Foreign Affairs

Libya - Jean-Yves Le Drian's participation in the Libya Stability Support Conference - 21 October 2021

Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, went to Tripoli today to meet Mohamed Menfi, Chairman of the Presidential Council, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, Prime Minister, and his own counterpart Najla Mangoush, and to participate in the Libya Stability Support Conference organized by the Government of National Unity. The Minister urged all Libya's leaders to conclude the political process embarked upon. He emphasized how important it is for the presidential and parliamentary (...)

Updated: Tue Oct 26 2021

President Biden Announces Key Nominations

WASHINGTON - Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to serve in key roles: Jessica Rosenworcel, Nominee for Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission Gigi Sohn, Nominee for Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission Alan Davidson, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information at the National Telecommunications and Information...

Updated: Tue Oct 26 2021

Readout of President Biden's Meeting with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and congratulated him on thirty years of moral and spiritual leadership as Ecumenical Patriarch. The President expressed relief at the Ecumenical Patriarch's speedy recovery. They discussed efforts to confront climate change, steps to end the global COVID-19 pandemic, and the importance of...

Updated: Tue Oct 26 2021

Readout of President Biden's Participation in the U.S.-ASEAN Summit

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. today joined leaders of the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) member states and the ASEAN Secretary General for the annual U.S.-ASEAN Summit. He reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to strengthening our partnership with ASEAN as well as to its centrality and applauded the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. The President underscored...

Updated: Tue Oct 26 2021

Readout of Private Sector Roundtable on Operation Allies Welcome

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas, and White House Coordinator for Operation Allies Welcome Jack Markell led a roundtable with CEOs to discuss the role of the private sector in effectively welcoming and resettling our Afghan allies. Today, White House Coordinator for Operation Allies Welcome Jack Markell, Secretary of...

Updated: Tue Oct 26 2021

Remarks by President Biden at the Annual U.S.-ASEAN Summit

Via TeleconferenceSouth Court Auditorium 9:05 A.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you, Sultan, for bringing us together today. And I might say, it's good to see you again. We met when I was a United States senator. You would - we've established a relationship, and it's good to see you looking well and running this meeting. Brunei's...

Updated: Tue Oct 26 2021

Russia - Q&A - (22 Oct. 2021)

Q: Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said yesterday that the French authorities are continuing to delay the signing of the French-Russian agreement governing the legal status of the Russian Orthodox Spiritual and Cultural Center and are refusing to issue visas to certain Center staff members. Why has the signing of this document been delayed? When is it expected to be signed? And why the refusal to issue visas? A: An intergovernmental agreement to define the legal (...)

Updated: Tue Oct 26 2021

Speech by M. Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, at the Libya Stability Support Conference (Tripoli,

"Ministers, Secretary-General, Special Envoy, Ambassadors, Officers, Ladies and gentlemen, We're gathered in Tripoli today at your invitation, Minister, to see how far things have come over the past few months and continue along this path, the one towards Libya's stability. Since my last visit to Tripoli more than six months ago with my Italian counterpart, Luigi di Maio, who is alongside us today, and with our German colleague, the progress made on the political and security fronts has (...)

Updated: Tue Oct 26 2021

Statement by Press Secretary Jen Psaki on the President and Vice President's Meeting with the CBC, CHC, CAPAC, Equality Caucu

This afternoon, the President and Vice President joined a meeting with chairs and members of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, Congressional Women's Caucus, and White House senior staff to discuss continued progress on negotiations for the Build Back Better Act. Their conversations centered on...

Updated: Tue Oct 26 2021

Taiwan - Q&A - (22 Oct. 2021)

Q: U.S. President Joe Biden said publicly that force could be used to defend Taiwan in the event of a military attack by the People's Republic of China. What does France say? R: As an Indo-Pacific nation, France is committed to respecting the status quo. It reaffirms its support for the development of peaceful relations between the two sides of the strait and encourages dialogue for that (...)

Updated: Tue Oct 26 2021

Turkey - Q&A - (25 Oct. 2021)

Q: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an announced on Saturday that he had ordered the expulsion "as quickly as possible" of 10 ambassadors, including the ambassador of France, who had called for the release of opposition figure Osman Kavala. Has the Quai d'Orsay been officially notified of this decision? How is France responding to this unusual measure? A: The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs has received no official information from the Turkish authorities on this (...)

Updated: Tue Oct 26 2021

Uganda - Visit by Franck Riester (Oct. 25)

Franck Riester, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, will be in Uganda today. There he will be hosted by President Yoweri Museveni. He will convey France's strong condemnation of the attack in Kampala this past Saturday and will express our country's complete solidarity with Uganda. As part of the strengthening of our bilateral relationship, he and the Ugandan president will discuss stepping up our economic (...)

Updated: Tue Oct 26 2021

A Proclamation on Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-?19 Pandemic

The continued spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global threat to our health and safety. COVID-19 has resulted in more than 733,000 deaths in the United States and more than 4,932,000 deaths worldwide. New variants of SARS-CoV-2 have also emerged globally, and variants that are more transmissible or cause...

Updated: Mon Oct 25 2021

Fact Sheet: Biden Administration Releases Additional Detail for Implementing a Safer, More Stringent International Air Travel

As we continue to work to protect people from COVID-19, today, the Biden Administration is releasing additional detail around implementation of the new international air travel policy requiring foreign national travelers to the United States to be fully vaccinated. This updated policy puts in place an international travel system that is stringent, consistent across the...

Updated: Mon Oct 25 2021

Letter to Congress on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to The Democratic Republic of the Congo

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES: Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency...

Updated: Mon Oct 25 2021

Remarks by President Biden on Build Back Better and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal

NJ Transit Meadowlands Maintenance ComplexKearny, New Jersey 1:56 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Hello, New Jersey! (Applause.) Thank you, Lieutenant Commander Mikie Sherrill. Well, Governor Murphy, so many of the national challenges we're confronting are areas where you're already leading - and that's not hyperbole - whether it's making healthcare or preschool or college...

Updated: Mon Oct 25 2021

Remarks by Vice President Harris During a Meeting on Climate Change

Secretary of War SuiteEisenhower Executive Office Building 2:46 P.M. EDT THE VICE PRESIDENT: Hi, everyone. Good to see all the friends. I'm glad you're here. Well, I wanted to stop by. I knew the extraordinary national and international leaders were here visiting today. Emmy told me - Brian and Gina - we've been talking a...

Updated: Mon Oct 25 2021

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Meeting with Burmese NUG Representativ

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met virtually today with Burmese NUG representatives Duwa Lashi La and Zin Mar Aung. Mr. Sullivan underscored continued U.S. support for the pro-democracy movement in Burma and they discussed ongoing efforts to restore Burma's path to democracy. Mr. Sullivan expressed concern over the Burmese military's brutal violence and noted that...

Updated: Mon Oct 25 2021

Readout of the President's Breakfast Meeting with Leader Schumer and Senator Manchin

This morning, the President hosted Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Joe Manchin for breakfast at his home in Wilmington for what was a productive discussion about the Build Back Better Agenda, including equipping Americans to get back to work and making our economy deliver for the middle class - not just those at the top. They...

Updated: Sun Oct 24 2021