretary of defense for African affairs.

Djibouti hosts about 3,000 U.S. service members at Camp Lemonier -- a former French base adjacent to the capital of Djibouti City. The U.S. service members work to build military capabilities with Djibouti and neighboring nations. The base also is a training and logistics hub.

Yet, it is not a model for how the United States will interact on the African continent, Dory said. "The DOD strategy in Africa has moved toward flexible operating concepts," she said in a recent interview. "[We will] focus on maintaining a small footprint on the continent that is flexible and low cost."

The U.S. military footprint will be different in each African nation, the deputy assistant secretary said.

"Each country will work with us to see what capabilities they need, how much they can commit to developing, and how fast they want to work," she said. "They will also work with us to determine the process of working with us."

U.S. troops, she said, will visit these nations for short periods of time for specific tasks or training cycles.

"We do not want permanent bases," Dory said.

The U.S. military effort on the continent is being accepted by many African leaders, she said. When U.S. Africa Command first stood up, there was concern among some leaders that it signified a "militarization" of U.S. foreign policy and a sort of creeping colonialism. Those fears have subsided, she said.

"Most [African] nations welcome our contributions," Dory said.

Djibouti is unique because it lies on the seam between U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Central Command, officials said, and it is situated at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. Vessels transiting through the Suez Canal to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean sail close to Djibouti, which boasts a natural harbor and roads that link the interior with the coast.

The country has interest from four U.S. combatant commands -- U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, U.S. Central Command and U.S. Transportation Command, officials said. In addition, other nations work with the Djiboutian government to ensure security in the area.

Djibouti and Camp Lemonier represent a strategic gold mine, Dory said. But Camp Lemonier, she added, will remain an expeditionary base.

"It will remain an austere base. "We will make improvements for force protection, but you will not see a golf course at Camp Lemonier, ever," she said.