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Today, as we commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, we celebrate the tremendous progress our country has made in bringing clean drinking water to all Americans – and we recommit ourselves to the work still to come.  

I am proud to have been one of the Senators who supported this landmark legislation. Before the Safe Drinking Water Act, America’s drinking water was unreliable and too often polluted with industrial waste or disease-causing contaminants. The Act was passed to meet these challenges head-on, and five decades later, our nation enjoys some of the safest drinking water in the world.

Along with the long-standing leadership of Vice President Harris, I have fought to ensure that the full vision of the Safe Drinking Water Act is realized by tackling the key challenges facing our drinking water system today, including toxic lead pipes, PFAS “forever chemicals,” aging water infrastructure, and pollution impacting our rivers, streams, and wetlands. Our Administration combined historic investments – including more than $50 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – and regulatory policies – including the first-ever requirement to identify and replace lead pipes within ten years – to make historic progress investing in key water infrastructure, including in Indigenous and rural communities, while also creating good-paying jobs and helping advance environmental justice.

Vice President Harris and I have always believed that every person in this country deserves to turn on a faucet and have clean drinking water. And because of my Administration’s investments and actions in water safety, a new legacy of clean, high-quality drinking water for our families and communities will continue to be felt for generations to come.

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Action Uplifts Women’s History by Honoring the First Woman Cabinet Secretary, Longest-Serving Secretary of Labor, and a Key Architect of the New Deal

Today President Biden will sign a proclamation establishing the Frances Perkins National Monument in Newcastle, Maine, to honor the historic contributions of America’s first woman Cabinet Secretary and the longest-serving Secretary of Labor.

Frances Perkins was the leading architect behind the New Deal and led many labor and economic reforms that continue to benefit Americans today. During her 12 years as Secretary of Labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, she envisioned and helped create Social Security; helped millions of Americans get back to work during the Great Depression; fought for the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively; and established the minimum wage, overtime pay, prohibitions on child labor, and unemployment insurance.

During a visit to the Department of Labor’s Frances Perkins Building, President Biden will showcase Frances Perkins’s foundational legacy, which civil rights and women’s rights leaders have built upon to further expand opportunities for all Americans. The President will also highlight how his Administration has continued to stand with labor and strengthen America’s workforce. President Biden is proud to be the most pro-union and pro-worker president in history, including creating the Made in America office; requiring Project Labor Agreements on nearly all major federal construction projects of over $35 million; signing the Butch Lewis Act to save more than one million pensions; and becoming the first president in history to walk a picket line.

The designation of this new national monument advances President Biden’s March 2024 Executive Order to strengthen the recognition of women’s history. In addition to establishing the Frances Perkins National Monument, today Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland will announce five new National Historic Landmarks that will increase the representation of women’s history in historic sites across America and additional new actions to advance President Biden’s Executive Order.

Frances Perkins National Monument

At a time when few women were in leadership positions and just 13 years after the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote, President Roosevelt asked Frances Perkins to become his Secretary of Labor. Perkins told President Roosevelt that if she accepted the position, she intended to execute an ambitious plan to protect American workers. Over her 12 years as Secretary of Labor, Perkins accomplished nearly everything on her list and laid the groundwork for the labor policy and social safety net that we continue to build on today.

The new national monument boundary encompasses the 57 acres of the Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Landmark site in Newcastle, Maine. The Perkins Homestead played a pivotal role in Frances Perkins’ life and was the place Perkins felt most at home. She spent her childhood summers there, and returned frequently for respite throughout her ground-breaking professional career.  

Owned by her family for over 270 years, the Homestead remains much as it looked during Perkins’ lifetime. The 2.3-acre core area of the Homestead has been donated to the National Park Service and is reserved as part of the new monument, including the Perkins’ family home known as the brick house, a barn and outbuilding, gardens, and part of the stone wall surrounding the property. The remaining Homestead landscape extends from the core area to the Damariscotta River to the east, and contains other buildings, structures, gardens, and the paths used by Perkins and her family throughout her life. These lands are currently owned by the Frances Perkins Center which has been managing and preserving them, and they will be reserved and protected as part of the national monument if they are ever donated to the Federal Government in the future.

Advancing Women’s History and Telling a More Complete American Story

The establishment of the Frances Perkins National Monument furthers the Administration’s commitment to recognizing women’s contributions to our country. TheBiden-Harris Administration has invested more than $40 million to restore and support sites that recognize and elevate the stories of women who have shaped American history. Today, the Department of the Interior (DOI) is announcing additional new actions that advance the President’s Executive Order on Honoring and Recognizing Women’s History, including:

• Secretary Haaland is announcing five new National Historic Landmarks, DOI’s highest recognition of a property’s historical, architectural, or archeological significance. These include:
  • The Charleston Cigar Factory in Charleston, South Carolina. This new landmark, historically known as the American Cigar Company Building, will recognize the site where cigar factory workers – led by Black women – went on strike for better pay and working conditions, and against gender and racial discrimination on the job.
  • The Furies Collective House in Washington, D.C. This new landmark recognizes the former home of a group of young activists who created a social and political community credited with recognizing the existence and needs of lesbians in the women’s movement in the early 1970s, and who published a newspaper focused on questions of women’s identity, relationships, and roles in society.
  • The Lucy Diggs Slowe and Mary Burrill House in Washington, D.C. This new landmark includes the residence of Lucy Diggs Slowe, the first dean of women at Howard University, and her partner Mary Burrill. An advocate for educational parity between men and women students, Slowe helped modernize student affairs at Howard and other historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
  • Azurest South in Petersburg, Virginia. This new landmark is designed in the International Style, an architectural style developed in the United States and Europe in the 1920s and 1930s that dominated mid-20th century architecture, by Amaza Lee Meredith, a pioneering Black woman architect.
  • The Peter Hurd and Henriette Wyeth House and Studios in San Patricio, New Mexico. This new landmark recognizes the home and workspace of 20th century Realist painter Henriette Wyeth.    

• The National Park Service is announcing a $500,000 grant from the Historic Preservation Fund to support the renovation of the Seneca Falls Knitting Mill, a part of the Seneca Falls Village Historic District. The Fund’s support will enable the National Women’s Hall of Fame to expand its programming on women’s history and restore the mill, which was one of the few places in Seneca Falls, New York to employ women during its 150 years of operation.
  
• As directed by President Biden, DOI is releasing a new report on representation of women across sites of national importance, including National Historic Landmarks, national monuments, and national park sites. The report assesses which existing federal sites are significant to women’s history and offers opportunities to improve the recognition of women’s contributions to our country across the National Park Service, including through the National Historic Landmark program.

Background on Antiquities Act Designations

President Theodore Roosevelt first used the Antiquities Act in 1906 to designate Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming. Since then, 18 presidents of both parties have used this authority to protect natural and historic features in America, including the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, the Pullman National Monument, and the César E. Chávez National Monument.

The Frances Perkins National Monument will be President Biden’s 13th use of the Antiquities Act and his fourth new national monument commemorating a site that helps tell a more complete American story. Other designations under President Biden include the creation of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument, the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument, and the Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument.

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Willard Hotel
Washington, D.C.

6:06 P.M. EST

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good evening, everyone.  (Applause.)  Good evening.  Good evening.  Good evening.  Happy Holidays.  And thank you all for what you are, what you have done, what you will do. 

Dr. Jill Biden, let me just say, it has been an extraordinary four years, as you have said.  And the work that we have done together — the four of us — I wish some of you were privy to seeing just, you know, before we come on stage when we’re hanging out in the back, or just those long nights when we’re talking about what we want to get done, the challenges we face, but our commitment to seeing it through.

And I’ll say about Jill Biden something that probably most of you know: She’s a tough cookie — (laughter) — who cares so deeply.  You know, Jill is tough.  She has a tough exterior.  She has one of the biggest hearts of anybody I know.  (Applause.)

She cares about the people.  The way she talks, for example, about her students, the way she talks about people who are often overlooked, are just not thought of in any way that they should be, that’s who Jill is.  And so, Jill, it’s been an extraordinary experience to work with you, and our friendship is lifelong, as you know, and I love you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you. 

And can we hear it again for the first second gentleman of the United States — (applause) — also known as my Dougie.  (Laughter.) 

It is so good to be here with everyone this evening, including Chair Jaime Harrison, Finance Chair Chris Korge, and so many others.  (Applause.)

And we are here tonight to thank you all for the work that you have done.  And it has been tireless work. 

When it mattered most, through the entire campaign, including those 107 days, you all rallied.  You rallied.  You opened your homes.  You reached out to your friends and your family. 

You put your personal capital — and by that, I mean your relationships — at stake to talk with people because you care so deeply, and you connected with people and took the time to remind them of what is at stake and what was at stake. 

You sacrificed an extraordinary amount of time not doing other priorities in your life to focus on this campaign and, by extension, to focus on our country and its future. 

With your help, we brought together people from every walk of life and every background, all united by a deep love of country, all motivated by enthusiasm and joy in our fight for America’s future. 

And as a result of your leadership and your support, the National Finance Committee held more than 700 events across the country and raised nearly $700 million — (applause) — an historic achievement, which without a doubt made our campaign stronger. 

So, I thank you again for all you have done.  And I ask that — everyone here that you hold onto and know in your heart and in your spirit that everything you did made a difference and mattered and has impact that is lasting. 

All the work you did to bring these resources together allowed us to do rallies where people from every walk of life would come and they would look around and see that we are one community of people called Americans.  They would look and they would see people they had never met before and feel a sense of their own power in knowing that they are not alone and that we are all in this together. 

You gave people and allowed them to have that feeling, and that can’t be taken away. 

And as we look to the future, we will continue then to rely on your support to make sure our party can continue to do that kind of work, which is about being on the ground, being where the people are, going to them to organize and mobilize and remind people of the power of their voice. 

So, look, the holiday season is one of my favorite times of year — that and my birthday — (laughter) — and our — and our wedding anniversary, of course.  (Laughter.)  Just going to keep digging this hole deeper and deeper.  (Laughter.)

But it’s a time of gratitude and a time of celebration.  And so, it is so important this holiday season to remember we all have so much to celebrate. 

We have a country we love.  We have ideals that we’re very clear about in terms of their importance and the importance of us fighting for those ideals.  And we have each other.  And our work is about being intentional about building community.  Our work is about being intentional about building coalitions.  Our work is fueled by our knowledge that the vast majority of us have so much more in common than what separates us. 

We, who understand that we are all in this together.  We, who, as I like to say, look in the face of a stranger and see a neighbor.  That’s how we do our work.  And we, who know that the true measure of the strength of a leader is not based on who you beat down, it’s based on who you lift up.  (Applause.) 

And that spirit — the spirit with which we do our work — and hear me when I say this — that spirit that fuels the countless hours and days and months of work that you have put into this, that spirit can never be defeated.  Our spirit is not defeated.  We are not defeated.  Let’s be clear about that. 

We are strong.  We are clear about why we are in this.  And because you’re here right now, I say, again, thank you, because not only are you clear about all of that, you’re willing to put in the hard work.  And that work must continue.

We cannot let any circumstance or situation or individual ever take away our power to know why we do what we do and our ability to then get that work done.  And especially because we know what we stand for, and that’s why we know what to fight for. 

We here believe in the promise of America.  We believe in the promise of freedom, of justice, of opportunity and dignity not just so- — for some but for all. 

We know that fighting for the promise of America takes hard work — now, you all can help me finish this; many of you have heard me say it — but we like hard work.  Hard work is good work.  Hard work is joyful work.

And in the new year, we will continue our work with hope, with determination, and with joy. 

So, I’ll close by saying, this holiday season, like any time of the year, let us really be conscious of all the blessings we have.  Let us celebrate the blessings we have.  Let us celebrate in advance the blessings we have yet to create. 

And let us always remember our country is worth fighting for and our spirit will not be defeated.

And I promise you, I will be with you every step of the way.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

And with that, it is my great honor to introduce an incredible leader, who I have had the great blessing and honor and joy of working with for the last four years — spending time with this leader, be it in the Oval Office, the Situation Room, or just sitting around talking about, “Hey, I think we can get this Inflation Reduction Act done.  I think that actually people want a CHIPS and Science Act, and we can get it done.  I think that even though there have been, you know, about 150 years b- — since there’s been a real upgrade on America’s infrastructure, I think we can get it done.  Think we can get done bipartisan work around smart gun safety laws.” 

And I’m going to tell you something about Joe Biden.  He is relentless.  He never gives up.  He cares so deeply about the American people.  And he spends full time in all these places that I just mentioned, including on the world stage, fighting for the American people and fighting for our strength, the respect which we are due, our honor, and our ability to have vision that actually benefits people around the world.  And, most importantly, he is a dear friend to Doug and me and our family. 

I bring you our president, Joe Biden.  (Applause.) 

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, hello, hello.  (Applause.) 

Hello, DNC.  (Applause.)

