Category: Aug2014

The following open letter by First Lady Michelle Obama appeared this morning on Seventeen.com. http://www.seventeen.com/college/advice/michelle-obama-africa-leaders-summit-open-letter-education-disparities Additionally, the symposium for spouses hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama and Mrs. Laura Bush is being livestreamed today at http://www.whitehouse.gov/us-africa-leaders-summit. Did you know that right now, 62 million girls around the world are not in school, and in some…

More than $200 million committed to programs that will empower more than 1 million people in Africa Today, the Office of First Lady Michelle Obama, the George W. Bush Institute, and the U.S. Department of State hosted a day-long symposium for spouses entitled Investing in Our Future at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. The symposium brought…

Washington, D.C., August 4-6, 2014 I.                    Background President Obama welcomed leaders from across the African continent to Washington, D.C., for a three-day U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, the first of its kind.  The largest event any U.S. President has held with African heads of state and government, the Summit strengthened ties between the United States and one…

President Barack Obama today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to Bogota, Colombia to attend the Inauguration of His Excellency Juan Manuel Santos, President of the Republic of Colombia on August 7, 2014. The Honorable Thomas A. Shannon, Jr., Counselor of the Department of State, will lead the delegation. Members of the Presidential Delegation:…

Vice President Joe Biden spoke today with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko about the situation in eastern Ukraine. President Poroshenko informed the Vice President about Russia’s direct involvement in the conflict as a result of incidents of ordnance fired at Ukrainian military forces from the Russian side of the border.  The two leaders expressed concern with…

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Washington, D.C. 3:20 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT:   Thank you so much.  Thank you.  Please be seated.  Well, good afternoon, everybody.  To Mayor Bloomberg, thank you — not only for the kind introduction, but to Bloomberg Philanthropies as our co-host, and for the great work that you’re doing across Africa to help create…

South Lawn 9:02 P.M. PDT THE PRESIDENT:  Good evening, everybody.  Please have a seat.  On behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White House.  This city, this house, has welcomed foreign envoys and leaders for more than two centuries.  But never before have we hosted a dinner at the White House like this, with…

National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice met on Monday with Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam of the Republic of Mauritius at the White House. Ambassador Rice and Prime Minister Ramgoolam discussed our strong bilateral relationship, rooted in democratic values and a commitment to advancing broad economic growth. In the context of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, the…

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, President Obama nominated Judge Jorge Luis Alonso and John Robert Blakey to serve on the United States District Courts. “Throughout their careers, these distinguished individuals have demonstrated a steadfast commitment to public service,” said President Obama. “I am confident they will serve the American people with distinction from the District Court…

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE: Jorge Luis Alonso, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, vice Ronald A. Guzman, retiring. John Robert Blakey, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, vice James Holderman, retired.