WH: Remarks by President Trump at an Event Honoring the Native American Code Talkers---White House press release 11/ 27/ 17
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/11/27/remarks-president-trump-event-honoring-native-american-code-talkersQuote from speech: " THE PRESIDENT: That's fantastic, thank you. That's fantastic. Thank you very much. Beautiful.
That was so incredible, and now I don't have to make my speech. I had the most beautiful speech written out. I was so proud of it. Look. And I thought you would leave out Iwo Jima, but you got that in the end, too. (Laughter.)
And I want to tell you -- you said you're 90 years old? That's great, because you have good genes. That means the press has got me to kick around for a long time. (Laughter.)
That was beautiful. I loved that and I loved your delivery. And the Code Talkers are amazing. And seriously, it is what I said. So what I'm going to do is give you my speech, and I want you to hold that. And I know you like me, so you'll save it. But that was so well delivered, from the heart. That was from the heart.
So I want to give you this speech because I don't want to bore them with saying the same thing you just said. And you said it better, believe me, because you said it from here. And I mean it from there too.
And you have a lot of great friends. Tom Cole is here, and you know Tom. And you know Jeff. So I want to thank you both, Jeff Denham. I want to thank you both for being here, and you too for being here.
Also, General Dunford, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and General Kelly. And I have to say, I said to General Kelly --- I said, General, how good -- here he is right there, the Chief; he's the General and the Chief. I said, how good were these Code Talkers? What was it? He said, sir, you have no idea. You have no idea how great they were -- what they've done for this country, and the strength and the bravery and the love that they had for the country and that you have for the country.
So that was the ultimate statement from General Kelly, the importance. And I just want to thank you because you're very, very special people. You were here long before any of us were here, although we have a representative in Congress who, they say, was here a long time ago. They call her "Pocahontas."
But you know what, I like you because you are special. You are special people. You are really incredible people. And from the heart, from the absolute heart, we appreciate what you've done, how you've done it, the bravery that you displayed, and the love that you have for your country.
Tom, I would say that's as good as it gets, wouldn't you say? That's as good as you get.
General Kelly, just come up for one second. I want to just have you say what you told me, a little bit about the Code Talkers. Because it really has been -- learning about you and learning about what you've done has been something that I'd like General Kelly to say to the press." ( see link for full comments)
Hiroshima to Host Twenty‑seventh United Nations‑Japan Conference on Disarmament Issues, 29‑30 November---UN PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 11/ 27/ 17
https://www.un.org/press/en/2017/dc3747.doc.htmNEW YORK, 27 November (Office for Disarmament Affairs) — The twenty‑seventh United Nations‑Japan Conference on Disarmament Issues will take place in the International Conference Centre in Hiroshima from 29 to 30 November.
The annual event is organized by the Office for Disarmament Affairs, through its Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, in cooperation with the Government of Japan and in partnership with the 2017 hosts, the Prefecture of Hiroshima and the City of Hiroshima.
More than 50 representatives from Governments and intergovernmental organizations, as well as research institutes, academia and non‑governmental organizations will gather at the Conference. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under‑Secretary‑General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, and Tomoyuki Yoshida, Director‑General for Disarmament, Non‑Proliferation and Science Department in Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs will open the event. Hideki Yuzaki, Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture, and Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of Hiroshima City, will welcome participants.
The City of Hiroshima continues the tradition established in 1989 of different cities hosting the United Nations‑Japan Conference on Disarmament Issues. The event provides a forum for frank and interactive dialogue on pressing security, disarmament and non‑proliferation issues. The 2017 Conference will reflect on the prospects for nuclear disarmament, taking into account recent and current developments and their impact in the lead‑up to the 2020 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non‑Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, including regional non‑proliferation challenges. Furthermore, the Conference will address the importance of education on nuclear disarmament and non‑proliferation.
The Conference is financed by the Government of Japan, through its voluntary contribution to the Office for Disarmament Affairs, the Prefecture of Hiroshima and the City of Hiroshima.
On the eve of the Conference, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, Hiroshima, will hold a screening of the documentary film Paper Lanterns as a side event in the Memorial Hall of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum on 28 November.
