News and reports from the State Department.

Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy, Liz Allen, met with Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric today in Belgrade, Serbia. Allen extended her congratulations to the Foreign Minister on his recent appointment. The two dignitaries concurred on the significance of fortifying the U.S.-Serbia bilateral relationship and hastening Serbia's progress toward EU accession.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken held a conversation with Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, as reported by Spokesperson Matthew Miller. The discussion emphasized the unshakeable U.S.-ROK Alliance and the significance of close bilateral cooperation on global issues.

Secretary Antony J. Blinken held a meeting with Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf M. Tuggar in Washington on May 17, 2024. This information was disclosed by Spokesperson Matthew Miller.

Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Uzra Zeya, is set to visit Astana, Kazakhstan and Tashkent, Uzbekistan from May 19-23. The purpose of her visit is to engage on issues concerning democratic governance and rule of law; human rights and protection of vulnerable populations; and religious freedom.

Secretary Blinken is set to deliver remarks at a gala honoring the United States Foreign Service on Tuesday, May 21, at 7:00 p.m. in the Benjamin Franklin Room at the U.S. Department of State. The Director General of the Foreign Service, Marcia S. Bernicat, will also deliver remarks and co-host the gala with the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), which is the professional association of the Foreign Service. AFSA’s president, Tom Yazdgerdi, will MC the event.

Today marks the 29th anniversary of the abduction of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). As one of the most significant figures in Tibetan Buddhism, his disappearance as a six-year-old child continues to resonate deeply within the Tibetan community. Despite numerous calls for transparency, Nyima has not been seen in public since his abduction and access to him has been consistently denied by the PRC government. Instead, a state-selected proxy is promoted as an alternative.

Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs, Ramin Toloui, recently completed a diplomatic tour from April 22 to May 3. His journey spanned Japan, the Republic of Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, California, and New York. The objective of his travel was to bolster bilateral relationships and promote trade and economic opportunities with these nations.

The recent engagements between the United States and Nigeria underscore the importance of their partnership, as they represent two of the world's most populous presidential democracies. Deputy Secretary Kurt Campbell and Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf M. Tuggar have been instrumental in advancing mutual economic, governance, and security priorities. These efforts were particularly evident during the April 29-30 U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission in Abuja, the 16th U.S.-Africa Business Summit from May 6-9 in Dallas, Texas, and Foreign Minister Tuggar’s May 14-17 visit to...

The United States has imposed sanctions on five Russia-based individuals and entities, alleging their involvement in the transfer of military equipment and components between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Russian Federation. This move is seen as a violation of the UN arms embargo on the DPRK. The US asserts that Russia has increasingly relied upon the DPRK for munitions to wage its war on Ukraine, using dozens of DPRK-supplied ballistic missiles against Ukrainian targets.

Following the certification of final presidential election results by Chad’s Constitutional Council on May 16, the United States has expressed commendation for those who exercised their right to vote on May 5-6. The U.S. welcomed the peaceful conduct of the voting and its aftermath, despite expressing regret over multiple casualties from celebratory gunfire that followed the announcement of provisional results on May 9.

The United States-Nigeria Air Transport Agreement, which has been provisionally applied since 2000, officially entered into force on May 13, 2024. This bilateral agreement lays the groundwork for a modern civil aviation relationship with Nigeria that aligns with U.S. Open Skies international aviation policy and commits to high standards of aviation safety and security.

On May 16, 2024, Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell held a meeting with Italian Ambassador Mariangela Zappia. The meeting was later detailed by Spokesperson Matthew Miller.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken recently had a conversation with Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár in the wake of an assassination attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico. The information was confirmed by Spokesperson Matthew Miller.

The United States has extended its warm congratulations to the Council of Europe on the occasion of its 75th anniversary. The Council of Europe continues to be a guiding light for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, with its influence growing each year.

On May 15, Elizabeth Richard, the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, took part in a meeting in The Hague focused on countering Hamas. This meeting was a follow-up to the December 13, 2023 engagement held in Paris with partner governments. The objective of these meetings is to coordinate international efforts aimed at dismantling Hamas' financial networks and targeting their online propaganda.