I want to thank Jaime Harrison for his leadership as chairman. 

There was a congressman down there in his state that called me one day.  He said, “Joe, you’re going to have to decide on a chairman.  Let me tell you who it is.”  (Laughs.)  I said, “Sure.  Whatever you say.”  (Laughter.)  Anyway, it turned out that, Jaime, you’ve done a hell of a job. 

And, you know, the fact is that when we started off — as you’ve heard me say many times, I didn’t plan on running again and — because things had changed in my life.  And — but I got a call from Chris Korge and — and others saying, “You know, we ought to do this.  There’s a lot at stake.” 

I spent my — I know I — you’ve heard me say it, but I know I only look like I’m 40, but — (laughter) — but I’ve been around a long time.  And there’s one advantage of having been the oldest president in American history: I’ve gotten to know virtually every world leader in the last 50 years. 

I know them pretty well.  And what I realized — and more intensely than I ever did before — that we are the essential country.  That’s not hyperbole.  It’s not about what we want to be. 

Ask yourself the question: If we don’t lead the world, who does?  Not a joke.  Who does?  Who leads if we don’t? 

And when I decided to run, it was so we — I thought we could win.  I determined I was going to have a c- — a — a — an administration that looked like America, representing every aspect of America.  And we’ve kept that commitment.  I don’t think anybody is going to be able to turn that around. 

And thanks to all of you for your support to the DNC.  Jill and I, Kamala and Doug could never have gotten to the White House without you.  And that’s not — again, not hyperbole.  We never could have gotten as much done as we did without you. 

You not only contributed to campaigns, but you were — you did something I think even more important.  You’re willing to lend your names, your reputations, and your character to the effort.  You signed that check, you knew what you were doing.  You were putting yourself on the line.  And we’re forever grateful for your character. 

The one thing I’ve always believed about public service, and especially about the presidency, is the importance of asking yourself: Have we left the country in better shape than we found it?

Today, I can say, without — with every fiber of my being, of all my heart, the answer to that question is a resounding yes — yes — (applause) — because of all of you assembled here.

We can be proud we’re leaving America in a better place today than when we came here four years ago. 

This country was living through the worst pandemic the country had seen in a hundred years.  Our economy was in a tailspin.  Millions of people were out of work.  Businesses were being shuttered.  Schools were closed.  And there was no plan for going forward.  Just two weeks before being sworn in, we had just witnessed something we thought would never happen in America: a violent insurrection, encouraged by the man sitting in the White House, on January the 6th.  And so much more.

We’ve come a long way since then.  We passed histor- — historic legislation — laws that literally — are literally building the strongest economy in the world.  There’s not a world leader you can name for me who d- — hasn’t told me at these G7, G20 meeting — all these meetings I meet with them — they wouldn’t trade place with us in a heartbeat.  Laws that, when fully implemented, are going to change America for decades to come. 

But we did know that many of the laws we passed were so consequential it wouldn’t be implemented right away.  It takes time to build those fabs, the factories for chips.  It takes time to get this construction going. 

Over $1.4 trillion in infrastructure — $1 trillion so far in private sector investments in America; the biggest investment ever in climate in the history of the world; and fundamentally transforming our economy to grow from the middle out and the bottom up, not just the top down. 

I fully believe that America is better positioned, because of all of you, to lead the world today than any point in the last 50 years of my career. 

That’s because of you.  Again, not hyperbole.  You lend your reputations, your names to this effort.  It’s not just the contributions you’ve made.  It’s just stepping up, putting yourself on the line.

You should be so damn proud of the work we’ve done together.  You should never forget all you’ve done for the country. 

I’m also proud that we can say we’ve done all this with a deep belief in the core values of America.  Those values are — were all created — I — you’ve heard me say it a hundred times.  You know, we’re the most unique nation in the world.  Every other nation was based on geography, religion, ethnicity, some common factor.  But in America, we were built on an idea — an idea — an idea — the only country in the world. 

We hold these truths — self-evident that all men and women are created equal.  Everyone should have a fair shot.  Hate should never have a safe harbor in America.  That’s what we’re about. 

We’ve never fully lived up to all of that, but we’ve never — we’ve — we’ve stuck with our principles and set a high standard of character, integrity in public life. 

Let me say, it’s been the honor of my life to serve as your president, but the title I’m most proud of is being Jill’s husband.  (Laughter and applause.)  No —

I know it’s well-known by now: I had to ask her five times.  Thank God, she said yes the fifth time.  (Laughter.)  But I think she’s been one of our greatest first ladies, and I mean that sincerely.  (Applause.)

She wasn’t kidding about the first speeches she made.  She was scared to death to go out and make those speeches.  But look at her now — whoa.  (Laughter.) 

Yo, I’m in trouble.  (The president makes the sign of the cross.)  (Laughter.) 

Well, look, it’s also been an incredible honor to serve with someone of immense character that she demonstrated through her entire career: Kamala Harris.  (Applause.) 

I knew what I was doing when I asked her to be my vice president.  I knew her.  I knew of her.  I knew about her.  I knew her record.  I trusted her.  She always served this country with purpose and integrity, and she always will. 

And you’re not going anywhere, kid, because we’re not going to let you go.  (Laughter and applause.)  You’re not going anywhere. 

You know, just as our great first second gentleman — (laughs) — I love that, “first second gentleman.”  (Laughter.)  This guy is one of the best lawyers in America.  This guy gave up a pra- — this — this guy is an incredible guy. 

And one thing we have in common — I used to practice the law for about 10 days, but I used to practice the law — (laughter) — and — but the thing Doug and I have in common: We both married way above our station.  (Laughter and applause.)

Thank you, Doug and Kamala, not only for your service, but Jill and I are grateful to call you dear friends. 

Look, let me close with this.  While our time in office is coming to an end, the America of our dreams is calling us to stay engaged.  We’re not — Jill and I — and I don’t think Kamala and — and Doug are — going anywhere.  We look to the future. 

It’s more important than ever to keep organizing, to keep talking to folks. 

We all get knocked down.  My dad would say, “When you get knocked down, you just got to get up.  Get up.” 

The measure of a person or a party is how fast they get back up, and to know what we believe in is really worth fighting for. 

That’s the road ahead: to never give up, to keep the faith, to know — to know that what we’re doing matters. 

I know.  I know I’m going to stay engaged.  I know Kamala and Jill and Doug are going to well — as well. 

And I know you will.  We need you, badly.  The country needs you, badly. 

We just have to remember — you’ve heard me say it a thousand times — remember who we are.  We’re the United States of America, for God’s sake. 

At — many of you are students of history.  No other nation in the world has come through every crisis stronger than they went into the crisis, and that — except the United States.

And, folks, look, all the things we passed — we knew people weren’t going to see it.  How long does it take to build a fab that’s going to h- — hire thousands of people?  Billions of dollars being invested.  It just takes time to get it built.  It takes time to get it going.  It’s not going to happen for another five, six months, in many places.  It’s just getting started. 

The United States of America — there’s nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together.  But we knew a lot of this was going to take time.  But look what’s out there: everything from the —

Anyway, I won’t get — I’ll get going.  (Laughter.)  But you really did a hell of a job.  I really mean it. 

And the thing I most admire about working with all of you: You have great integrity — great integrity.  You’ve stuck with the deal.  You’ve been honest.  You’ve been decent. 

We’ve run a — we ran a campaign that’s basically scandal-free.  That’s hard to do in American politics these days. 

Anyway, I just want to thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. 

The bad news for you all is I ain’t going nowhere.  (Laughter and applause.)  We’re going to stay engaged.

And having been listed the poorest man in Congress for 36 years, I may be able to actually contribute now.  (Laughter.)

But all kidding aside, thank you very, very much.  You’re — you’re a group of the most decent people.  (Applause.)

God bless you all. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Applause.)

 6:28 P.M. EST

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Today, the White House is releasing new data illustrating the transformative impact the Biden-Harris Investing in America agenda has already had in creating good jobs, especially union jobs, that expand the power of the American worker.

As the Investing in America agenda spurs record levels of job creation—particularly in construction, clean energy, and manufacturing—the Biden-Harris Administration has focused on ensuring federal funds continue to promote good-paying, high-quality jobs. In September, President Biden signed an Executive Order calling on agencies to embed high-road labor standards and best practices across Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science, and Inflation Reduction Act clean energy programs.

The Good Jobs Task Force, a group of federal leaders created by the President’s Executive Order, analyzed more than 80 programs as part of its work drawing a government-wide blueprint for expanding job quality through federal investments.

The review found agencies and their partners in the private and public sector have made significant, measurable progress towards creating and improving access to good jobs—including union jobs—which are leading to concrete improvements in workers’ lives

Better Wages through More Union Jobs

The Biden-Harris Administration invested billions of dollars in long needed infrastructure projects like fixing roads and bridges, upgrading ports and expanding airports, and building manufacturing facilities. $84B of these construction projects are covered by a union contract providing good paying jobs with benefits available to all Americans, not just those with a four-year college degree.President Biden and Vice President Harris are proud to represent the most pro-union Administration in American history.

Under the Biden-Harris Investing in America agenda, more than 600 construction projects have collective bargaining agreements in place or in negotiation. These pre-hire agreements, known as project labor agreements, are used to set family-sustaining wages and benefits on construction projects. They can also help open career pathways through registered apprenticeship, the gold standard for training workers on the job.

This is also true in manufacturing: Because of job quality priorities, more than 100 federal investments are in manufacturing and clean energy projects covered by collective bargaining agreements.

Nearly 100% of the announced total funding awarded through Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grants, over 75% of total funding awarded through the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership (GRIP) Program, and 70% of total funding awarded through the Battery Materials Processing and Battery Manufacturing and Recycling grants are going to work places covered by Community Benefits Agreements.

By promoting these agreements, the Biden-Harris Administration has had a transformative impact on workers’ lives.

Promoting Paths to the Middle Class and Expanding Participation in the Workforce

More than 300 projects, representing an investment of $47 billion from across the U.S. government, provide workers with services like transportation and child care—the types of supportive services that allow workers to get and retain good jobs. This is especially true of lower-income and underserved populations in areas where there are limited, or no, child care or transportation options.

Additionally, this Administration has invested over $46 billion in projects that support registered apprenticeship programs. These programs make good jobs available to all Americans, not just those with a four-year college degree. Since January 2021, over a million individuals have started earn-while-you-learn training through registered apprenticeship programs, including over 100,000 women, and historically high numbers of Black Americans, Hispanics, and Individuals with Disabilities.

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On December 13, 2024, President Biden met virtually with G7 Leaders.  During the meeting, the President observed that the G7 has been transformed during the past four years into a steering committee for decisive action – by helping to address the COVID crisis during its most acute phase, mounting an unprecedented economic, military, and diplomatic response to  Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, speaking and acting together to address China’s non-market practices, accelerating the clean energy transition, and delivering tangible results for people across the developing world with a new infrastructure partnership.  As a result of acting together, the President and other leaders reaffirmed that the G7 is now more unified than ever. 
 
In the discussion, leaders reiterated their shared commitment to continue supporting Ukraine and standing up to Putin’s aggression.  President Biden highlighted that the United States has disbursed $20 billion to a new World Bank fund to provide economic support for Ukraine as part of the historic $50 billion G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration loans commitment, which will be paid back by income earned from immobilized Russian sovereign assets.  President Biden encouraged other Leaders to unlock the full value of the immobilized Russian sovereign assets, including by finding a legal pathway to seize the principal value of the assets, which would provide Ukraine the resources it needs to rebuild its economy and defend itself into the future.
 
Leaders discussed the situation in the Middle East, including the need for a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition process and for a global effort to help the Lebanon ceasefire succeed.  President Biden raised the importance of working toward securing a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages.
 
Leaders also discussed addressing a range of global challenges, including non-market practices, climate change, artificial intelligence, and support for developing countries.
 
President Biden thanked Prime Minister Meloni for her leadership of the G7 over the past year, welcomed Canada’s G7 Presidency next year under Prime Minister Trudeau, and encouraged the G7 to continue its vital work. 

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Via Teleconference

MODERATOR: (In progress) — discuss the ongoing interagency response to the reported drone sightings.

Today, we have representatives from the FBI, from DHS, from FAA, who will open remarks and talk through their respective roles and authorities when it comes to these reported sightings.

Today’s call will be on background, and it will be — and speakers from each agency can be attributed as representatives from their respective agencies. For example, speakers from DHS can be attributed as a DHS official. Speaker from FBI can be attributed as an FBI official, and so on, but not quoted by name.

Each representative will provide opening remarks at the top of the call, and then we will go ahead and take some questions.

So with that, I will turn it over to the FBI to kick us off.

FBI OFFICIAL: Thank you very much, and good afternoon, everyone.

