Speeches Shim
Congratulations to the National AIDS Authority and all partners for their hard work developing this strategic, multi-sectoral roadmap to eliminating HIV as a public health threat.
The plan highlights the efforts needed from key ministries over the next four years to create social and legal protections for people living with HIV and other key populations, along with steps to ensure the sustainability of the HIV response. Implementation of the fifth National Strategic Plan will require close inter-ministerial collaboration, and today’s meeting is a critical step to advance that agenda.
Religious freedom and faith are core elements of society. Faith communities are the glue that keep diverse populations together, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean. Faith-based communities are uniquely positioned to uncover and shed light upon oppression happening behind the veil of tyranny.
Thanks to the tenacious leadership of President Trump, the U.S. is leading the global response to the pandemic. The U.S. Government has committed more than $20.5 billion to fight COVID-19, including more than $1.6 billion in State Department and USAID assistance. I want to thank the other donor governments joining us today for their humanitarian leadership. I echo Deputy Secretary Biegun’s comments about how important it is to convene this group.
Women entrepreneurs play a vital role in enriching the civic and political life of democratic societies not only through individual business ownership but through collective action. The U.S. government believes that networks of women entrepreneurs are the cornerstone of civic development. Cambodian women entrepreneurs can wield their economic influence to advocate for reforms that benefit the broader Cambodian private sector.
Today, I want to tell you about how USAID is advancing international religious freedom and protecting the sanctity of life. The President and Vice President have made promoting religious freedom abroad a top priority for this Administration. President Trump recognizes that religious freedom is our first freedom, and we at USAID are fully committed to protecting it.
This year we mark the 70th anniversary US-Cambodia diplomatic relations and an appreciation for the importance of the environment is yet another tie that binds Cambodians and Americans. USAID has supported environmental conservation programs for more than a decade in Cambodia. Our program currently targets the two major biodiversity-significant landscapes of Prey Lang and the Eastern Plains. Our efforts have contributed to the protection of key critical endangered species in those landscapes. We work closely with communities, government ministries, local authorities, and NGOs to help protect Cambodia’s national heritage. But we need the general public’s help. The youth, the private sector, and commitments from all stakeholders are critical if we are to successfully protect Cambodia’s remaining forest, wildlife, and biodiversity.
At USAID, we promote free trade among free people. We value, support, and nurture inclusive economic growth, democratic governance, and self-reliance. Our work removes conditions that give rise to violent extremism and decreases vulnerability to hostile nation-state actors. We work tirelessly to make sure that all who wish to live in freedom and prosperity can do so.
he Feed the Future Innovation Labs that we are announcing today truly represent the best of the American spirit. And they’re good for America, too. They help us build lasting friendships with other nations. They remind everyone of what America stands for...and that is economic prosperity… long and healthy lives…and human dignity.
The economic impacts of COVID-19 in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras have been undeniable. In this year alone, GDP in the region may drop by a stunning 8 percent. And we know that it’s the workers in the informal economy that will be hit the hardest. That’s why the U.S. is working with the region to respond to the pandemic and accelerate private investment.
Today, on International Day of Democracy, we celebrate all that USAID has accomplished in the realm of democracy and governance. And we look ahead to the opportunities and challenges that the future holds.
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