SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR GLOBAL GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS WITNESSES SIGNING OF U.S.-BRAZIL LOCAL AGREEMENT

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Reta Jo Lewis

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

May 24, 2012

Special Representative for Global Intergovernmental Affairs Reta Jo Lewis will witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote cooperation between Fulton County, GA and the State of Bahia, Brazil on Thursday, May 24, 11:00 am, at the Fulton County Government Center.

The MOU, conceived under the United States-Brazil Joint Action Plan to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Promote Equality, and in the spirit of the U.S.-Brazil MOU to Support State and Local Cooperation signed during President Rousseff’s visit to the United States in April 2012, outlines the on-going cooperation at the state level and supports exchange

between our governments to promote social inclusion and racial equality. The MOU recognizes and enhances these existing relationships formalizing efforts made by Fulton County and the State of Bahia to access economic opportunity, support international education exchange, and share their experiences from the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Fulton County Chairman John Eaves will host Bahia Governor Jacques Wagner at the MOU signing ceremony, which will be followed by a series of events focusing on the key opportunities for cooperation. These include: economic development and tourism; public health, youth development and education; arts and culture; and promotion of justice, citizenship and human rights. In attendance at the signing ceremony will be Georgia Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, and other elected officials.

Special Representative Lewis will highlight the Department of State’s support for these efforts, pursuant to the U.S.-Brazil MOU to Support State and Local Cooperation, the U.S.-Brazil MOU on Cooperation to Support Major Global Sporting Events, and the U.S.-Brazil Joint Action Plan to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Promote Equality.

BRAZIL-U.S. PARTNERSHIP FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Secretary Clinton's Participation in "Brazil-U.S.: Partnership for the 21st Century" Conference
Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
April 9, 2012
Today Secretary of State Hillary Clinton participated in and delivered opening remarks at the “Brazil-U.S.: Partnership for the 21st Century” conference, alongside Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota.

This conference takes place during Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s visit to the United States and reflects the depth and positive focus of the bilateral relationship. The Partnership for the 21st Century conference is a joint effort to continue to grow commercial, economic, educational, and innovation ties between our two countries. The event includes panel discussions on business and trade advancements and on education and innovation cooperation, including President Obama’s 100,000 Strong in the Americas goal and President Rousseff’s Science without Borders initiatives.

Various documents and agreements were signed on the margins of the conference. These included an Aviation Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), an MOU on State and Local Cooperation, an MOU on Trilateral Cooperation on Food Security in Haiti and Honduras, an Action Plan on Science and Technology Cooperation, an MOU between Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Brazil’s Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES), and a Fulbright-Science without Borders Scholar and Distinguished Chair agreement between CAPES and the U.S.-Brazil Fulbright Commission to expand research exchanges. Other interagency agreements related to education, culture, environment, sustainable development, and trade were also signed.