US Secretary of State, John Kerry has touted the United States’ engagement around the world and efforts it has put into supporting people, around the globe.
The US, he said, was through various efforts in countries around the world, providing jobs, peace and security.
Answering a question on the rising influence of right-wing parties in Europe and the seeming leaning of countries in Europe towards Russia, Secretary Kerry noted that the US was blamed ‘unfairly’ for a lot of things, though it stood for a united Europe that was strong and free, peaceful.
He said the US was working to have a trade agreement with Europe that would strengthen Member States and create more jobs.
The US has also led the effort to put a coalition together to save Iraq and fight back against Daesh (ISIL).
The coalition of 67 nations which has succeeded in liberating communities in Iraq – Tikrit, Ramadi, Fallujah, and others surrounding Mosul, is now moving towards Mosul.
“Iraq stood alone, and I didn’t see Europe rushing to save it all by itself, when ISIL… was moving across Iraq and Syria and killing randomly and threatening Baghdad. But it was the President of the United States who stood up and said we’re going to intervene, sent our war planes in, started to bomb ISIL, and kept them from taking Baghdad, and then rebuilt the army of Iraq to the point now that it is moving on Mosul and Daesh has not taken one community – not one – since May of last year and held it,” Mr Kerry said.
Mr Kerry said although Daesh was on the defensive in Syria, it had been able to shred it to eliminate much of its leadership in Libya, in Sirte, in other places and to narrow its scope of activities. “Yes, it’s still dangerous, but that’s what we’ve been able to do”, he said.
In Africa, Mr Kerry cited the Ebola outbreak and the release of 3,000 troops to West Africa, and working with other countries including France and the United Kingdom, built healthcare capacity to prevent the predicted million deaths from the disease.
“We summoned an international movement, and guess what? Those million people didn’t die. In fact, very few ultimately did because we were able to end the scourge of Ebola,” he said.
In addressing HIVand AIDS in Africa through US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), through leading efforts to rid Iran of nuclear weapons, to the changed relationship with Cuba, he reiterated the US’s engagement with the world, and discounted Russia’s perceived growing influence in Europe.
He however, admitted the need for the US to ‘do a better job’ of putting its narrative out there and making sure that people understood it.
“But I’m proud of what the United States is doing and I will put our record up against Russia’s any day, any time, with respect to global engagement that benefits other people and changes the world for the better.
“I have never seen the United States of America more engaged to the benefit of everybody else, in order to try to help other countries work their way through crises, to make peace and stability so we can go home and pay attention to things here – I’ve never seen us more engaged in more countries at one time on more issues of significance with greater consequence than now”.
The Secretary of State addressed participants of the 11th Edward R. Murrow Programme for Journalists, which this year involved 75 participants from 75 countries and is on theme: “New and Traditional Media in the Digital Age.
Participants would examine the rights and responsibilities of a free press in a democracy, observe operational practices, standards and institutions of the media in the United States, among others.
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(Via: NewsGhana)
