On July 24, eight British Members of Parliament (MPs) will begin the 40th annual British American Parliamentary Group (BAPG) exchange program in Washington, D.C. The MPs will meet with Republican and Democratic members of Congress before traveling to their counterpart U.S. Representatives’ home districts. The BAPG exchange has been exchanging ideas since 1977 under the auspices of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program. These collaborations strengthen the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom that is necessary to solve global challenges.

This year, participating MPs representing the Conservative Party, Labour Party, and the Scottish National Party include Suella Fernandes, Rehman Chishti, David Morris, Kerry McCarthy, Michelle Donelan, Gerald Jones, Holly Lynch, and Tommy Sheppard. They will experience U.S. regional diversity in Nebraska, Arkansas, California, Alabama, New York, and Arizona. The MPs will network with leaders and staffers, and discuss significant domestic and foreign policy issues at the federal, state, and local levels. The program concludes with a final meeting in Boston, Massachusetts.

For further information, please contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at eca-press@state.gov.

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On behalf of the United States, congratulations to the Colombian people on the 207th anniversary of your independence.

As the first Independence Day celebrated since the historic peace agreement which ended half a century of conflict, this is an especially meaningful day for the people of Colombia. Colombia and the United States are key partners in maintaining security, fighting transnational crime, and ensuring regional stability. We look forward to strengthening the economic and cultural relationships that will continue to produce opportunities for both our people.

We congratulate all Colombians on this momentous anniversary of your nation’s independence.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

The United States welcomes the recent announcements by the Governments of Sudan and Saudi Arabia underscoring Sudan’s commitment to sustain positive dialogue with the United States and to continue collective efforts to fight terrorism. As outlined in the 2016 U.S. Country Report on Terrorism issued July 19, the United States notes Sudan’s improved counterterrorism efforts through enhanced interagency and international cooperation to address the threat from ISIS and other terrorist organizations, and its willingness to pursue counterterrorism operations alongside regional partners, including operations to counter threats to U.S. interests and personnel in Sudan.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

The text of the following statement was issued jointly by the Governments of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Norway, and the European Union.

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The members of the Troika (Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and the European Union condemn the continuing violence in South Sudan, especially the Government of South Sudan’s current offensive against SPLM-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) forces near Pagak, as well as ongoing road ambushes and attacks by the SPLM-IO. The Pagak offensive is a clear violation of the unilateral ceasefire declared by President Salva Kiir on May 22, and calls into question the government’s commitment to reach peace through the National Dialogue, notwithstanding the sincere efforts undertaken by the leaders of the Steering Committee.

The Troika and EU repeat and endorse the June 12 call by the leaders of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) for President Kiir to ensure that his forces respect the unilateral ceasefire, for the armed opposition groups to reciprocate the ceasefire, and for all groups to allow the unfettered delivery of humanitarian assistance to all those in need. We also welcome IGAD’s announcement of a High-Level Revitalization Forum for the South Sudan peace process. We call upon IGAD to expeditiously convene the Forum, and to include the current principal parties to the conflict. Likewise, we urge all parties to fully participate in the Forum. The Troika and EU agree with IGAD that the Forum should focus on achieving a ceasefire and resuming political dialogue that focuses on updating the agreement’s timelines and other provisions that are now obsolete in light of the expansion of conflict since 2015.

The proliferation of violence, displacement, and food insecurity renders any discussion of elections in the foreseeable future as an unnecessary diversion from the primary goals of achieving peace and reconciliation. South Sudan’s leaders, neighbors, and regional and international partners must first focus on achieving peace in order to create the conditions needed to hold credible elections. To achieve these urgent goals, we look forward to the prompt revitalization of an inclusive and credible peace process by IGAD; such progress would be required in order for the Troika and EU to commit further resources to institutions designed to implement the agreement.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.