On Monday, 18 November 2024, multiple suspicious activity reports were generated through the New Jersey Suspicious Activity Report System regarding unidentified and unknown subjects operating multiple unmanned aircraft, otherwise known as UAS, in the vicinity of critical infrastructure locations in the state of New Jersey.

On Wednesday, 20 November 2024, FBI Newark opened an investigation into the sightings.

On Tuesday, 3 December 2024, FBI Newark established the 800 and online tip lines at the request of our local law enforcement partners to help free up 911 call centers that were being inundated with calls about drones.

Since the UAS activities were first reported, FBI Newark has done extensive investigative work to determine if any threats or threat actors are behind them, or if they pose a threat to the public or national security. We have been engaged with over 50 local, state, and federal partners consistently, and have so far completed a number of investigative activities, including serving legal process to relevant companies surrounding key UAS events.

We have visual observation teams deployed at various locations throughout the state of New Jersey, to include our military installations, conducting video radar analysis, alongside with our partners, which have determined all large fixed-wing reported sightings have been manned aircraft.

We established a tip line, and in that tip line process, the process approximately 5,000 tips — have received 5,000 tips through that national tip line. And of those 5,000, less than 100 leads have been generated and deemed worthy of further investigative activity.

We have conducted dozens of interviews, and collected and reviewed multiple videos, and that analysis of those videos is ongoing.

We have also conducted intelligence analysis in comparison to other activities. We are working actively with our law enforcement partners all over the country to bring equipment into our AOR to assist with tracking and identifying drone activity.

We have consulted with our counterparts in other regions that have experienced similar sightings. We established a tip line to collect additional information about these and other drone sightings. We have and continue to actively investigate leads, searching out the most relevant information, doing interviews, and responding to reports of downed UAS.

The reported down UAS so far have been relevant — have not been relevant to our investigation. We are consulting with experts in the field of unmanned aircraft. Most of the reports of UAS have originated from the ground, with very, very few reports of UAS activity from pilots of manned aircraft. And that was the origination of our investigation, opening of our investigation with New Jersey State Police (inaudible).

In overlaying the visual sightings reported to the FBI with approach patterns for Newark-Liberty, JFK, and LaGuardia airports, the density of reported sightings matches the approach patterns of these very busy airports, with flights coming in throughout the night. This modeling is indicative of manned aviation being quite often mistaken for unmanned aviation or UAS.

The combination of efforts so far as noted above, to include technical equipment, tip line information, and noted consults has found — has not found any evidence to support large-scale UAS activities.

It is important to note, though, that they’re without a doubt — without a doubt have been UAS’s flying over the state of New Jersey. With nearly a million registered UAS in the United States, there’s no doubt many of them are owned and operated here within the state.

The national airspace is designed to be as minimally restrictive as possible. And all indications are these UAS operators are operating within the parameters established for their use in that airspace. This is not to say the FBI does not believe UAS’s are used for criminal or other nefarious activity, and it is well known to us that criminals breaking the law do, in fact, use UAS to support their actions.

The FBI will continue to investigate all allegations of criminal activity involving UAS, and we’ll continue to work with our partners to defend and disrupt criminal and national security threats. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Thank you so much. We will now go to [DHS official] with DHS.

DHS OFFICIAL: Yeah, thank you, Michael. On the DHS side of the house, we certainly understand why people are concerned. That’s one of the reasons we’re devoting significant resources to support New Jersey and our federal and state law enforcement partners who are actively investigating these reported sightings.

At the same time, it’s important to understand that we don’t have any current evidence that there’s a threat to public safety.

The FBI, DHS, and our federal partners, in very close coordination with New Jersey State Police, continue to deploy personnel and technology to investigate the situation, to confirm whether the reported drone flights are actually drones or otherwise inaccurate sightings.

You’ve probably heard there hasn’t been any electronic detections to confirm the visual reports, but one thing we do have, and I’ll reiterate as our partners at FBI said, is the geospatial modeling, where we’re overlaying the drone sightings and the manned aircraft tracks, and we’re confident that many of the reported drone sightings are, in fact, manned aircraft being misidentified as drones.

Historically, we’ve experienced many cases of mistaken identity where reported drones are, in fact, manned aircraft or facilities.

Now, as the FBI said, that does not mean that we’re dismissing all reports as noncredible, but it does help us understand that the amount of actual drone activity is likely less than what’s being reported. In fact, we absolutely share New Jersey’s concerns with the amount and type of activity being reported, which is why our HQ and component field offices continue to support New Jersey and investigate the reportings.

Some examples of our support include the U.S. Coast Guard and other partners determined that there is no evidence to date of any foreign-based involvement in sending drones ashore from marine vessels in the area. DHS also sent New Jersey State Police advanced camera and radar equipment directly out of our R&D pipeline.

This kit is drone-specific radar that also cues a highly capable EO/IR, or electro-optical infrared camera system. If the radar detects a drone, the camera will be able to identify and track it. This is extremely helpful for drones without a standard radio frequency signal. The imagery can also help determine the type of drone and whether there is a payload, for example.

So far, the equipment has not detected anything unusual. We are aware that additional equipment is being provided by our partners as well.

Lastly, CISA and the U.S. Coast Guard also continue to monitor and evaluate security for critical infrastructure like power plants, and may adjust our positions as necessary. At this time, however, no threat has been identified.

And while there is no known malicious activity in New Jersey — occurring in New Jersey right now, the reported sightings there do highlight a gap in our current authorities, and so we would also urge Congress to pass our important counter-UAS legislation that will extend and expand our existing counter-drone authorities so we’re better equipped to identify and mitigate any potential threats at airports or other critical infrastructure, but also so state and local authorities are provided the tools that they need to respond to such threats as well.

We’ll be happy to answer questions as we move forward. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Thank you. We will now go to [FAA official] with FAA.

FAA OFFICIAL: Yes, thank you. And good afternoon, everyone. As you’ve heard, there is a considerable interagency effort underway here. So, worth mentioning also that the FAA is a safety organization, and I wanted to mention that as this interagency effort is multifaceted, with different responsibilities of different agencies.

Also worth mentioning: It is not illegal to fly drones in U.S. airspace. Generally speaking, it is legal to fly a drone in most locations, both during the day and at night, as long as you remain below 400 feet and you keep those drones in sight at all times, avoiding other aircraft and not causing hazard to any people or property, and avoiding restricted airspace. Some local municipalities may also have additional requirements that are levied, that will change from municipality to municipality.

Flying for any other purposes, like videography or news gathering, require additional authorities. Safely integrating drones into the National Airspace System is a key priority for the agency and something we take very seriously.

The FAA received the first reports of drone activity near Morris County, New Jersey, on November 18. At the request of federal security partners, the FAA published two temporary flight restrictions — I may refer to them as TFR, (inaudible) — prohibiting drone flights over Picatinny Arsenal as well as Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster.

The Picatinny Arsenal temporary flight restriction was published on November 20, and that is a 2-nautical-mile, 2,000-foot restriction that currently expires on December the 26th but can be extended. We’re also working on a permanent restriction over that location.

November 22nd, Bedminster Golf Course, temporary flight restriction went into effect with a 1-nautical-mile, 1,000-foot restriction that expires on December 20th. Also may be extended.

We continue to support our interagency partners regarding reported drone sightings, and we also continue to highlight our website as a resource for drone information, and continue to engage with industry and the user community to educate operators on the requirements of operating drones within the National Airspace System.

And we are also able to take any questions.

MODERATOR: Great. Thank you so much. We will now go into the Q&A portion. We also, for this, have representatives from the Department of Defense on the line to answer questions related to their equities.

And then, just as a reminder to everyone, the attribution for this call is on background and can be attributed as representatives of their agencies, but not by name. Thank you very much. We will now go to Q&A.

Our first question is going to go to Andrea Shalal. You should be able to unmute yourself.

Q Hi. Hey, thanks so much for doing this. I guess my question is: You know, Kirby answered these questions pretty, you know, comprehensively on Thursday. You know, first of all, why did you decide to have another press conference today, or another briefing or call?

And two, you know, I’m seeing reports that these sightings have now sort of spread. I mean, can one of you sort of say what you think is happening here, which is sort of like, you know, a sense of panic is setting in, that people are worried despite your assurances that these reports have been, you know, manned aircraft, general aviation aircraft?

And what — sorry — just, like, help us contextualize it, if you will. And then, you know, is it — how long will this go on? How long will this investigation go on? Is there some sort of end time that you have envisioned? Thanks.

MODERATOR: FBI, would you want to come in on the question about the investigation?

FBI OFFICIAL: Yeah, I’ll talk briefly about the nature of the investigation. I’ll talk maybe, perhaps, about our authorities. We investigate the criminal misuse of drones, and so I think that’s an important piece to highlight, particularly if they’re smuggling — if the drones are used to smuggle contraband into prisons or conducting some type of illegal surveillance, stalking, or some type of terrorist threat.

But there are — you know, it’s important to note that any investigation that we’re conducting as a result of the use of UAS is limited in scope. There is legislation — I echo the concerns of the partners at DHS — there’s legislation that’s introduced in both houses, and that will expand our legal authorities as it relates to the counter use — the counter-UAS tools and technology that we have in those efforts that will help us quickly identify or quickly mitigate some of the threats that would exist as a result of that utility of UAS.

Now, as it relates to how long this investigation will occur, I can’t speak to how long. What I can say is that we are doing everything we can alongside our partners to understand what is happening and whether or not there is more nefarious activity that we need to explore.

I can’t speak to any other press releases or press conferences.

Q Michael, can you just sort of say anything about whether the investigation has expanded to include sightings in Maryland? The former governor of Maryland posted a note yesterday on X, saying that he’d seen activity going on for something like 45 minutes, shared a video. Has your investigation expanded to include Maryland and other states, or is it still focused mostly on New Jersey?

FBI OFFICIAL: Yeah, you know — this is FBI again here. You know, there’s evidence to support that, you know, again, as relayed, a lot of sightings are manned aviation.

I think there’s two parts to this. Is there are the initial sightings that took place here in New Jersey and perhaps in other locations throughout the country, and then now there is this expanded level of drone activity that may not have been coordinated as part of what occurred in the initial stages that we observed. So, in other words, the initial reports that we were getting, (inaudible) there’s no confirmation that any of those relate to anything that’s being observed throughout the country or at other locations.

MODERATOR: And I’ll just add, Andrea, on your first point: You know, I think our goal in doing this is just to continue to provide the most accurate picture of how we see this and the ongoing work that’s happening. You know, I think that given how much focus there has been here, we just wanted to provide another opportunity to hear from the experts who are working every day on this to get the latest — to let you know the latest information. I

Q I mean, do you think people are panicking?

FBI OFFICIAL: Yeah, I think there is — you know, look, if we are talking about the 5,000 leads that we received, again, less than 100 of those have been actionable to us.

I think there is — I don’t want to cause alarm and panic, but you can’t ignore the sightings that have been there, and we are concerned about those just as much as anybody else is. I’m a resident here of New Jersey. I live here. My kids have those same types of questions. And we’re doing our best to find the origin of that specific — of those drone activities. But I think there has been a slight overreaction.

Q I’m sorry, it’s hard to hear you. There has been a slight —

MODERATOR: Our next question is going to go to — sorry, next question is going to go Pierre Thomas. You should be able to unmute yourself.

Q Can you guys hear me okay?

MODERATOR: Yes.

Q So, my question is this: Have there been confirmed drone sightings near sensitive or military installations? Have you confirmed any? And give us a sense of whether they were nefarious or — I mean, I think based on what you said, no, but I just wanted to be specific in that question. Have there been any confirmed drone sightings near sensitive or military installations?

DOD OFFICIAL: Yeah, this is Joint Staff here. I can talk to the military bases. We have had confirmed sightings at Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle. They are — you know, I refer to them as sightings. They’re all visual, but they are by highly trained security personnel.

This is not a new issue for us. We’ve, you know, had to deal with drone incursions over our bases for quite a time now. It’s something that we routinely respond to in each and every case when a reporting is cited. We have electronic means to detect and respond, and we train our security personnel to identify, categorize, and then employ their equipment to deny the drone use over our bases.

In some cases, it is at the low end a violation of the local, state force protection measures, which, you know, they are essentially all no-drone zones, so there’s no unauthorized drone use over our facilities. In other cases, it is federally controlled airspace, and it is, in fact, a federal airspace violation.

So, there are different things that we can do, different authorities based on what type of violation it is.

But, yes, in December we have had sightings over Picatinny and Naval Weapons Station Earle.

Q As far as you can determine, did they have cameras or anything, or were they just people inadvertently in the wrong space?

DOD OFFICIAL: Yeah, to date, we have no intelligence or observations that would indicate that they were aligned with a foreign actor or that they had malicious intent. But I just got to simply tell you we don’t know. We have not been able to locate or identify the operators or the points of origin. We have very limited authorities when it comes to moving off base. We have to coordinate with local and as well as federal law enforcement to try and locate these persons and where they’re launching from, to either cite them or execute law enforcement activities that we’re restricted from doing off base.