Upcoming Talks Could Offer Hope for Ending Conflict in Syria, Special Envoy Tells Security Council, Urging Support of Action towards Peace---UN PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 11/ 27/ 17
https://www.un.org/press/en/2017/sc13091.doc.htmPointing to signs of emerging common ground towards implementing the United Nations process for ending the conflict in Syria, the Secretary‑General’s Special Envoy for that country today called on the Security Council to support meaningful progress in the eighth round of talks, due to begin in Geneva on 28 November.
Speaking to the 15 member Council via video teleconference from Geneva, Staffan de Mistura emphasized that emerging threads of consensus must be stitched into a universal resolve to implement Security Council resolution 2254 (2015). That text outlined a course of action, under the aegis of the United Nations, to draft a new constitution and hold inclusive elections as the basis for a Syrian-led, Syrian-owned process to end the conflict.
Following several international meetings and the ouster of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) from its headquarters town of Raqqa, new opportunities for progress existed, he said.
He had been stressing to the parties that they should come to the talks with no preconditions, he continued. The Government and the opposition delegations should be ready to negotiate, with the opposition united in its position, he said, adding that he looked forward to progress on the path to a new constitution and elections supervised by the United Nations.
In addition, all other initiatives for peace must support the United Nations process based on resolution 2254 (2015), he underscored. There had been positive signals in the recent meetings in the Russian Federation that brought together the Russian and Syrian Presidents, as well as the Presidents of Turkey and Iran. Reports on the matter had noted that Syrian President Assad had expressed support for the resolution and the Geneva process. Given those reports, Mr. de Mistura said that, although those officials had not yet arrived in Geneva, he hoped for the Syrian Government’s full participation in the upcoming talks.
He also noted that full support for the implementation of resolution 2254 (2015) had been expressed by the Russian Federation and the United States Presidents after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Viet Nam.
Reporting on his activities at a meeting of Syrian opposition groups in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Mr. de Mistura welcomed their wide diversity, including some who had previously participated in the first Riyadh meeting, the Cairo platform and the Moscow platform. He particularly welcomed the active participation of women, as well as independent representatives, activists, established political parties, tribal leaders and businessmen. He called on them to move ahead in unity.
On the results of the Riyadh meeting, he said that a Negotiation Commission had been formed and was now on their way to Geneva, having agreed to negotiate without preconditions on the resolution’s basis. In addition, participants had unequivocally rejected terrorism and had agreed that the solution to the Syrian crisis was political, not military.
Building the foundations for a wider Syrian process, more than 200 civil society actors would be engaged in Geneva as well, he said. The Women’s Advisory Board, Syrian constitutional experts, human rights groups and refugee community leaders based in neighbouring countries would all attend.
He said he would urge political principles to move into serious discussions and progressive negotiations, again without preconditions. He would be looking to see how parties engaged in the room, regardless of their public statements on the issues. With good will, it should be possible to narrow the differences on their vision of the future, as well as make progress on issues such as abductees, detainees, missing persons and counter-terrorism.
“The time has come to demonstrate to the Syrian people that they care about their survival and their lives,” he said, referring to the obligations of leaders of all parties. The support of the Security Council would be essential if the process was to move forward in a meaningful way, he stressed.
Luis Homero Bermúdez Álvarez (Uruguay) pointed out that a military victory by the Syrian Government would be a Pyrrhic victory. Welcoming the loss of power by terrorist groups, he underlined the importance of accountability for their crimes and commended efforts to unite the opposition and to have women present at negotiations. The de-escalation areas were temporary and the territorial integrity and unity of Syria must be preserved, he stated.
Sacha Sergio Llorentty Solíz (Bolivia), paying tribute to the Government and people of Syria in their fight against Da’esh, emphasized the importance of preventing the formation of new terrorist groups. Any unilateral military action was illegal and contrary to the principles of the United Nations Charter. Welcoming the holding of meetings, he urged all stakeholders to deliver on urgent decisions and deal with the issue of detainees, abductees and missing persons. He also stressed that an inclusive political process that safeguarded the sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of Syria was the only way forward.
