About the Author: Siobhan Oat-Judge serves as Acting Spokesperson at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Medical personnel at Fatima Jinnah Hospital in Multan demonstrated the benefits that new equipment and trainings opportunities have made to their standard of care on Thursday, August 18, as U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director Andrew Sisson toured the facility. Fatima Jinnah Hospital is one of more than 80 Pakistani medical facilities that the United States has helped renovate in recent years in Pakistan.

“Most maternal deaths can be prevented with professional medical care,” Director Sisson said. “With these upgrades and improved trainings, Fatima Jinnah Hospital will deliver better care to mothers and infants in Multan.”

To assist in improvements to maternal and child health care throughout the country, USAID is purchasing medical equipment and supplies, while also training medical professionals, including midwives, female… more »

About the Author: Kate McFarland serves as an Assistant Program Manager for South and Central Asia in the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.

Sri Lanka’s civil war may have ended in May 2009, but the scars of war still remain in the form of landmines and unexploded munitions that slow down rebuilding efforts and prevent several thousand displaced families from safely returning home. For the past two years, the United States has stepped up its support to Sri Lankan communities working for peace through clearing these hidden hazards for one of the world’s most active humanitarian demining programs.

The success of this U.S.-funded demining program would not have been possible without the significant contributions of female deminers in Sri Lanka. In a recent visit, I had the opportunity to meet some of these strong, courageous, and inspirational women working for a better tomorrow.

Many of these women were widowed during the war and are now the sole financial providers for their families. These… more »

Joseph Witters serves as a Public Diplomacy Officer in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.

There are some experiences in life that leave a lasting impression and open your mind to a new world of possibilities. When I was a young boy I lived in Prattville, Alabama, and my 5th grade class took a field trip to visit the U.S. Space and Rocket Center facilities in Huntsville, Alabama. I still remember the wonder of exploring space and the science involved with doing so. The sense of mission and the team exercises brought me closer to my 5th grade friends and taught me the importance of teamwork. Never in my life would I have imagined that my work in the State Department would allow me to see Pakistani and Indian students experiencing the same thing I did as a young boy.

That is exactly what happened in July when the U.S. embassies in Islamabad and New Delhi recently sent 10 students and two teachers to the Advanced Space Academy at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center facilities in Huntsville, Alabama. During the 10-day camp, the students and teachers learned about the mental, emotional, and physical demands astronauts face during their voyages. They also experienced hands-on training, including underwater exercises and centrifuge simulator sessions. The students visited an Apollo 16 capsule and a Saturn V rocket, and even experienced the sensation of weightlessness. Exposure to the inspiring world of space travel promotes a thirst for science and technology among youth. Eventually this can lead to the strengthening and expansion of the education system.

You can watch their experience here, and view photos of the experience here.

About the Author: Scott Duncan serves as the India Desk Officer in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.

Did you know that India has been lifting satellites into orbit for more than 30 years? Or that India has the second largest fleet of satellites dedicated to earth sciences and earth observation after the United States? Given these burgeoning capabilities and the United States’ storied history of space exploration and space science, it only seems natural that the world’s largest and the world’s oldest democracies would cooperate in space for the benefit of people in both our countries and around the world.

I was delighted to join officials from NASA, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the State Department’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs when they traveled to the headquarters of India’s… more »

About the Author: Alberto Rodriguez serves as Spokesperson at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Ambassador Cameron Munter joined officials and residents of communities in FATA and Malakand today to mark the completion of a U.S. program to improve education in Northwest Pakistan. The event celebrated the success of the three-year ED-LINKS project which assisted more than 450,000 students in over 700 schools in the region.

“Our shared efforts to improve education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and FATA are a symbol of Pakistani and U.S. friendship. More important, our work will build a better tomorrow for future generations of Pakistanis,” said Ambassador Munter.

Education Minister for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Babak Hussain, U.S. Agency for International Development Mission Director Andrew Sisson, and residents of FATA and Malakand also attended the ceremony. This project was funded by USAID.

“There could be no better way to help Pashtuns… more »

U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker presented his diplomatic credentials to Afghan President Hamid Karzai at a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, on July 24, 2011. Prior to this appointment, Ambassador Crocker served as Dean, Executive Professor, and Edward and Howard Kruse Endowed Chair at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. He retired from the Foreign Service in April 2009 after a career of over 37 years. Ryan Crocker served as Ambassador to Iraq (2007-2009) and Ambassador to Pakistan (2004-2007). He has also served as the International Affairs Advisor at the National War College, where he joined the faculty in 2003.

Ambassador Crocker delivered remarks at a swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. Ambassador Crocker said, “I wanted to take this oath here to stand before… more »

About the Author: Molly Teas serves as Senior Advisor for Education in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.

With more than 100,000 Indian students studying in the United States each year, young people in India tend to know a fair amount about U.S. cities, culture and businesses. But fewer than 3,000 U.S. students study in India annually. It’s been one of my goals as Senior Advisor for Education in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs to see the number of U.S. students going to India increase. During the Secretary’s recent trip to India, she announced an exciting new initiative that I hope will help American young people get to know India better: Passport to India.

Passport to India will promote internships for American high school and college students in India. Funded entirely by private companies,… more »

About the Author: Courtney Beale serves as Acting Spokesperson at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Ambassador Cameron Munter inaugurated a new U.S.-funded mango processing line at Lutfabad Farm while visiting Multan on July 24, 2011. As a result of U.S-provided infrastructure upgrades, 13 farms in Southern Punjab will be able to export delicious Pakistani mangos to foreign markets.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Munter said, “Just one year ago, Secretary Clinton pledged U.S. support to developing the export capacities of mango farmers. What we are seeing here today are tangible results of this pledge.”

The mango project is designed to support economic growth, fuel job creation, and improve living standards. The U.S. partnership with mango producers is expected to yield a 30 million dollar increase in mango export revenue in the next two years, three million dollars of new investment, and 6,000 new jobs in Punjab and Sindh.

Development… more »

About the Author: Molly Teas serves as Senior Advisor for Education in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.

With more than 100,000 Indian students studying in the United States each year, young people in India tend to know a fair amount about U.S. cities, culture and businesses. But fewer than 3,000 U.S. students study in India annually. It’s been one of my goals as Senior Advisor for Education in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs to see the number of U.S. students going to India increase. During the Secretary’s recent trip to India, she announced an exciting new initiative that I hope will help American young people get to know India better: Passport to India.

Passport to India will promote internships for American high school and college students in India. Funded entirely by private companies,… more »