Why are youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship important to diplomacy? Find out Thursday, April 4 at 9:00 a.m. EDT during a Google+ Hangout with the U.S. Department of State’s Special Adviser on Global Youth Issues Zeenat Rahman and young innovators from the United States, Ghana, and Egypt. You can watch the hangout on the State Department’s Google+ page or YouTube channel. Join the conversation by submitting questions now on the State Department’s Google+ page or on Twitter to @Zeenat using #GlobalYouth.

About the Author: Robert Blake serves as Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs.

Rabia Mariam is a businesswoman who employs an all-women workforce to manufacture scarves and rugs from silk, cotton-silk blend, and wool in Mazar-e-Sharif, in northern Afghanistan. Working with the USAID IDEA-NEW program, she employs nearly 1,000 women — many of them widows. Many of these Afghan women raise silkworms at home and boil cocoons, and go to weaving centers to weave the scarves and other handicrafts. Rabia’s work is bringing economic opportunity and hope to Afghan women.

I had the privilege of meeting Rabia and learning about her work at the South Asia Women’s Entrepreneurship Symposium, which was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh last month. The event exemplifies several of our bureau’s highest priorities… more »

About the Author: Jonathan Margolis serves as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Science, Space, and Health in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.

Why would 30 young entrepreneurs from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East travel to Dubai for the second annual Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) Initiative Technology Idea (Tech-I) competition? Certainly, the top prize of $25,000 may have had something to do with it, but that was not the only factor. Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides said it best in his keynote speech at the third Global Entrepreneurship Summit. He explained, “Our Global Innovation through Science and Technology program, or GIST, runs start-up boot camps and business plan competitions to spark creativity and inspire young entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams.”

GIST is funded by the U.S. Department of State and implemented in partnership with CRDF Global. It has reached over one million youths with tools and resources to spark new businesses. GIST has trained over 2,500 startups… more »

About the Author: Andy Rabens is the Special Advisor for Youth Engagement in the Bureau of Near East Affairs, Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.

What is the common thread between a young man that launched an online hotel booking portal for tourists to the West Bank; a young woman who founded a Muscat-based Belgian-style chocolate company selling sweets made with local Omani sourced ingredients; and a young man who established a Lebanese “culture pass” that provides discounts to destinations at countless popular venues around the country? 

The answer: They are incredibly impressive and successful new additions to the burgeoning ranks of the Middle East region’s young entrepreneurs. In addition, they are three members of an equally accomplished delegation of 17 young entrepreneurs from the Middle East and North Africa — including the countries of Iraq, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Yemen, Libya, Oman, and Jordan — who… more »

Partnering To Promote Global Entrepreneurship

Last week, entrepreneurs from across the United States and around the globe were celebrated and lauded for their efforts to promote growth, innovation, and job creation at more than 40,000 events in 130 countries during the fifth annual Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). The White House and the State Department marked the week with the “Celebration of Global Entrepreneurship” event on November 15, which brought together an all-star cast of speakers to highlight the importance of global entrepreneurship; the role of government, youth, and diaspora in promoting entrepreneurship; skills building; enabling policy; and ensuring access to capital. Over 150 government, private sector, and diplomatic corps representatives joined the event at the White House and provided suggestions… more »

About the Author: Jose Fernandez serves as Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs.

This time last year, I made three, broad resolutions for 2011: to continue promoting U.S. job creation; to seek and build overseas economic alliances; and to protect U.S. businesses and their interests. Beyond these three, I also resolved to exploit every opportunity to foster prosperity at home and abroad. It is clear to me that my bureau’s hard work and resilient efforts paid off during 2011. In the wake of the Arab Awakening, we took quick steps to foster economic recovery in the region, including through promotion of entrepreneurship and U.S.-Middle East business relationships. This fall, we seized long-standing opportunities for expanding economic growth by finalizing trade agreements with Colombia, South Korea,… more »

On July 23, 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton joined Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu to participate in the ASEAN Regional Entrepreneurship Summit in Bali, Indonesia. Secretary Clinton said:

“…I am delighted to participate in this first ASEAN Regional Entrepreneurship Summit. And I congratulate all of you, the entrepreneurs and investors, the government officials and development experts who are exchanging ideas, sharing best practices, creating new opportunities and even making investments. Now, Indonesia is the natural choice to hold this first summit. This is, as you know, one of the three largest democracies in the world in a dynamic region that is increasingly at the heart of global commerce and growth.

“Like so many other countries, Indonesia is also home to an enormous population of young people. Almost 75 million Indonesians… more »

Trip Page

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke with participants in the African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) in Lusaka, Zambia, on June 10, 2011. Zambia has just completed hosting a follow-on conference to the 2010 (AWEP) that took place in conjunction with the 2010 African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum.

AWEP was established in 2010 under the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP). The women of the 2010 AWEP visitors program were accomplished entrepreneurs and leaders of small and medium-sized businesses in Africa. AWEP aims to empower African women entrepreneurs to become part of… more »

About the Author: Ann Stock serves as Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs.

The U.S. Department of State’s Office of International Visitors, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is conducting a three-week Multi-Regional Project (MRP) entitled “Women and Entrepreneurship” for a dynamic group of 19 women entrepreneurs and small business owners from around the world. Administered by Phelps Stokes, the group is exploring the contributions of women to the development of the U.S. economy and ways the participation of women in the global economy.

After a week in Washington, DC where the group met with federal government agencies as well as private businesses and women’s business organizations, the group divided into three teams to visit either Minneapolis, Minnesota; Albany, New York; or Cincinnati, Ohio. Each team explored global business partnerships… more »