Ahead of the briefing, the Security Council stood in silence in memory of the victims of the recent terrorist attack on a mosque in Ismailia, Egypt.
(PAGE 2) Security Council Committee Concerning Libya Amends Entry of Vessel on Its Sanctions List---UN PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 11/ 27/ 17
https://www.un.org/press/en/2017/sc13093.doc.htmOn 27 November 2017, the Committee enacted the amendment specified with strikethrough and underline in the entry below on its List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and other measures relating to attempts to illicitly export petroleum, including crude oil and refined petroleum products, from Libya (the Libya Sanctions List), set out in paragraphs 15 and/or 17 of Security Council resolution 1970 (2011) and/or paragraph 19 of resolution 1973 (2011), or paragraph 10 of resolution 2146 (2014) as extended and modified by paragraph 2 of resolution 2362 (2017), adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.
NEWS FROM THE UN NEWS CENTER
Violence drives more Rohingyas to Bangladesh; in Myanmar, Pope appeals for tolerance – UN
28 November 2017 – While their numbers have dropped in recent weeks, hundreds of Rohingya refugees are still crossing the border into Bangladesh from Myanmar every day, the United Nations migration agency said Tuesday.
UNESCO chief calls for investigation into killing of Nigerian photographer
28 November 2017 – The head of the United Nations agency defending press freedom on Tuesday denounced the killing of a Nigerian photographer, calling for an investigation into the incident.
‘No preconditions’ accepted from Syrian parties, UN envoy says ahead of Geneva talks
27 November 2017 – Ahead of fresh intra-Syrian talks on Tuesday in Geneva, the United Nations mediator said Monday that the crisis now has the potential to move towards “a genuine political process.”
UN strongly condemns attack that kills peacekeeper in Central African Republic
27 November 2017 – Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council have strongly condemned Sunday's attack allegedly perpetrated by the anti-Balaka group against a convoy of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, in which one peacekeeper from Egypt was killed and three others were injured.
(PAGE 3) NEWS FROM THE US MISSION TO THE UN
Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)----Ambassador Nikki Haleyhttps://usun.state.gov/remarks/8136
Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you, Ms. Keita, for your briefing.
Every member of this Council is familiar with the horrifying statistics being produced by the violence in South Sudan. Millions of South Sudanese are facing famine and have been driven from their homes. Tens of thousands are dead. Thousands of children have been forced into conflict as child soldiers. I, too, knew these statistics before I traveled to South Sudan in October. But that knowledge did not prepare me for the suffering that I saw there.
I saw a civilian population that is deeply traumatized by the violence they have experienced. And a population that is unacceptably vulnerable to further violence. I saw families living under tarps, on mud floors. I lost count of the number of women who told me they had been raped – often repeatedly. I heard more stories of husbands being shot and babies being taken and killed than anyone should ever hear.
But maybe the most disturbing thing I saw was the seed of hate being planted in future generations. In the refugee camps, children roam around, malnourished and uneducated. Young boys are traumatized and bored. But soon they will be adults. And they will be uneducated, untrained, and resentful of the conditions they’ve been living in. If we don’t do something about the way South Sudanese kids are being raised, we will be dealing with them as adults on the battlefield.
I took pictures of these children and showed them to President Kiir when we met. I told him he could not deny what the pictures represented. To his credit, he didn’t try and deny it. But that’s not enough – it wasn’t then and it isn’t now. Simply acknowledging the problem is not enough. President Kiir must act.
It is the government that bears the primary responsibility for the killing, raping, and torturing in South Sudan. And it is the government that bears the primary responsibility for ending the violence, easing the suffering, and saving future generations of South Sudanese. President Kiir said all the right things in our meeting. He made promises that he’s made before. But now things are different – and I told him so.
Going forward, the United States will judge President Kiir and his government by their actions, not their words. And the actions needed are clear. There is a way to end the violence in South Sudan. As a first step, President Kiir needs to adhere to the ceasefires he has declared many times. No more promises. We need action.
There is a way to reinvigorate the peace process in South Sudan. The country’s leaders – both government and opposition – must take responsibility and seize the opportunity presented by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development.