So, we simply don’t know. And I know there’s been a lot of press reporting on this. We don’t know. We’re also significantly restricted, and rightfully so — in fact, prohibited — from intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance here in the homeland.

So we don’t have the same capabilities and the same methods that we would employ in other locations outside of the homeland to determine points of origin and identify very quickly where these operators are located and then respond to that location. We just can’t do that here in the homeland. We have to coordinate with law enforcement to try to do that, which we are doing, and we do that on a routine basis at nearly all of our locations. We have good relationships and excellent coordination, and we respond quickly to try to identify them.

But the main point is to deter the activity using some of our electronic means that can respond to most of these small commercial systems and deny them access to the airspace over our bases.

But we don’t know what the activity is. We don’t know if it malicious, if it is criminal, but I will tell you that it is irresponsible. And, you know, here on the military side, we are just as frustrated with the irresponsible nature of this activity.

MODERATOR: Thank you so much. We got to move to the next question. Sorry.

The next question is going to go to Eric Martin. You should be able to unmute yourself. Eric, you’re still on mute if you’re trying to speak.

Q Yes, can you hear me?

MODERATOR: Yeah.

Q Sorry about that. Thank you so much for doing this. Just to follow up on Andrea’s question, you know, what has changed today, December 14th, from what you knew earlier in the week? I mean, can you just — because it seems like a lot of what’s being provided is review of things that have already been briefed upon.

I’m just wondering if you can — you know, in terms of the nuance of what you know now that you didn’t know two or three days ago, if you can just explain, kind of chronologically, what it is that you’ve learned from the investigation in the last day or two, or what events there is. Or has this just reconfirmed the initial findings that we were told about earlier this week?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I’ll just jump in. I mean, I think, one, it’s our responsibility to update the public on what we’re learning, and that’s part of what we’re doing. I think it’s notable that — I mean, I think the toplines are the same, which is: At this point, we have not identified — obviously, we are taking this incredibly seriously. At this point, we have not identified any basis for believing that there is — that these drones — that there’s any criminal activity involved, that there’s any national security threat, that there’s any particular public safety threat, or that there’s a malicious foreign actor involved in these drones.

That said, as you’ve heard from all of the experts on this call, all of the departments and agencies are taking this incredibly seriously and investigating every possible lead and working to try to understand what these sightings are.

I think you’ve also heard, consistent with what I believe was briefed to you earlier this week, that at least some portion of what has been reported to be drones have on further inquiry turned out to be manned aircraft that were lawfully in the airspace. And that is not uncommon for people to see things that appear to be drones that turn out not to be drones.

So I think, largely, the toplines are the same, but I also think that it is our responsibility to make sure that the public has the latest information available.

MODERATOR: Thank you so much. I think we have time for maybe one more question, and we’ll go to Celia Mendoza.

Q Yes. Thank you so much. I have a question in terms of what local authorities can do versus the federal authorities. We understand that the governor of New Jersey had sent a letter to the President asking for not only more resources, but capabilities to do more. Can you, kind of, give us an understanding of what are the limitations of local authorities when it comes to bringing down this type of objects, or what could be the expanded options that they might get if the President decides to?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I’ll take a stab real quick, and then others should fill in.

The administration has been seeking, for several years now, additional authorities to expand the counter-UAS authorities, both of the federal government, which are themselves very limited, and also to give state and local authorities the authority to use certain C-UAS technologies with federal oversight.

That legislation has been pending. I think, again, emphasizing that while at this point we have no evidence to believe that these drones pose a national security or a public safety threat, or that they are the work of a malicious foreign actor, nonetheless, this incident and the concern about the drone sightings highlights the importance of expanding authorities so that state and locals can have some of the authorities that you’re referencing and that the federal government can also — would also be able to take additional actions beyond what is currently authorized by the limited statutory grants.

MODERATOR: Thank you so much. And, unfortunately, that’s all the time we have today. Thank you all for joining. Thank you to our speakers.

I know it’s a Saturday afternoon, but we wanted to bring everyone together to share the latest information we had and an update. So, appreciate everyone joining, and thank you to all of our speakers here.

Any follow-up questions, feel free to reach out to myself at the NSC or our press distro on this. And thank you again, and have a great rest of your day.

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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo of the Republic of Korea (ROK). President Biden expressed his appreciation for the resiliency of democracy and the rule of law in the ROK and reaffirmed the ironclad commitment of the United States to the people of the ROK. The two leaders discussed the tremendous progress we have made toward further strengthening the U.S.-ROK Alliance in recent years, and President Biden expressed his confidence that the Alliance will remain the linchpin for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region during Acting President Han’s tenure. 

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The post Readout of President Joe Biden’s Call with Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo of the Republic of Korea appeared first on The White House.

In the two years since the December 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, the Biden-Harris Administration significantly expanded engagement and partnership with African nations, driven by the conviction that the future of Africa and the United States depends on what we can achieve together.  At the Summit, the United States pledged to invest $55 billion in Africa over three years.  We have surpassed that goal – the Administration has committed and spent over $65 billion in Africa since the Summit.  These investments have enabled the Administration, together with African partners, to accelerate development progress, advance trans-continental infrastructure, expand trade and economic opportunities, and support African-led efforts on conservation, climate adaptation, and a just energy transition.
 
But the achievements go beyond numbers, underpinned by our belief that solving global challenges requires African leadership and African partnership.  The United States championed—and ultimately helped secure—the African Union’s permanent membership in the G20 and announced our support for creating two permanent United Nations (UN) Security Council seats for African states.  Since the Summit, we have laid out a vision alongside Kenya to help developing countries facing mounting debt burdens.  Our partnerships enhanced food security and helped build more sustainable and resilient food systems, improved governance and security, and advanced shared public health goals.  We catalyzed landmark diaspora-driven engagement, fostered an inclusive and resilient African digital ecosystem, and made strides to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment. 
 
High-Level Engagements
 
Throughout the Biden-Harris administration, President Biden has prioritized high-level engagement with African countries and partners.
 
Following the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in 2022, President Biden directed an unprecedented pace of senior-level U.S. Government visits to the continent. Twenty Cabinet Members and leaders of U.S. Government Departments and Agencies have visited the region since the Summit, with visits centered on deepening partnerships with African countries, institutions, and people. In March and April 2023, Vice President Harris visited Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia, where she announced more than $8 billion in public and private sector investment commitments towards climate and food security, women’s empowerment, and digital inclusion across Africa. 
 
In May 2024, President Biden then hosted President Ruto of Kenya for a State Visit and Dinner, the first State Visit of an African head of state since 2008. During that visit, which highlighted 60 years of official U.S.-Kenyan partnership, President Biden announced a slew of deliverables to improve economic opportunities for both our peoples, strengthen democratic resilience and safeguard human rights, and bolster our work together on a range of pressing issues, including climate and health.
 
In December 2024, President Biden traveled to the continent, becoming the first-ever U.S. president to visit Angola and the first sitting President to visit sub-Saharan Africa since 2015.  During the visit, President Biden spoke about the past horrors of slavery and its legacy, while welcoming a bright future of deepening collaboration between the United States and the continent.  He announced more than $1 billion in additional humanitarian funding and co-hosted a Summit on the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor, underscoring the importance of private sector investments, inclusive economic growth, and sustainable development. One year earlier, President Biden had hosted President Lourenço of Angola for an Oval Office meeting. President Biden’s historic trip to Angola topped off significant engagement with the continent throughout the entire Biden-Harris administration. 
 
Trade and Investment
 
The Administration harnessed the dynamism of people from across the African continent and throughout the United States to expand prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic. In the past two years, the United States has supported and helped close 1,385 new deals for a total estimated value of $62.6 billion in new two-way trade and investment between the United States and African countries.  This represents a more than five-fold increase in the value of closed deals over the two years preceding the Summit.  Illustrative highlights of these trade and investment initiatives include:
 

1. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has investments of over $13 billion in more than 300 projects across 36 countries in Africa.  Since the Summit, DFC has committed over $5.3 billion to new projects in Africa in key sectors such as energy, healthcare, infrastructure, mineral resources, and support for small businesses.
   
2. Since the Summit, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has funded 24 project preparation activities to advance the implementation of over $7 billion in digital connectivity, clean energy, and healthcare infrastructure projects on the continent.  In 2024, USTDA arranged 10 reverse trade missions and workshops focused on regulatory convergence for healthcare products, transportation, green hydrogen development, cybersecurity, methane abatement, and sustainable energy, connecting African public and private sector representatives with the latest U.S. technologies, services, and financing solutions.
   
3. Since 2022, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) has strengthened partnerships across Africa, approving approximately $4 billion in authorizations for sub-Saharan Africa.  This includes transactions across a wide variety of sectors including two of the largest renewable energy projects in EXIM’s history, aircrafts, civil works infrastructure, and radio equipment.
   
4. In fiscal year (FY) 2023, the EXIM Board of Directors approved a $281 million transaction to support the export of several Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to Ethiopian Airlines Group.  This transaction supported 1,600 U.S. jobs across Indiana, North Carolina, and Washington.  In FY 2024, the EXIM Board of Directors approved an additional transaction of more than $456 million for Ethiopian Airlines for the purchase of five Boeing aircraft, supporting an estimated 2,200 new U.S. jobs in North Carolina, Ohio, and Washington.
   
5. Since 2022, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has invested almost $2.4 billion through agreements with African partner countries who have demonstrated their commitment to good governance, democratic values, and investing in their people.  Funding is expanding energy markets, furthering private sector energy generation, enhancing farmers’ supply chain integration, and improving education access to increase long-term employment opportunities.
   
6. Prosper Africa funded and supported several initiatives to boost two-way trade and investment for key markets in Kenya, South Africa, and Morocco, to include the “Why Kenya, Why Africa” Roadshow in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, the launch of Atlanta Phambili with South African business and government leaders in Atlanta, and the U.S.-Morocco Venture Capital Forum.  Prosper Africa also provided technical assistance to Togo-based Caisse Régionale de Refinancement Hypothécaire, supporting a $275 million housing deal with Bank of America. 
   
7. At the Summit, Prosper Africa announced the Catalytic Investment Facility, which provides first-loss and operational funding support to 10 African asset managers to mobilize $600 million from private investors, to deploy into African tech startups.  To date, $93 million has been raised by the 10 African asset managers, and $44 million has been deployed into 61 startups throughout the continent.
   
8. In September 2024, Prosper Africa announced a catalytic pooled fund to drive social investment.  In partnership with the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, and in support of the Africa Venture Philanthropy Alliance, the fund aims to pool $200 million of catalytic capital over the next five years from African and global philanthropies and government donors.  This capital is expected to leverage up to $2 billion in private capital.
   
9. Prosper Africa provided a $1.275 million grant to the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility (LSF) to cover operational costs of LSF’s work enhancing trading liquidity for African countries and lowering the cost of financing.  LSF builds free and transparent capital markets in Africa and provides investors with an investible benchmark for evaluating the performance of African sovereign debt instruments such as the IBoxx LSF USD African Sovereign index, in conjunction with Standard & Poor’s. 
   
10. The Small Business Administration (SBA) provided 34 small businesses with export financing that supported approximately $185.7 million in export sales involving the African continent from December 2023 to October 2024.  Building on the SBA Administrator’s visit to Cote d’Ivoire and Togo in 2023, SBA also undertook new activities in 2024 to connect members of the African diaspora in the United States with businesses in both continents. 
    
11. In November 2023 and July 2024, President Biden reiterated his strong support for the reauthorization and modernization of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to deepen trade relations between the U.S. and Africa, strengthen regional integration, and realize Africa’s immense economic potential.  In 2023, AGOA imports totaled $9.7 billion and supported tens of thousands of jobs in the United States and Africa. 

Infrastructure

President Biden’s flagship G7+ initiative, the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI), advances strategic, values-driven, and high-standard infrastructure, investment, and sustainable development in low- and middle-income countries—with Africa as a key continent of focus.  At the G7 Summit in June, leaders celebrated progress toward PGI’s ambitious goal of mobilizing $600 billion by 2027 in global infrastructure investments that will make a difference in people’s lives around the world, strengthen and diversify our supply chains, and advance shared national security interests.  During his historic trip to Angola December 2-4, President Biden co-hosted a Summit on the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor, bringing together leaders from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia, as well as the Africa Finance Corporation.  Leaders affirmed their commitment to investing in infrastructure that will one day connect the Atlantic and Indian Oceans to expand economic growth and sustainable development across the region.  More information on PGI/Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor can be found here.

