HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld and Production and Trade Minister Sonsoles García
Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld and Production and Trade Minister Sonsoles García
Readout
December 13, 2023
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld and Production and Trade Minister Sonsoles García today in Washington, D.C. Secretary Blinken and Ministers Sommerfeld and García discussed important bilateral issues including humane migration management, security, and trade. The Secretary expressed his appreciation for Ecuador’s partnership on our Safe Mobility Office Initiative and the recent opening of a Safe Mobility Office in Quito. The Secretary also underscored our important collaboration with Ecuador in countering narcotics in the region, supporting democracy, and expanding trade opportunities under the Americas Partnership.
Secretary Blinken’s Call with Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski
Readout
December 13, 2023
The following is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:
Secretary Blinken spoke today with Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, congratulating him on his appointment as foreign minister. The Secretary expressed his strong commitment to advancing the U.S.-Poland partnership, based on our shared history and transatlantic values. Secretary Blinken also welcomed Poland’s ongoing assistance to Ukraine and its people, continued bilateral defense and civil nuclear energy cooperation, and dedication to the NATO Alliance.
Office of the Spokesperson
On December 12, a Coalition for Climate Entrepreneurship (CCE) Hub opened in Marrakech’s Emerging Business Factory, through a collaboration between the U.S. Department of State and the Near East Foundation with support from the Elsa & Peter Soderberg Charitable Foundation and Islamic Relief USA. The CCE Hub is a makerspace that will provide climate-focused entrepreneurs access to the hardware, software, community, and resources they need to scale their ventures and bring low-carbon solutions to market. Over the next 24 months the CCE Hub in Marrakech will engage dozens of companies from the MENA region.
From December 11-15, the CCE Hub hosted an incubator for emerging entrepreneurs, which included interactive workshops, coaching sessions, and project presentations by innovative start-ups. On the final day, the most promising start-ups were selected for further mentorship and training. By tackling global issues such as the climate crisis and skills-building, programming within CCE Hub Morocco looks to forge a future in which innovation works in tandem with generating positive environmental and social impact.
To learn more about the Coalition for Climate Entrepreneurship, visit https://www.state.gov/
Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson
The United States is imposing sanctions today on eight Hamas officials and facilitators for their actions representing the group’s interests abroad and managing its finances. This is the fourth round of sanctions that we have imposed since Hamas’s October 7 horrible attack.
Over two months ago, Hamas brought a tragic war to Gaza and has compounded and perpetuated the suffering of people in Gaza at every step of the crisis it created.
We closely coordinated this action with the United Kingdom, which is concurrently targeting several key Hamas officials with sanctions. The United States and our allies and partners are steadfast in our commitment to dismantling networks that support Hamas funding streams as part of our continuous effort to prevent and deter its terrorist activity.
The Department of the Treasury is taking these actions pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended. For more information on this designation, see Treasury’s press release.