No more pointing fingers. The process must be inclusive. The parties must be willing to reconsider the parts of the 2015 peace agreement that aren’t working. And the leaders must now lead.
And there is a way to provide for and protect innocent civilians in South Sudan. It’s not complicated. It’s actually very simple: President Kiir and his government must end the violence and allow the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan to do its job.
Every month we continue to receive a report that shows restrictions being placed on the peacekeeping force. Government security forces stop peacekeeping patrols at checkpoints, ask for documents that are not required, and deny UNMISS personnel entry into South Sudan in violation of the status of forces agreement. Every month we see reports detailing how peacekeeping personnel are deliberately and repeatedly harassed, threatened, and even physically assaulted by government forces. The government has stooped so low as to impede peacekeepers from providing water to their own personnel and the people they are supposed to protect. It’s petty, it’s cruel, and it must end.
Words are no longer sufficient. The United States is prepared to pursue additional measures against the government – or any party, for that matter – if they do not act to end the violence and ease the suffering in South Sudan.
That means putting down their weapons, coming to the negotiating table through the High-Level Revitalization Forum, and ending the harassment and obstruction of UNMISS and other organizations that are trying to help the South Sudanese people.
President Kiir’s recent order requiring free and unhindered access for humanitarian groups in South Sudan was a good sign – it was a welcome sign. We encourage him to follow through on his commitment. And to help encourage him, we make this commitment in return: we will be watching. We’re not interested in one-time concessions or a stop-and-go approach to allowing humanitarian access in South Sudan.
The South Sudanese need sustained access to food, water, and basic supplies. We are encouraged by the government’s promise to provide sustained humanitarian access. Again, only actions will prove whether this intent is genuine.
In the midst of all the suffering I saw, I was struck by the hope and the dignity of South Sudan’s people. They want nothing more than to live normal lives. They want to be productive and self-sufficient.
In every camp we visited, we asked the children: if there was one wish they could have come true, what would it be? In each and every case, they said they wanted to go to school.
Most amazing of all were the mothers. With all the physical and emotional hardship they have suffered, and the constant fear of being raped, they did what mothers do. They were still more worried about their children than they were about themselves. They see the promise of their young country slipping away. More importantly, they see their children’s futures being lost to chaos and hate. These mothers’ desire for their children to have a better life should motivate us to act.
It should make us intolerant of more promises and impatient for results. Because these mothers know better than any of us ever could that time is running out for the children of South Sudan.
Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on the Maintenance of International Peace and Security in Libya---Ambassador Michele J. Sison
Press release issued 11/ 28/ 17https://usun.state.gov/remarks/8135
Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you also to UNHCR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi and IOM Director General Bill Swing for their timely updates.
Over the past week, a video of African migrants sold as slaves in Libya has rightly sparked moral outrage around the world. It is an abomination to see human beings bought and sold. These reports should be profoundly disturbing to all of us, and they should inspire us to act. As Ambassador Haley said last week, “there is no place in our world for slavery.” We must hold the perpetrators of such acts accountable for their crimes.
We welcome the Libyan Government of National Accord’s condemnation of slavery and human trafficking and its announcement that it is conducting an investigation into the latest reports. The United States reiterates our call for a full investigation and for those involved to be brought to justice as soon as possible.
This video was the latest of many deeply disturbing reports about the treatment of migrants and asylum seekers in Libya. The fact is that ruthless smugglers are preying on desperate migrants and refugees with no regard at all for human dignity. Human traffickers detain these people in appalling conditions, where beatings, torture, and rape have become commonplace. Migrants and refugees who cannot afford exorbitant ransom payments are abused and exploited. They are forced to work on farms, on construction sites, as part of armed militias and gangs, or as we saw, sold off to the highest bidder.
Under these circumstances, the United States welcomes international efforts to provide assistance and protection to displaced people and migrants in Libya, including the efforts by UNHCR and IOM that we’ve just heard about. The international community must support greater documentation of abuses in Libya, as well as programs to ensure humane treatment for migrants and refugees.