Conservation, Climate Adaptation, and a Just Energy Transition

Many of the countries that are most vulnerable to climate change are in Africa.  The Biden-Harris Administration has marshalled unprecedented resources to bolster climate resilience and protect development progress.  During her 2023 trip to the African continent, Vice President Harris worked with African partners to galvanize more than $7 billion in public and private sector climate adaptation, resilience, and mitigation commitments.  Some of the U.S.  initiatives to support African-led efforts on climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a just energy transition include:

1. Since the Summit, DFC has committed over $1.8 billion to new climate focused projects in Africa and also committed over $520 million across 12 new projects in Africa focused on expanding access to power.  Notably, DFC provided $500 million in political risk insurance to support marine conversation in Gabon through the Gabon Blue Bonds project, the first DFC-supported debt conversion for impact project in Africa.  In Sierra Leone, DFC provided $412 million in financing and political risk insurance to support the Nant Energy project, a 105-megawatt thermal power plant that is Sierra Leone’s first gas-to-power plant and will double the country’s energy capacity and address a critical need for the Sierra Leonean people’s access to reliable energy infrastructure.  In Mozambique, DFC committed $179 million in debt and political risk insurance to support the development of Central Eléctrica da Namaacha’s 120 megawatt wind power project, the country’s first utility-scale wind power project.
   
2. In November 2023, Prosper Africa, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the State Department provided $10 million to seed a $100 million balance sheet under the Green Guarantee Company (GGC), the first-ever privately run guarantee company devoted to catalyzing green bonds and loans focusing on Africa.  GGC is expected to unlock an estimated $1 billion in new private capital for climate finance.
   
3. In September 2024, Prosper Africa announced a $5 million catalytic capital award to ImpactA Global, aimed at mobilizing $300 million in private investment for sustainable infrastructure in emerging markets.  The award serves as first-loss capital designed to reduce investment risk and attract new institutional investors who might otherwise be hesitant to engage in Africa-focused investments.
   
4. Bolstering Power Africa, USTDA has invested $5 million to support a just energy transition across several African countries.  These investments are supporting solar energy generation in Zambia, wind energy generation in Malawi, strengthening the power grid in Cote d’Ivoire, promoting clean energy in South Africa, and supporting climate innovation through reverse trade missions.
   
5. At the Summit, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced its intent to develop a case study in partnership with the Ghanaian Ministry of Energy on integrating nuclear and renewable energy systems.  Under the Clean Energy Ministerial, DOE is leading a $300,000 initiative to evaluate the potential roles for nuclear and renewable energy to support Ghanaian energy needs for both electric and non-electric applications.  DOE and Ghana also launched Africa’s first regional Clean Energy Training Center in Accra, Ghana, providing courses on large and small modular reactors, financing, contract structures, risk management, and legal issues.
   
6. DOE is working with Mozambique on methane mitigation from the gas sector and clean hydrogen development, with Kenya on a $250,000 project to examine opportunities for direct air capture combined with geothermal energy, with Nigeria on a $250,000 study supporting their regulatory framework for carbon management, and with Morocco on solar energy.  DOE and the Moroccan Research Institute in Solar Energy and New Energies hosted a Solar Decathlon Design Challenge for collegiate teams from across Africa and around the world to design buildings powered by renewable energy.   
   
7. Under its Climate Change and Health Initiative, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) established Exploratory Research Centers that bring together scientists to work with affected communities to build resilience and adapt to climate driven stressors.  Three of the centers have focus areas in Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.  These centers are conducting research on early warning models for vector borne diseases, the effects of extreme weather events on mental health and interpersonal violence, and pilot solutions for climate risks to human health.
   
8. At the Summit, the Department of State announced the Accelerating Women’s Empowerment in Energy (AWEE) project to help secure women’s economic futures through green jobs.  Since then, the State Department launched AWEE with an initial investment of $1 million.  The project has funded 11 small grants to local organizations in South Africa and Kenya to address barriers to the entry, promotion, and retention of women in each country’s clean energy sector.

Promoting Food Security and Resilient Food Systems

At the Summit, President Biden launched the U.S.-African Union (AU) Strategic Partnership to accelerate progress in tackling food insecurity, build stronger and more diversified food systems and supply chains, scale Africa’s agricultural production capacity, and expand African countries’ access to agricultural markets.  Since the launch of the partnership, we have aligned our food security assistance and programming and leveraged our convening power and partnerships, including through PGI, to build sustainable food systems, expand investments in agricultural infrastructure, and tackle trade policy reforms. 

1. Since FY 2022, the United States provided nearly $20 billion in life-saving humanitarian assistance and early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience programming in Africa.  Humanitarian assistance addresses acute food insecurity caused by conflicts, including Russia’s war in Ukraine and natural disasters, including climate shocks impacting millions of people across the African continent. 
   
2. Since 2023, MCC has committed over $1.6 billion toward food security initiatives through newly signed or launched programs.  These projects are boosting farm productivity and increasing rural incomes by investing in better irrigation methods, increasing production of high-value crops, and improving road conditions.
   
3. During his historic trip to Angola, President Biden announced additional humanitarian funding, including more than $200 million to purchase, ship, and distribute surplus agricultural commodities from American farmers to provide life-saving food assistance for refugees and other food-insecure populations in Africa.
   
4. Since December 2022, DFC has provided over $180 million to 15 food security focused projects in Africa.  These include a $20 million DFC loan to Victory Farms in Kenya to support expansion of sustainable tilapia production on Lake Victoria; a $75 million loan to Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemicals Limited to finance the development, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of a urea-ammonia fertilizer facility in Port Harcourt, Nigeria; and project development technical assistance and loans to Ifria, a developer of cold chain warehouses in Morocco and Senegal.
   
5. As part of the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future initiative, the global Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) program helps build resilient food systems in partner countries using diverse, nutritious, and climate resilient crops grown in healthy, fertile soils.  Since 2023, the United States has donated $150 million and mobilized another $60 million from international partners for VACS programming.  Implementing partner organizations include the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. 
   
6. USAID and the AU launched the “Feed the Future Accelerator” in September 2024 with a new commitment, working with Congress, of more than $80 million to deepen food security partnerships in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia.  U.S. investments will harness the region’s combination of fertile land, diverse farming systems, and highly-motivated governments to support a regional breadbasket.  These funds complement a diverse Feed the Future portfolio including over $497 million of ongoing U.S. investments in these three countries, plus more than $150 million in private sector investments.
   
7. As part of the larger U.S. Government response to the global food crisis through Feed the Future, USAID and the African Development Bank (AfDB) completed an agreement in January 2024 to fund a $9.5 million project—Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation—to help Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia increase food production and introduce climate-smart technologies.
   
8. Building on the U.S.-AU Strategic Partnership on Food Security, the United States supported the AU process to refresh the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) 10-year strategic plan focused on food security and increased agricultural trade.  USAID provided analytical work that fed into CAADP Technical Working Groups and submitted an independent memorandum to the AU Commission with recommendations on how to achieve agricultural transformation, wealth creation, food security and nutrition, and economic growth.

Promoting Peace, Security, and Democratic Governance

The United States supported peace as the largest single humanitarian donor for refugee and migration-related needs in Sub-Saharan Africa, working with international organization and NGO partners to support over eight million refugees and asylum seekers and over 30 million internally displaced persons.  President Biden also launched the 21st Century Partnership for African Security (21PAS), to expand support to African partners with a focus on promoting effective, responsible, and accountable defense institutions able to meet the emerging threats of our time.  At the Summit, the United States reaffirmed its commitment to support complex political transitions in Africa through launching the African Democratic and Political Transitions (ADAPT) initiative. 

1. In FY 2024, the United States, through the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, provided more than $1.37 billion in Africa to support urgent and lifesaving needs for refugees, asylum seekers, conflict victims, stateless persons, and vulnerable migrants, including those affected by climate change.  Since December 2022, the United States has resettled over 56,000 refugees from Sub-Saharan Africa, welcoming them as they build new lives in communities across the United States.  The majority of refugees resettled were from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, the Republic of South Sudan, Somalia, and Sudan.
   
2. The United States, Gabon, Ghana, and Mozambique worked together to successfully authorize UN Security Council Resolution 2719, which outlines a process for the AU to receive UN funding for Peace Support Operations (PSOs).  UN Security Council Resolution 2719 is a testament to the U.S. and AU commitment to addressing conflict in the region through African-led solutions.  The United States is supportive of the UN and the AU utilizing the Resolution to support PSOs on the continent while working together to ensure that human rights, transparency, and accountability mechanisms are successful. 
   
3. Through 21PAS, the Department of Defense is focusing on improving the capacity of African partners to plan, resource, and sustain their defense and security forces.  21PAS values partnerships rooted in transparency, accountability, and respect for human rights, recognizing that these values are foundational to lasting security.  Using these criteria, the Department of Defense identified a broad array of security cooperation programming totaling $73 million for Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, and countries along the Gulf of Guinea and Western Indian Ocean.
   
4. The United States continues to bolster democratic governance through the ADAPT initiative.  For example, in Gabon, U.S. technical assistance to government entities, civic groups, media outlets, and women- and youth-focused organizations supports inclusive constitutional and electoral legal reforms and free, fair, and peaceful transitional elections.
   
5. Since 2022, USAID, through the Elections and Political Processes Fund, has provided $48.9 million for critical election support in 28 countries in Africa for unanticipated needs such as snap elections or other unforeseen political developments.  USAID provided an additional $17.4 million through the Defending Democratic Elections Fund to 10 countries to tackle deeply rooted electoral integrity issues, especially during inter-election periods.  Through the Women’s Political Participation and Leadership fund, USAID provided $8.36 million in FY 2022 and 2023 to four countries to build and sustain the pipeline of women leaders and facilitate their safe and meaningful participation in political, peacebuilding, and transition processes.
   
6. Since 2022, the U.S. Government has dedicated over $181 million through the Prevention and Stabilization Fund to enhance partnerships with Mozambique, Libya, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo.  Efforts focus on 10-year objectives to include promoting reconciliation and unification; accelerating inclusive and sustainable economic development; improving responsive governance and security institutions; promoting respect for human rights; strengthening justice systems; building capacity and resilience in historically marginalized, at-risk, and conflict-affected areas; and advancing meaningful participation of women and youth.

Deepening Health Cooperation

The United States works in partnership with African nations and regional and global partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and its Africa Regional Office (AFRO), the AU, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and the private sector, to save lives and build more resilient health systems that are better able to prevent and respond to current and future health threats. 

1. The Administration has built on the United States’ longstanding leadership in the fight to end HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria as public health threats, including by investing more than $15.55 billion through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (Global Fund), and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.  These investments have reduced the burden of HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, and vaccine-preventable diseases and have strengthened health systems in more than 30 countries on the African continent.
   
2. Over the past two years, the United States provided more than $3 billion in global health funding to support health workers, including funding through PEPFAR to support more than 346,000 health professionals to deliver HIV and tuberculosis services in the past year.  PEPFAR is also providing $8 million to support nurses, who are the backbone of patient care, in Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Eswatini, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia.  In FY 2024, USAID provided $10 million to support the Global Health Worker Initiative to build on the Primary Impact Initiative in countries including Ghana.
   
3. PEPFAR has been central to reversing the HIV/AIDS pandemic’s trajectory—in Sub-Saharan Africa, there were 56 percent fewer new HIV infections in 2023 than in 2010.  Nine African countries are nearing or achieving the UNAIDS 2025 global goal that 95 percent of people living with HIV will know their status and benefit from treatment that keeps them healthy and helps prevent further spread, with several more countries on track to reach these goals by the end of 2025. 
   
4. Since FY 2021, PMI has invested more than $100 million to support 100,000 community health workers across its partner countries to rapidly detect and treat malaria in their communities.  These investments in integrated platforms also enable treatment of other common childhood illnesses such as diarrhea and pneumonia, improve the quality and reach of primary health care, and strengthen countries’ ability to prevent, detect, and respond to disease outbreaks. 
   
5. PMI has supported African manufacturing to promote more resilient and sustainable commodity supply chains.  In FY 2023, PMI sourced approximately 10% of its commodity procurements from Africa, more than double what was procured from the continent in FY 2021.  From FY 2019 to FY 2023, PMI transitioned from primary reliance on air freight to using sea and land freight to transport malaria commodities, reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions by 85% and generating $66 million in cost savings, which PMI used to expand other malaria-related programs.
   
6. In April 2024, the Administration launched the U.S. Global Health Security Strategy to strengthen pandemic preparedness and response and welcomed six new Global Health Security Partners in Africa.  The United States continues working in partnership with African nations to support outbreak responses, including on Marburg, mpox, Ebola, and cholera. 
   
7. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of NIH, has been partnering with research agencies and institutions in Africa for decades.  Longstanding research programs have enabled collaboration on research responses to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. 
   
8. From 2022 to 2023, the U.S. Government provided more than $22 million to support the Government of Uganda’s Ebola response and an additional $7 million to help neighboring countries prepare for potential outbreaks.  In 2023, the United States worked with the Governments of Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea and other international partners to address simultaneous but unrelated Marburg virus disease outbreaks, providing over $5.8 million to support key response and prevention efforts.  In response to the Marburg virus disease outbreak in Rwanda starting in September 2024, the United States has provided technical support, vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics, and personal protective equipment and plans to allocate over $11 million regionally to address urgent health needs.
   
