About the Author: Jack Detsch serves in the Office of Plans, Policy, and Analysis(PM/PPA) in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. He is a senior at George Washington University.

Security Sector Reform is a critical mission for the U.S. Department of State. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense, we help nations turn the page on past practices and establish effective and accountable security institutions that respect human rights and can positively contribute to promoting regional peace and security. As Nepal continues to emerge from a decade long civil conflict, these reform efforts are making a difference.

On November 21, 2006, a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) ended a 10-year civil war with Maoist insurgents and abolished the monarchy. The conflict left Nepal with significant challenges, including internal population displacement and the decline of a once-vibrant tourism industry.

For Nepal’s peace to survive, the new government also needed to enact robust reforms to rebuild its army, police, and other security… more »

About the Author: Jonathan Shrier serves as Acting Special Representative for Global Food Security.

World Food Day is a reminder and call to action for the international community to strengthen efforts to end world hunger and malnutrition.

Today, nearly one billion people suffer from chronic hunger, which means that they do not get enough food to satisfy their body’s basic nutritional needs.

Feed the Future is the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative and works with partner countries to support their own agriculture development objectives to increase agricultural productivity and improve nutrition, which can help reduce poverty and hunger. Seventy-five percent of the world’s poor live in rural areas in developing countries, where most people’s livelihoods rely directly on agriculture, and women in the developing world make up to forty-three percent of the agriculture…more »

More: Trip Page | Interactive Travel Map

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled to Lima, Peru, on October 15 and 16. In Peru, she met with Peruvian President Ollanta Humala to discuss bilateral and regional cooperation. After her meeting with the President, Secretary Clinton said:

“…The United States and Peru work together on many shared challenges and priorities. We are working together to promote citizen security and to work against the drug traffickers. We are working to support you in your ongoing efforts against the terrorists who have for too long brought violence to too many people throughout… more »

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton highlights women’s financial inclusion during her remarks after meeting with Peruvian President Ollanta Humala at the Palacio de Gobierno in Lima, Peru, October 15, 2012. [Go to http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2012/10/199177.htm for a text transcript.]

Ambassador Susan E. Rice, the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, delivers remarks at the Security Council Open Debate on the Middle East in New York, New York, October 15, 2012. [Go to http://usun.state.gov/briefing/statements/199137.htm for a text transcript.]

Remarks

Well, thank you very much, Mr. President, for the warm welcome. I’m delighted to be back here in Lima.

I have been looking forward to tomorrow’s conference as we discuss ways to tap the potential of women and further social inclusion and economic progress here in Peru. I think it is very fitting that you are hosting this conference during Social Inclusion Week, because there is no doubt that providing more opportunities for people who historically have been left out of progress in our hemisphere will benefit all of us.

We applaud your government establishing the new Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion, and we want to work with you to give every child – every young boy and every young girl – the chance to fulfill his or her God-given potential. As you said, Mr. President, the United States and Peru work together on many shared challenges and priorities. We are working together to promote citizen security and to work against the drug traffickers. We are working to support you in your ongoing efforts against the terrorists who have for too long brought violence to too many people throughout Peru. We are working to protect Peru’s magnificent environment and cultural treasures. And we are working to support your efforts to spur broad-based development that is as important in the cities as it is in the rural areas. MORE.

About the Author: Tomicah Tillemann serves as the Secretary of State’s Senior Advisor for Civil Society and Emerging Democracies.

Today, I’ve come together with more than 500 activists, academics, and policymakers to participate in the World Movement for Democracy’s Seventh Assembly in Lima, Peru. The Assembly is a key gathering for civil society leaders from dozens of countries, and participants at the meeting are working to develop new strategies for advancing democracy, dignity, and opportunity worldwide.

This year’s Assembly is taking place from October 14 to 17, and it’s built around the theme of “Democracy for All: Ensuring Political, Social and Economic Inclusion.” Peru, like many Latin American countries, has made significant political and economic progress over the last decade. But… more »

Deputy Secretary of State William Burns says security and stability are key to continued economic prosperity in the East Asia and Pacific region as he addresses U.S. Policy Priorities for the East Asia and the Pacific Region during his visit to Tokyo, Japan, October 15, 2012. Go to http://video.state.gov for more video and text transcript.]

Special Briefing

MODERATOR: Good morning, everyone. Just to take a few minutes of your time, we’ll do a backgrounder with two Senior Administration Officials. So you know who they are, we have [Senior Administration Official One], and we have [Senior Administration Official Two]. She’ll be giving you a good preview as well. So we’ll just, again, spend a few minutes. [Senior Administration Official One] will talk, then [Senior Administration Official Two], and then we’ll take any of your questions.

So with that, let me turn it over to the first Senior Administration Official.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL ONE: Good morning. Thanks for coming along today. We think this is a great opportunity to go down to Peru and see what is happening in that country. There’s a Social Inclusion Conference. President Humala has made it one of his trademarks to focus on socially inclusive growth. This is kind of the first fruits of that effort, this international conference, to sort of talk about the ways and means of going about that.

Humala has proven to be a good partner for us, both in this area, which is, of course, very important to us in the Administration, but also on the citizen security side. There are citizen security challenges which remain in Peru and President Humala is doing his best to address those, and we’re trying to be helpful in that regard. The big picture in the hemisphere, we have the four policy goals: socially inclusive growth, energy partnerships, citizen security, and working on the institutionality of democratic governance. So this sort of hits on all of those themes. MORE.

Deputy Secretary of State William Burns discusses the United States’ commitment to free and transparent trade as he addresses U.S. Policy Priorities for the East Asia and the Pacific Region during his visit to Tokyo, Japan, October 15, 2012. Go to http://video.state.gov for more video and text transcript.]