Since 2011, the United States has contributed generously to UNHCR, IOM, and other partners’ regional humanitarian assistance programs, and more than $150 million dollars specifically to help refugees and vulnerable migrants in Libya as well as those displaced internally by violence. Upholding international protection obligations is vital.
We urge the European Union and all Member States to ensure that there is consistent vetting of Libyan partners and an international presence at disembarkation points and in detention facilities, as well as a process to ensure access to protection. Of course, the only long-term solution to the challenge of migration through Libya is to stabilize Libya.
The smugglers responsible for abusing migrants and refugees are part of sophisticated transnational criminal networks that thrive in ungoverned or unstable spaces. These migrant smuggling and human trafficking networks also smuggle arms, narcotics, and illicit fuel across borders. Their earnings support terrorist organizations like ISIS and Al-Qa’ida affiliates. Their presence contributes to Libya’s instability, as well as security challenges that affect the entire Mediterranean and the Sahel. Instability breeds criminal behavior and human rights abuses, which in turn lead to further instability and additional abuses, and the cycle continues.
We should continue looking for any opportunity to disrupt criminal networks in Libya using the tools of this Council, including our Libya sanctions regime. But while we face an immediate imperative to disrupt and dismantle smuggling networks, the members of this Council must also recommit to supporting the UN’s efforts to advance a more stable, unified, and secure Libya. The only viable way to achieve this goal is for all of us to lend our full support to the political process organized by SRSG Ghassan Salamé on the basis of the Libyan Political Agreement, which remains the only valid framework throughout the transitional period.
We must all use our influence to make sure that all actors in Libya engage with the UN in good faith, and stress that political dialogue is the only way forward. Any attempt to assert false deadlines, cut short the UN-facilitated political process, or impose a military solution will only further destabilize Libya, which would only help the smugglers responsible for abusing migrants and refugees.
The United States reiterates its commitment today to ending all forms of slavery, cracking down on the perpetrators, and promoting stability in Libya. It is vital that we work together to achieve these goals. We must rally support to end impunity for these abuses and ensure human rights for all in Libya.
Remarks at a UN Security Council Open Arria-Formula Meeting on Partnership between Afghanistan and Central Asia---Ambassador Michele J. Sison
https://usun.state.gov/remarks/8134
Thank you, and I want to thank Ambassador Umarov, Ambassador Heusgen, and you, Ambassador Saikal, for organizing this meeting. And thank you also to our three briefers this afternoon. Ambassador Umarov, we look forward to Kazakhstan’s upcoming Presidency of the Security Council in January. In particular, we look forward to the Council’s mission to Kabul in January to gain a first-hand perspective on the challenges facing Afghanistan, a perspective which will more fully inform the Council’s work, we hope.
I would like to make three observations about the U.S.’ approach in Afghanistan and how it is in strong alignment with the topic we are discussing here this afternoon.
First, the U.S. agrees that only a comprehensive, consistent, and sustained approach toward Afghanistan, defined by coordinated political, security, and development efforts, offers the prospect for a lasting and sustainable peace in Afghanistan. We’re encouraged that the United Nations and our international partners continue to align their efforts with the commitments made at the Brussels Conference, and we look to the Afghan government to continue working toward its commitments to internal reforms. Indeed, it was this recognition that led to the commitments of the Afghan government and the international community at the Warsaw and Brussels Conferences, to continue support to foster economic development, improve regional economic cooperation, and support the development of Afghan institutions. Ensuring that we maintain that alignment and press for the fulfillment of the commitments made in Brussels will contribute to a coherent international approach in Afghanistan between now and the year 2020.
Second, while we discuss a comprehensive approach, we should recognize that efforts to address the significant security threats currently facing Afghanistan are complementary to those intended to support peacebuilding and development. In announcing the new United States regional strategy for South Asia in August, President Trump made clear that we will continue to support the Afghan government and security forces in Afghanistan in their fight against the Taliban and in their efforts to prevent reestablishment of international terrorist safe havens. The purpose of this support is to demonstrate to the Taliban and to their supporters that they cannot win on the battlefield, while also making clear that there is a real path to peace through negotiations. In this spirit, all of our activities, along with those of our NATO allies, are aligned towards the goal of achieving a political settlement via an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned, inclusive peace process. At the same time, UNAMA and other actors are well-positioned to support local confidence-building measures, strengthen engagement with civil society, and to support national dialogue initiatives that will help prepare the country for a peace process when it begins in earnest.