9. The United States partners with biological laboratories in the public, private, and academic sectors in 20 African countries to provide trainings and assist partner institutions with performing laboratory risk assessments.  These partnerships improve biosafety, biosecurity, and cybersecurity.  The United States also provides training to technical staff and biomedical engineers responsible for upkeep of laboratory equipment for high containment laboratories.
   
10. DFC continues to catalyze investments to strengthen regional manufacturing capacity in Africa, including by providing input into the design of Gavi’s African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator to ensure long-term sustainability of African vaccine manufacturers.  Following DFC’s loan of €100 million to Aspen Pharmacare in 2021, in 2024 DFC committed a direct loan of up to €110 million to expand Aspen’s capacity to manufacture pediatric vaccines, insulin, and other essential medicines in South Africa. DFC collaborated with the International Finance Corporation, the German Development Finance Institution, and Proparco to co-finance expansion of Aspen.
    
11. DFC also invests in health services, and technology to improve access to affordable, high-quality health care and products.  For example, in 2023 DFC committed a $10 million loan to Hewatele, a medical oxygen manufacturer in Kenya to expand production and distribution of medical oxygen.  DFC also provided a $10 million loan guaranty to KCB Bank in Kenya to increase financing available to small and medium enterprises in the health sector. 
    
12. In December 2022, USTDA launched the Coalition for Healthcare Infrastructure in Africa, a collaboration between USTDA and U.S. industry to help meet the healthcare needs of African partners and to increase access to quality healthcare products and services for millions of individuals across the continent.  From November 2023 to July 2024, USTDA hosted three healthcare workshops that convened U.S. and African public and private sector representatives with the aim of strengthening regulatory systems and facilitating broader market access for healthcare products across the continent.
    
13. Since 2022, the United States has donated over $50 million to projects in support of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Rays of Hope initiative, which provides assistance in nuclear and radiation medicine to advance cancer diagnosis and treatment in low- and middle-income countries.  In 2024, the United States provided an additional $6 million to Rays of Hope projects in Benin, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Malawi, Niger, and Senegal. 
    
14. At the Summit, First Lady Jill Biden highlighted the U.S. Government’s unwavering commitment to improving cancer outcomes in countries in Africa.  In July 2024, the Biden Cancer Moonshot hosted the White House Africa Cancer Care Forum, which convened health leaders from Benin, DRC, Lesotho, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Zambia committed to expanding national capacity for cancer diagnosis and treatment.  During the forum, the United States announced over $100 million in commitments to reduce the burden of cancer, bringing the collective total to over $400 million. 
    
15. The U.S.-South Africa Cancer Care and Research Alliance (U.S.-SACCRA) was established in December 2023 to deliver improved health outcomes in Africa, including by reducing the burden of cancer.  U.S.-SACCRA partners with several South African academic and research institutions; government departments, and leading U.S. cancer institutes to design, share, and fast-track scientific exchanges and capacity development for cancer care and research in both countries.

Elevating African Diaspora Engagement

Since the Summit, the Administration has aimed to harness the dynamism of the African Diaspora to enrich lives on both sides of the Atlantic.  The Administration has strengthened educational, cultural, social, political, and economic ties among African communities, the global African Diaspora, and the United States.  As Vice President Harris said during her 2023 trip to the African continent, “The fates of America and the continent of Africa are interconnected and interdependent.” 

1. In December 2022, President Biden established the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States (PAC-ADE) to provide advice on strengthening connections between the U.S. Government and the African Diaspora in the United States.  The Council members held their inaugural meeting in October 2023 with Vice President Harris and Secretary Blinken presiding. 
   
2. Since the Summit, PAC-ADE conducted its first plenary session meeting at Spelman College, and developed the EdTech initiative announced during Kenyan President Ruto’s visit to Spelman College. The Council also conducted its inaugural visit to the continent in July 2024 to Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria, where they met with government, civil society, and private-sector partners to discuss diaspora-led investments in education, entrepreneurship, health, technology, youth and women empowerment, and the creative industries.  The Council held its final meeting of the year in October 2024, with remarks by Assistant to the President, Senior Advisor to the President, and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement Mayor Steve Benjamin. Several members of the Council joined President Biden on his trip to Angola in December 2024.
   
3. In concert with PAC-ADE’s keen focus on increasing business ties with the continent, Prosper Africa has prioritized the support of Diaspora firms and investors, resulting in a portfolio of notable transactions with Diaspora-owned and led firms.  These include Cybastion’s partnership with Cisco Systems on over $800 million of cybersecurity and digital upgrade contracts in six countries.  Prosper Africa also established active partnerships with leading Diaspora organizations, including joining with USAID to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Alliance for Black Business, an organization founded in 2022 by the National Black Chamber of Commerce, the National Business League, and the World Conference of Mayors.
   
4. In addition to PAC-ADE, the U.S. Government is investing in Diaspora engagement through education.  The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) embodies our investment in our shared future by providing training opportunities for diverse African youth.  At the Summit, Vice President Harris announced plans to expand YALI.  As part of this expansion, in September 2023, USAID launched the YALI Legacy Localization award to expand the work of the four Regional Leadership Centers on the continent that provide transformative leadership training.  In November 2024, the USAID-led YALI Alumni Expo and Trade Show took place in Cape Town, South Africa, where over 500 YALI alumni showcased their innovations and fostered connection with experts and officials from the private sector, civil society, government, and the diaspora community.

Digital Transformation with Africa

Launched at the Summit, the Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) initiative aims to expand digital access in Africa, increase commercial engagement between U.S. and African companies in the digital sector, support increased digital literacy, and strengthen digital enabling environments across Africa.  DTA works in alignment with the priorities outlined in the AU’s Digital Transformation Strategy to enable innovative, inclusive and sustainable growth and development.  DTA’s work is organized across the following three pillars:

Digital Economy and Infrastructure

1. In May 2024, Vice President Harris launched two public-private partnerships—the Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy (MADE) Alliance:  Africa and the Partnership for Digital Access in Africa (PDAA). Both focus on increasing digital inclusion across Africa.  The MADE Alliance aims to provide digital access to critical services for 100 million individuals and businesses in Africa over the next 10 years.  PDAA will support African institutions to double the number of people connected to the internet in Africa from 40% to 80%, connect one billion people to the internet by 2030, and increase internet connectivity for women and girls from 30% to 80%.  
   
2. Since December 2022, USTDA has funded 20 activities to build the business case for innovative U.S. technologies that help to advance inclusive, secure, and sustainable digital infrastructure across Africa, including priority connectivity, cybersecurity, and smart cities projects.  USTDA is leveraging its grant-based funding for project preparation, which mitigates risk and unlocks bankable infrastructure projects.
   
3. Prosper Africa leads the Africa Tech for Trade Alliance (AT4T) with the support of USAID.  AT4T unites leading American and African tech companies to accelerate e-commerce and digital trade in Africa.  Alliance members include Visa, Mastercard, Intel, Cisco, Google, AWS and others. By leveraging U.S. companies’ technology assets, services, and expertise, the alliance fosters U.S.-Africa trade in fintech, ag-tech, eHealth and more.
   
4. In April 2024, the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA), the Department of Commerce, and USTDA led a mission to the American Chamber of Commerce Business Summit in Kenya.  In Nairobi, they announced U.S. private sector commitments and collaborations, including initiatives in data protection, artificial intelligence, digital upskilling, and new investments in digital connectivity, women’s tech leadership, and a cybersecurity experience center.

Human Capital Development

1. In May 2024, USAID announced the DTA-YALI Partnership to leverage YALI Regional Leadership Centers to expand digital skills and literacy, support digital entrepreneurs and start-ups, and increase private sector engagement in 49 African countries.  USAID is also expanding the “Responsible Computer Challenges” to universities and educators in Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa.  This activity aims to empower students to account for the social and ethical context and impact of digital technologies, including frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence.
   
2. The Department of State prioritizes biosafety and biosecurity capacity building in Africa.  Over the past two years, the State Department has conducted trainings on cyberbiosecurity and secure data sharing to promote safe and timely coordination during outbreak responses.  The Department of State has ongoing efforts in practical cyberbiosecurity literacy for high containment laboratories to institutionalize cyberhygiene practices and to build both in-country and regional networks of leaders in cyberbiosecurity.
   
3. USAID and MCC are supporting the DigiFemmes program as part of MCC’s $536 million Compact with the Government of Côte d’Ivoire.  DigiFemmes provides the leadership, innovation, and technical training women need to grow their businesses through data and digital tools.  Nearly 9,000 women-owned small and medium enterprises have benefited from the $5.3 million program.  DigiFemmes graduates also accessed a total of $525,000 in follow-on funding distributed as small grants by the U.S. African Development Foundation to help refine their products and expand their markets through digital tools and innovations.
   
4. In March 2024, MCC and the Government of Togo launched Nanatech, a program designed to equip Togolese women and entrepreneurs with the digital skills they need to benefit from the growing digital economy.  To date, nearly 2,000 women and 200 supporting organizations have benefited. 

Digital Enabling Environment

1. In September 2024, the United States hosted the landmark Global Inclusivity and Artificial Intelligence: Africa (GIAA) Conference in Lagos, Nigeria, bringing together over 400 stakeholders, including government officials, industry leaders, civil society members, startup founders, and academics, to discuss the safe, secure, inclusive, and trustworthy deployment of artificial intelligence on the continent.  The GIAA conference underscored the growing importance of Africa’s inclusion in artificial intelligence development and the continent’s key role in the global emerging technology landscape.
   
2. In November 2024, representatives from the Department of Commerce, Department of State, USAID, and USTDA participated in a variety of engagements during the Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town, South Africa.  DTA hosted a U.S. Government side event for over 100 stakeholders from the U.S. and African public and private sectors to discuss key challenges to expanding digital access, increasing digital literacy, and strengthening digital enabling environments across Africa.   Participants discussed innovative U.S. and African solutions and collaborative strategies to advance Africa’s digital transformation.
   
3. USAID is working with Afrobarometer, through the United States Institute of Peace, to conduct public surveys to assess public awareness, perception, and understanding of digital threats, online safety, and cybersecurity in Benin, Kenya, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Senegal, and Angola.
   
4. USAID continues to facilitate discussions, build capacity, and deliver expert advisory services to the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat to develop and implement the Digital Trade Protocol to help advance international and intra-African digital economy and regulatory standards.

Partnerships in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment

The Administration has elevated gender equity and equality across our foreign policy in Africa and around the world.  Societies—including the United States—do better when women participate and have equal opportunities.  Advancing the status of women and girls reduces poverty and promotes sustainable economic growth, increases access to education, improves health outcomes, advances political stability, and fosters democracy.  During the Summit, Vice President Harris announced new commitments to advance women’s economic participation in Africa, including the revitalization of the African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP). 

1. Vice President Harris launched the Women in Digital Economy Fund (WiDEF)  in 2023 to accelerate efforts to close the gender digital divide.  WiDEF and the corresponding Women in the Digital Economy Initiative have together catalyzed over $1 billion in commitments from governments, the private sector, foundations, and civil society to accelerate digital gender equality – including $102 million in U.S. direct and aligned commitments.  In addition, President Biden secured a historic commitment from G20 leaders to halve the digital gender gap by 2030.  Vice President Harris also launched the Women in the Sustainable Economy Initiative (WISE) in 2023 to promote women’s participation in sectors that address climate change.  Together, WiDEF and WISE represent a commitment of over $3 billion, including millions to empower African women and girls. 
   
2. In July 2024, SBA, Howard University’s Small Business Development Center, AWEP, the State Department, and the Department of Commerce cooperated on an event uniting local and African women-owned businesses on the margins of the 2024 AGOA Forum.  The program and marketplace facilitated business networking and an exchange of best practices on inclusive trade and to support for small business partnerships.  The event built on SBA’s February 2024 virtual event “Connecting U.S. and West African Small Businesses.”
   
3. Over the past two years, DFC has deepened its commitment to advancing economic empowerment across Africa through a range of impactful investments.  Key investments include a $100 million loan to First City Monument Bank, Ltd., expanding access to longer-term loans for women-owned small- and medium-sized enterprises in Nigeria; the 2X Ignite Africa Warehousing Facility, providing critical portfolio-building capital to female-led and gender-balanced fund managers; and a $10 million equity investment in Janngo Capital Startup Fund to fuel the growth of African startups, with at least 50% of funding to women-led enterprises.  Each of these investments reflects DFC’s dedication to empowering women, driving innovation, and building sustainable pathways for economic independence.
   
4. The Department of State, through the Support Her Empowerment-Women’s Inclusion in New Security (SHE WINS) initiative, has invested more than $9 million globally and supported seven women-led and women-serving civil society organizations in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.  In August 2024, under the SHE WINS Rapid Response Fund, the United States, in partnership with Norway and Canada, convened a group of Sudanese women civil society leaders to inform discussions on a ceasefire, humanitarian access, and monitoring mechanisms.
   