Third, we are in full agreement that addressing the challenges in Afghanistan requires a regional approach. A central tenet of the United States strategy is that Afghanistan’s security and stability are tied to the security and stability of the entire region, and that we must enlist the region in efforts to bring about peace in Afghanistan. So in addition to deepening economic integration and strengthening efforts to address cross-border threats such as the narcotics trade, we also need to see the region working together politically to support an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process and to use existing channels and influence with the parties in Afghanistan to press them towards negotiations.
(Page 4) U.S. Government Efforts To Advance Business and Human Rights in 2017---US STATE DEPT PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 11/ 27/ 17
https://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/fs/2017/275861.htmThe U.S. government is committed to supporting and advancing respect for human rights among businesses, and has continued to take steps toward this objective in 2017. This document is meant to provide a snapshot of a few examples of the work undertaken in this regard.
Laws and Policies
U.S. government enacts Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. Under this law, any foreign person or company that utilizes North Korean labor, which is presumed to be forced labor, in their supply chains could be subject to sanctions. The law is an example of how the U.S. government takes action to promote internationally recognized labor rights for all workers and creates consequences for entities complicit in human rights abuses. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has a factsheet to guide companies on supply chain due diligence, including under this law.
USAID launches global alliance to promote legal and sustainable seafood. Launched in October, the Seafood Alliance for Legality and Traceability “SALT” brings together the seafood industry, governments, and non-governmental organizations to collaborate on innovative solutions for legal and sustainable seafood, with the goal of increased transparency in seafood supply chains and strengthened management of fisheries.
U.S. government addresses trafficking in persons in federal supply chains. The U.S. government continues to implement the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), “Ending Trafficking in Persons,” which prohibits federal contractors, sub-contractors, and their agents from engaging in human trafficking or activities known to facilitate trafficking. The Department of State continues to conduct training for new acquisition personnel on their roles and a responsibility related to the FAR, and engages other governments to encourage them to examine their own supply chains.
U.S. government commits to publishing a fourth Open Government Partnership (OGP) National Action Plan. In October, the U.S. government notified OGP that it would publish its fourth National Action Plan, and related documents, in early 2018. This extension will allow the additional time needed to work with trusted civil society partners to develop a comprehensive plan reflective of our national priorities.
U.S. National Contact Point undertook a Peer Review September 28-29, 2017. The Peer review assessed how the National Contact Point process is working in practice and how it helps to promote responsible business conduct within the United States.
U.S. government joins G20 leaders' summit declaration, which includes a commitment to labor, social, and environmental standards. Leaders convened in Hamburg on July 7-8 to address major global economic challenges and to contribute to prosperity and well-being. Commitments included establishing and fostering the implementation of policy frameworks on business and human rights and underlining the responsibility of business to exercise due diligence.
U.S. government co-sponsored UN Human Rights Council resolutions that advance business and human rights. In June 2017, the U.S. co-sponsored a resolution extending the mandate of the UN Business and Human Rights Working Group to promote dissemination and implementation of the UN Guiding Principles (GPs). The resolution also calls upon all business enterprises to meet their responsibility to respect human rights in accordance with the GPs. In March 2017, the United States co-sponsored a resolution renewing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Defenders.
The Special Rapporteur’s 2017 annual report focused on defenders in the field of business and human rights. In its interactive dialogue on the issue, the U.S. noted the important role that human rights defenders play in protecting and advancing the fundamental freedoms that create the enabling environment for successful businesses to thrive around the world.
U.S. government submits amicus brief in Jesner et. al. v. Arab Bank. The Jesner case asked whether a corporation can ever be held liable under the Alien Tort Statute. The U.S. took the position, consistent with its position in Kiobel, that the court below “erred in holding that a corporation can never be subject to a ‘civil action’ for a ‘tort’ in violation of the law of nations” under the Alien Tort Statute, but that other obstacles might prevent this particular case from moving forward.
U.S. government joins U.K. Call to Action on Human Trafficking. The U.S. government endorsed U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May’s Call to Action to end Forced Labour, Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking. Released on September 20, 2017, and endorsed by 37 states, the Call To Action expresses a political commitment to “combating the exploitation of human beings for the purposes of compelled labour or commercial sex through the use of force or other forms of coercion, or fraud.”
Tools
U.S. Department of Labor releases new “Comply Chain” mobile app. The app is designed to help companies and business groups develop robust social compliance systems to root out child labor and forced labor from global supply chains.
U.S. Department of State awards $25M to Global Fund to End Modern Slavery. This award is for a three-year program to reduce the prevalence of modern slavery in specific countries or regions around the world. A portion of the $25 million will support grants focused on combating human trafficking in select industries. The Program will seek to raise commitments of $1.5 billion in support from other governments and private donors.
U.S. Department of State updates tools to prevent human trafficking in global supply chains. The State Department and NGO Verité are adding new sector-specific materials to the Responsible Sourcing Tool, an online platform with resources to help federal contractors, acquisitions officers, and businesses identify, prevent, and address human trafficking risks in their global supply chains. The site contains information on sectors and commodities at risk for trafficking or trafficking-related activities, as well as 10 risk management tools and a set of seafood sector specific tools. Recent efforts include increased data analytics, marketing, and evaluations to analyze current usage, drive new users to the site, and enhance the tools’ effectiveness.
USAID undertakes Three Responsible Land-Based Investment Pilots. The three pilots are with Illovo Sugar in Mozambique, the Moringa Partnership in Kenya, and Hershey in Ghana. USAID partners with the private sector to better understand and mitigate land tenure risks associated with agribusiness investments in the developing world. Through these partnerships, USAID works to secure legitimate land rights and to improve livelihoods and other outcomes for communities in the investment areas.
U.S. Department of Labor supports project to reduce child labor in production of vanilla in Madagascar. The project works with vanilla exporters to develop a supply chain traceability system to ensure their supply chains are free of child labor.
U.S. Department of State and USAID renew Public-Private Alliance for Responsible Minerals Trade. It was renewed for another 5 years. The U.S. Department of Labor also joined. The Alliance consists of thirty members from NGOs, trade associations, and private companies to address conflict minerals in the Great Lakes Region of Africa.
USAID launches a second Land Tenure and Property Rights Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in 2017. The course, publicly available, includes three new modules on geospatial data and technology, customary and community tenure, and USAID programming as it relates to land tenure and property rights.
USAID updates Land Governance Profiles. USAID creates and/or updates 15 such profiles (Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Ukraine and Zambia) to be completed by May of 2018. These profiles are an invaluable introduction for businesses that are looking to make land-based investments in a given country, and are conscientious about investing in an ethical and responsible manner.
NEWS FROM THE US DEFENSE DEPT
Attack in Egypt Highlights Need for U.S. Involvement in Region, Official Says
WASHINGTON, Nov. 27, 2017 — The Nov. 24 attack on an Egyptian mosque in northern Sinai that killed at least 305 men, women and children is an example of why the United States must remain involved in the Middle East, Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Rob Manning said today.
U.S. Forces Ready to Fight, Win, Says Chairman’s Enlisted Advisor
WASHINGTON, Nov. 27, 2017 — The military’s top enlisted advisor said today that on the worst day of his military career, he knew he was in good hands with the U.S. armed forces.
Inherent Resolve Strikes Target ISIS in Syria, Iraq
SOUTHWEST ASIA, Nov. 27, 2017 — U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 11 strikes consisting of 36 engagements Nov. 24 and 25, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
Daily Bible Verse: [ Thanksgiving to God for His Enduring Mercy ] Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever.
Psalm 136:1,26 NKJV
Free bible studies (WBS)
https://www.worldbibleschool.org/
Learn english using the bible as text (WEI)
http://www.worldenglishinstitute.org/
(Join us in worship every Sunday starting at 10:30AM Church of Christ)
http://www.pacofc.org/index.php