5. Announced during Vice President Harris’ visit to Ghana in 2023, the Imarisha Women’s Initiative is helping women advance in their careers, improve their skill sets, and increase their income, while creating more flexible and supportive workplaces.  The first cohort of four companies in East Africa are providing leadership, mentorship, and skill trainings; menstrual health and hygiene and lactation support; and programs on the prevention of and response to gender-based violence and harassment in the workplace.

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Twelve years ago today, the community of Newtown, Connecticut, and the entire nation were forever changed when twenty innocent children and six brave educators were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School by a single individual armed with a weapon of war. Jill and I still grieve this unimaginable loss and continue to pray for the victims’ families and others traumatized by this senseless violence. 
 
Many individuals impacted by the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School have turned their pain into purpose. Some families established foundations to carry on their loved ones’ memories—others chose to use their voices to fight for commonsense gun safety reform, hold the gun industry accountable with groundbreaking litigation, and fight back against those who spread misinformation and further victimize those impacted by gun violence. The elementary school children who survived the shooting are now young adults and many of them have also joined the effort to reduce gun violence and save lives.
 
The legacy of this tragedy is one of great loss—but also hope. Twelve years ago, moms sitting at their kitchen counters went online, expressed their outrage, and organized for commonsense gun safety legislation. Congresswoman Gabby Giffords decided enough was enough and started her own effort to combat gun violence. Gun violence prevention organizations that had been invested in the cause for decades reemerged with renewed strength. Today’s gun violence prevention movement is stronger than ever before because of survivors and other Americans who saw the Sandy Hook shooting and said “enough.”
 
With the strength of this emboldened movement by our side, we have made historic progress to reduce gun violence over the past four years. I signed into law the most significant piece of gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years. I announced dozens of executive actions to keep guns out of dangerous hands and get especially dangerous weapons off our streets. I established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris, to accelerate this work. After four years under my administration, homicides are down, crime is falling, and we are seeing fewer mass shootings. This progress is no accident. 
 
Still, more must be done. Congress has an obligation to ‘do something’ in order to protect our children and communities from this scourge of gun violence. We are the only nation experiencing this epidemic and there are common sense policies that the majority of Americans agree with and that Congress can easily take action on. We need universal background checks, red flag laws, safe storage requirements, and a ban on assault weapons like the one used at Sandy Hook. I remain hopeful that we will continue to make progress on these priorities. This hope is rooted in the history of what we have accomplished already and the strength of all the survivors of gun violence that I have had the privilege of working with during my career.
 

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The White House

Thank you, Lieutenant General Anderson. Joe and I are so grateful to you and Lieutenant General Laster for your decades of service and leadership. Both of you have built inspiring careers guiding troops and giving back to our communities alongside your amazing Toys for Tots team.

To the senior spouses who are with us today: through your care and resolve, you lift up all of our military families. Your service doesn’t go unnoticed by the Commander-in-Chief. Thank you.

Welcome to the White House!

The festive music we’ve heard today is performed by the President’s Own Marine Band. Joe and I are grateful to them and to their families for their service, and for filling the White House with talent and grace.

Each year, we decorate this house for the holidays—and I’m so glad that all of you can be part of the magic.

Did you see the gingerbread house in the State Dining Room?

This season can be filled with excitement and wonder—with colorful lights and hot chocolate and presents. But if you only remember one thing from the holidays, after all the wrapping paper is cleaned up, let it be this: you are loved.

There are so many people who care about you—from your family and friends, to your teachers and classmates, to the President and me.

And the best thing we can do with that love is to let it overflow—to share it with others who might really need it.

I know that you already do this in so many ways: by caring for your siblings and cousins, by being a friend to a kid at school who feels lonely, and you’re doing it today, by helping more children experience the joy of the holidays.

You’re also part of a special group of kids who help everyone in our nation, through your families’ military service.

And I want to thank your parents—for your dedication to this country, for raising such wonderful kids, and for bringing delight to children across the nation who will have these gifts under their tree this year.

The President and I are grateful, and we’re honored to open the White House to all of you.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays.

And now, let’s get to sorting!

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Tel Aviv, Israel

5:23 P.M. IST

MR. SULLIVAN:  Good afternoon, everyone.  I want to start by taking a moment to reflect on the last year and take stock of where we are.  This is my seventh time visiting Israel as National Security Advisor.  I was here on October 18th of last year when I joined President Biden to send a strong signal of support to the Israeli people following the horrific terrorist massacres by Hamas on October 7th.

President Biden believed at the time it was important to come to Israel shortly after those attacks, becoming the first American President to visit Israel in a time of war, because he wanted the people of Israel and also the people of the world to see that the United States would stand with Israel in its time of need. 

A year after that trip, I was with the President in the Situation Room, where, for the second time in a period of five months, President Biden ordered the U.S. military to take direct action to defend Israel from a significant attack launched by Iran.  Side by side, U.S. Naval destroyers joined Israeli air defense to intercept a rainfall of inbound missiles, ballistic missiles fired directly from Iran. 

Over the past 15 months, we’ve remained vigilant to the further threats and attacks from Iran and its proxies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. 

People seem to forget the basic fact of this conflict and these past 15 months: Israel did not seek or start this war.  Hamas started this war, invading Israel in military formations, killing 1,200 people, kidnapping and holding hostage hundreds more — Israeli citizens and citizens from around the world. 

Iran then made a fateful choice to join in and open a multifront war against Israel.  Backed by the ironclad security partnership with the United States, Israel has defeated two direct attacks from Iran and directly struck into Iran in response, degrading Iran’s military capability.

Hezbollah’s leaders are gone, and we have concluded a ceasefire in Lebanon, the terms of which made clear that Hezbollah can never again rebuild its terror infrastructure to threaten Israel. 

Hamas’s leaders are gone, including the masterminds of October 7th, and we will make sure that Hamas can never again threaten Israel as they did on October 7th, ever.

And now, the Assad regime in Syria is gone, removing the primary client state of Iran in the region and the lifeline to Hezbollah.

When Joe Biden said to those who seek to take advantage of October 7th and to use that tragic day to threaten and attack Israel, “Don’t,” this is what he meant, and we still mean it.  Don’t. 

The balance of power in the Middle East has changed significantly and not in the way that Sinwar or Nasrallah or Iran had planned. 

We are now faced with a dramatically reshaped Middle East in which Israel is stronger, Iran is weaker, its proxies decimated, and a ceasefire that is new and will be lasting in Lebanon that ensures Israel’s security over the long term. 

The purpose of my visit today has been to continue to build on this progress to ensure that that ceasefire sticks and is fully enforced; to capitalize on the opportunity of the fall of Assad for a better future for the people of Syria while vigilantly managing the risks that come with the change in Syria, including the possibility and the risk that terrorist groups like ISIS are able to take advantage and create new threats against the United States, Israel, and other countries in the region and around the world; to continue pressure on Iran while remaining vigilant against the continuing threat from Iran, including the threat from its nuclear program.  And President Biden remains committed to the simple proposition that the United States of America will never permit Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.

And to build on all that we’ve done, we’re now looking to close a hostage release deal and a ceasefire, which would stop the war and reunite hostages with their families. 

Just over one year ago, we reached a deal that brought 78 hostages out of Gaza and home to their families.  It’s time to finish the job and bring all of the hostages home. 

Before departing Washington, I once again met with the families of the American hostages still held in Gaza.  I made a commitment to them, the same commitment that I’ve made every time I’ve met with them: that I will do everything in my power to try to bring their loved ones home, to do my best to help them see their loved ones again.  I had them in mind today when I met with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Minister Dermer, and the security team to try to bring us closer to a deal.  And from here, I plan to travel to Doha and then on to Cairo to continue to advance this effort. 

A ceasefire and hostage deal would start bringing those hostages home.  It would also allow for a massive surge in humanitarian assistance.  We discussed the humanitarian situation and the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza today.  We discussed recent steps taken to increase the flow of much-needed assistance and further steps that need to be taken in the days ahead. 

It is an American commandment and a Jewish commandment that every innocent life has value.  I have previously quoted a poem that means a great deal to my family, a poem from John Donne, which says, “Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind.”  That is the spirit that the United States has brought to this conflict — to stand up strongly in the defense of the State of Israel and try to reduce suffering of innocent people wherever they may be. 

We are now in the midst of a political transition.  I have been engaging my successor, the incoming National Security Advisor, in a professional and serious way on all of the issues that affect the State of Israel, the threats and the opportunities.  And we’ve had good discussions, constructive and substantive discussions, and those will continue to ensure that there is a smooth handoff on January 20th. 

There’s also something else important in those discussions, which is that it is my personal commitment to ensure that the U.S.-Israel partnership rests on a solid bipartisan foundation going forward.  And I’m going to continue to do everything I can to contribute to that, because I believe it is in my country’s interest and the interest of the State of Israel. 

So, thank you for bearing with me as I set the context for my visit today, report on some of the things we discussed and the current events, and I will be happy to take your questions. 

Yeah.

Q    Michelle Kelemen with NPR.

MR. SULLIVAN:  Hi, Michelle.

Q    Do you get the sense that Netanyahu is waiting for Trump to reach a hostage deal?  And if so, do you think the hostages can survive until then?

MR. SULLIVAN:  I believe that every day brings increasing risk, which is why there’s such urgency to try to get this deal.  Obviously, we’ve seen the tragic death of hostages since the massacres of October 7th and over the course of the past 15-months conflict. 

So as soon as we can close this deal, we should close this deal in the interest of bringing those hostages home. 

The answer to your first question is: No, I do not get that sense.  I got the sense today from the Prime Minister he’s ready to do a deal.  And when I go to Doha and Cairo, my goal will be to put us in a position to be able to close this deal this month, not later. 

Now, we’ve been close before and haven’t gotten there, so I can’t make any promises or predictions to you, but I wouldn’t be here today if I thought this thing was just waiting until after January 20th.  I am here today because I believe every day matters, and we are going to use every day we have to try to close the deal as soon as we possibly can.

Yeah.

Q    Thanks, Jake.  Jake, what new concessions have Israel and Hamas made or indicated that they are prepared to make? We’ve seen, in particular, reports that Hamas is willing to allow Israeli troops to remain along Netzarim and Philadelphi for longer than previously.  Can you confirm that Hamas has provided a list of hostages who they would release?

And then, just on Syria as well, if you could comment.  The Israeli military has conducted nearly 500 strikes in recent days on Syrian military assets, not only chemical weapons depots but also missiles, helicopters, things that presumably a new Syrian army would need in the future to maintain stability inside of Syria.  Are you at all concerned about the impact of those Israeli strikes?  And did the Prime Minister provide you with any assurances about how long these strikes will continue for, if indeed they will?

MR. SULLIVAN:  So, on your first question, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I can’t negotiate in public on the terms of the hostage deal.  I’ll leave the details where they belong, which is behind closed doors among the parties and the mediators.  And as soon as we come to something that is an agreed document to bring forward, we will bring it forward and you can see all of its terms. 

With respect to Syria, what Israel is doing is trying to identify potential threats, both conventional and weapons of mass destruction, that could threaten Israel and, frankly, threaten others as well, and neutralize those threats.  That is part of its effort to protect the country in the midst of a very fluid situation.

We are in deep consultations with the Israeli government about where this goes from here, what that will look like in the days and weeks ahead.  I’m going to leave it at that for now.  But the efforts taken to date really have been focused on the types of capabilities that could represent a genuine threat to the State of Israel. 

Yeah. 

Q    Hi.  Thank you so much.  Owen Alterman from i24NEWS. Two questions that are related. 

First of all, we’ve seen reports in the last few days of American-backed Kurdish troops that have been shooting at and been shot by Turkish-backed troops in northeastern Syria.  What are the red lines of Turkish involvement in that part of the country from the perspective of the administration?

And the second question: There’s concern in Israel that Turkish activity in Syria could ultimately, in the medium term even, be hostile to us and be hostile activities up to and including on our border.  What kind of assurances can you give the Israeli public that that scenario won’t materialize?

MR. SULLIVAN:  So, first, our commitment to our partnership with the Syrian Kurds, especially the Syrian Democratic Forces, is deep and resolute.  And that commitment exists because we are in a partnership with them to fight ISIS.  And they have been very capable counterterrorism partners not just in suppressing the threat from ISIS, but also in holding ISIS terrorists in large numbers in detention facilities in eastern Syria.  And we want to make sure that that ongoing work is not disturbed. 

Second, our own commitment to the continued defeat — work to defeat ISIS has just been renewed in a quite vigorous way over the weekend with a series of strikes on ISIS personnel and facilities in the central Syrian Desert, dozens and dozens of targets that we hit with real, intense American capability, B-52s.  And what we are saying with that strike is we are going to continue to hit any ISIS threat where we find it, and we’re going to work with our partners to do so. 

I have learned, maybe both the easy way and the hard way, not to speak about red lines in this part of the world publicly, so I do not intend to do so from this podium.  But I do want to just make the point that we are engaged both in consultations with our Kurdish partners.  In fact, General Kurilla was just recently very deeply in conversation with our Kurdish partners.  And we are in conversations with Turkey as well about our expectations and about what we see as the best way forward. 

I think those conversations are serious, they’re intense, they’re ongoing.  They have already produced some results, including this de-escalation around Manbij that both Turkey and the Kurds have kind of informally signed up to.  All of that is tenuous.  It is fragile.  It is something that is going to require ongoing work and cultivation, and it is something that we will be very vigilant to as a top priority going forward.  But beyond that, I cannot comment further today.

Q    What about assurances did Israel (inaudible) about Turkish activity in Syria (inaudible)?

MR. SULLIVAN:  So, we look at the situation in Syria as having a range of different risks presented, including the potential for fracture in that state, as well as power vacuums that can give rise to terrorist groups that can threaten beyond borders, as well as the potential for groups to be in charge in Damascus who bear hostile intent to outside forces, including to neighbors like Israel. 

All of those are possibilities.  All of those are risks that President Biden has spoken to publicly and that we are dealing with partners on privately, including dealing with the Turks, who do have some measure of influence here, and where we have set out our views and expectations. 

But again, given the nature of the situation, given the sensitivity, given the urgency, it’s important, I think, for us to be able to carry out those conversations behind closed doors as we make progress, and then we will share with you the results. 

Yeah.

Q    Jake, Raf Sanchez from NBC News.  I know you’re not going to negotiate in public here, but there does seem to be more flexibility from both Israel and Hamas right now.  What do you attribute that to?  Is it the killing of Sinwar?  Is it the weakening of Hezbollah?  Is it President-elect Trump injecting urgency into this?

And just on Syria, the Israeli government is saying its presence in the buffer zone and outside of it, inside Syria itself, is temporary.  Do you believe them that it’s temporary?  Did the Prime Minister give you a sense of what conditions would need to be met before Israel would withdraw?

MR. SULLIVAN:  We didn’t go into deep detail on the conditions, other than to say that those conditions would require Israel to feel that the kinds of understandings that were in place before the fall of the Assad regime to ensure stability, predictability, and security for Israel are put back into place. 

And, yes, we do have every expectation that it will be temporary.  The Prime Minister, the Israeli government have made that point not just to the United States, but have made that point publicly, and we take them at their word that that is the intention here as we work through a new arrangement that can ensure that Israel is secure in light of the risks that have been laid out in previous questions. 

There are any number of reasons for why contexts change in negotiations, especially in a situation as fluid as this, but I would point out that Hamas’s posture at the negotiating table did adapt following the announcement of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.  Why is that?  It’s because, for months, we believe Hamas was waiting for lots of other actors and forces to come to their rescue, to come to their aid.  And when we got that ceasefire, it was clear that the northern front had been decoupled from Gaza.  And from that moment forward, we’ve had a different character to the negotiation, and we believe that it puts us in a position to be able to close this negotiation. 

It is also, of course, relevant that Israel’s ability to meet so many of its military objectives in Gaza is relevant to the negotiation too, including the elimination of the top leader, Sinwar; other authors of that October 7th massacre; and the dismantlement, the destruction of the organized military formations of Hamas. 

So these are relevant considerations that we think have put this onto a plane where it could get done.  Whether it does get done still depends on both sides ultimately signing on the proverbial dotted line. 

The last thing I will say with respect to the incoming administration is, actually, we’ve had, as I said in my opening comments, very good consultation and coordination with them, including on this issue, where we keep them apprised of how the negotiations are unfolding.  We talk to them about how we can send a common message that the United States, no matter who’s sitting in the Oval Office, no matter whose party is in charge, wants to see this ceasefire and hostage deal and see it now.  That is all part of the American contribution to an effort to ultimately produce an outcome here, and we’re going to keep working until we get it done. 

Yeah.

Q    Thank you, Mr. Sullivan.  (Inaudible), Channel 14.  Regarding the continuation of passage of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, knowing what we know now, that Hamas takes advantage of this aid and holds it as a leverage for its own rule, was it a mistake by your administration to push Israel to maintain the transport of humanitarian aid and, by that, to strengthen Hamas?

MR. SULLIVAN:  It absolutely was not a mistake for the United States to seek to ensure that women and children and innocent people in Gaza, who have nothing to do with this fight but who, in fact, are being put in harm’s way by the way Hamas fights — using schools and mosques as terror infrastructure, hiding behind civilians, making it that much more difficult for Israel to carry the fight against Hamas and destroy its capabilities — those people deserve the basic sustenance of life.  They deserve food, water, medicine, sanitation. 

And, by the way, that’s not just an American position; that’s a requirement under international humanitarian law.  And it is also the position of this Israeli government, who is not standing up saying we should give no humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.  They’re saying something different.

Now, we have viewed various critical points over the course of the past 15 months as moments where not enough was getting in to ensure that people had what they needed to survive.  And we made no bones about pressing on that.  Because we think, at the end of the day, feeding starving children does not harm the security of the State of Israel, but it does vindicate our common shared values of humanity. 

And so, as I said in my remarks, the American commandment, the Jewish commandment that every innocent life has value, that is a present factor and it’s something we have to take seriously, even as we take seriously that Israel has every right — indeed a duty — to go after its enemies with everything it’s got.  You have done that, and we have backed you in going after your enemies, Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran itself.  We have helped defend you against attacks, including from Iran itself.  And we have also stood up to say: Let’s make sure that Israel is not responsible for the third famine of the 21st century. 

We think that that is the right way to pursue a principled and just and strong, robust policy, and we will continue to do that as long as we’re in office. 

Yeah. 

Q    (Inaudible) Jewish Insider.  Do you have any update on the three Americans who are still believed to be alive?

MR. SULLIVAN:  I only can tell you that we have received the tragic news about the passing of Gadi and Judi and Itay and Omer all on October 7th, and of course, the godawful killing of Hersh during the course of this conflict.

We believe the other three Americans are alive.  We don’t have a proof of life from such a short time ago that I can tell you that for certain, but we believe that they are.  And of course, we saw the video of Edan Alexander. 

So we are operating on the proposition that there are seven Americans being held in Gaza currently — three of them alive, four of them deceased — and we want to bring all seven of them home. 

Yeah.

Q    Thank you.  Itamar (inaudible) from (inaudible).  I wanted to ask you if there is a linkage between the hostage deal and the ceasefire deal and the normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia.  Is it realistic to bring about a deal, a normalization deal, before January 20?

MR. SULLIVAN:  These are not linked.  The ceasefire and hostage deal is something we are pursuing on its own, because it is, we believe, a humanitarian imperative to bring the hostages home, and it is in the strategic interests of the State of Israel because all of its interests, its core interests, are protected in that deal.  We also believe it’s in the interest of the Palestinian people because it will allow for this surge in humanitarian assistance. 

So we are pushing for that deal on its own terms, for its own purposes, because we want to follow through on our commitment to do everything possible to get the hostages home.  So, there is no link there. 

Of course, we continue to believe in a long-term vision for the region of normalization and integration, and the President has laid that out.  And everything we do, we want to point in that direction.  But I don’t have any updates for you today on the question of normalization. 

Yeah.

Q    Thank you.  Gil Tamari, Channel 13 Israel.  I would like to follow up on one of my colleague’s questions.  The Prime Minister said today that Israel will continue to hold the territory in the buffer zone until there will be a governed force in Syria that will be able to oblige to the 1974 agreement.  And as you may know, this might take years.  So I would like to know if the United States is satisfied with the long-term Israeli position of — possession of the buffer zone. 

And also, is the G7 statement relay also to Israel when talking about the territory of Syria? 

And I know you cannot take us into the negotiation regarding the hostage, but can you give us the feeling?  What makes you this time a little bit more optimistic?  I know you hate to use the word “hopeful,” but what makes you this time a little bit more optimistic?

MR. SULLIVAN:  So, first, on the question of Israel’s move into that border zone in Syria: This is a fluid situation.  Fast-moving.  I would submit that everyone in this room, both sitting in these chairs and behind the cameras, was not thinking about the fall of Assad one month ago.  So that’s how fast things are moving. 

What Israel saw was an immediate threat, the collapse of a structure that had been in place for a long time and the potential for that vacuum to be filled by a direct, proximate threat right across its border.  So it moved in to fill that threat.  That, from the United States’ perspective, is logical and consistent with Israel’s right to self-defense. 

How this plays from here: We are a few days into this, so we will stay in close consultation with our Israeli partners, as well as with stakeholders in Syria, as well as with stakeholders across the region, and we will develop and elaborate a perspective on the best way forward in a coordinated way. 

And I just can’t sit here today and begin projecting out years into the future, given that just days ago, Assad still sat in Damascus. 

With respect to why there is more optimism in the air, shall we say, I think it’s partly for the reason that I laid out, which is: I do believe the ceasefire in Lebanon has generated a different context.  I actually believe that the loss of Iran’s client state in Syria has contributed to that different context.  Israel’s military progress against Hamas’s infrastructure formations and senior leaders has contributed to that context.  So, the surround sound of these negotiations is different today than it has been in the past. 

And then, the other point is that the people involved in these negotiations seem to me to have a little bit of a different feel about things than they did before.  That’s less measurable but I think still present.  And so —

Q    (Inaudible) not negotiating directly with Hamas.

MR. SULLIVAN:  No, I’m not referring to the Prime Minister.  I’m not referring to the Prime Minister. 

So those are the reasons why.  But, look, we have been in a place before where American officials have stood before podiums and said we are close, and we were close but we didn’t get there.  I believe we are close again.  Will we get there?  It is not yet clear whether we will or we won’t, but we are determined to try to drive this across the finish line. 

I’ll take two more questions.  Yeah. 

Q    So as we get ready — Maayan Hoffman from The Media Line.  As we get ready to, potentially, as you said, optimistically sign some kind of ceasefire or hostage deal, that would be, presumably, with Hamas.  And ultimately, the goal was to eradicate Hamas, to move them politically out of ruling Gaza.  As we sign the ceasefire, is there any indication or vision for Hamas continuing, therefore, to rule Gaza in some perspective, or do you have a vision of somebody else taking over in the interim?

MR. SULLIVAN:  So if you go back to President Biden’s speech in late May, laying out the terms of a phased ceasefire and hostage deal, the basic elements of and the basic framework of that deal are still live and part of the discussions that are happening today. 

In that speech, he said that this is a roadmap to end the war, and it’s a roadmap to a future of Gaza without Hamas in power.  Now, there’s a lot of steps between here and there, which is why a deal like this proceeds in phases.  But that has been the stated position of the United States government going back several months. 

Q    But is there any progress (inaudible)?

MR. SULLIVAN:  What I would just say is: The first thing that we need to do is get into the initial phase of the ceasefire and hostage deal; begin to produce the actual releases, the images of hostages being welcomed home to their families, as we saw a year ago with the 78 who were released.  And then, the terms of the deal are built on the idea that there will be ongoing discussions, diplomacy, negotiations to move from phase one to phase two.  So that’s an ongoing process that will continue. 

Final question.  Yeah.

Q    Thank you.  You have said before that you believe Prime Minister Netanyahu is willing to reach an agreement, and the defense minister has said yesterday it is possible; he told it to Secretary Austin.  How close are we?  And have you heard from Israeli officials that they will be willing to stop — to end the war if we will get all the hostages back?  And can you honestly say that, after 14 months, Prime Minister Netanyahu has done everything in his power to bring the hostages back home, and it’s not Hamas have been always the obstacle?

MR. SULLIVAN:  So I expected a question on kind of who’s responsible for this or for that, for the other thing.

I view my job and America’s duty as taking where we are today, which is close — I believe close — and bridging that final distance until we actually get into a deal. 

Again, I want to reinforce that we can’t rest until it actually happens.  It might not happen.  But I believe it can happen with political will on both sides.  The Israeli government has indicated, including the Prime Minister, they would like to see this done.  We see movement from Hamas.  We see commitment from the mediators.  And I will go to Doha and Cairo to try to ensure the final impetus is there to bring this all together. 

Beyond that, I’m not going to characterize the state of play, other than to say the reason that we are so determined to do this is, at one level, fundamentally human, which is to get people safely home to their families and to create calm for a period where suffering people in Gaza can get relief.  But it goes at another level, deeply strategic.  We think it is in the American strategic interest, as well as in the strategic interest of Israel, to do this deal.  That’s true of the current administration.  It is true of the incoming administration.  It is true across the aisle in the United States.  And that’s why we’re going to continue to work together to try to get this done. 

Thank you all very much.

5:53 P.M. IST

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