# Maldives - United States Department of State

- Maldives HomeReportsBureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices&#8230;Maldives				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Maldives																																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																																																																																							Download Report																																																							Translations																																																																 In this section										/																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																																													EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																															Section 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																																									a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																																											b. Disappearance																																																																											c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																																			Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																																																		d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																																			Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																																																		e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																																			Trial Procedures																																																								Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																																																																																		f. Transnational Repression																																																																											g. Property Seizure and Restitution																																																																											h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																																																	Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																																									a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																																			Internet Freedom																																																																																																																		b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																																			Freedom of Peaceful Assembly																																																								Freedom of Association																																																																																																																		c. Freedom of Religion																																																																											d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																																											e. Protection of Refugees																																																																																	Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																																									Elections and Political Participation																																																																																	Section 4. Corruption in Government																															Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																															Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																																									Women																																																																											Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																																											Children																																																																											Antisemitism																																																																											Trafficking in Persons																																																																											Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																																											Persons with Disabilities																																																																																	Section 7. Worker Rights																																																									a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																																											b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																																											c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																																											d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																																																											e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																																																																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				There were no significant changes in the human rights situation in the Maldives in the past year.Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary; serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media, including intimidation of journalists and online commentators; substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association; extensive gender-based violence; laws criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults that were enforced; and significant restrictions on workers’ freedom of association.The government took steps to investigate officials who committed human rights abuses but was slow to investigate, prosecute, and punish cases of torture.																														Section 1.													 Respect for the Integrity of the Person												    																																																a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings										There were no reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial killings, during the year.																																				b. Disappearance										There were no reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities. The government made efforts to investigate disappearances reported in previous years.In October and November, the Criminal Court, citing lack of evidence, dismissed terrorism charges against three individuals arrested and charged in 2022 for involvement in the 2014 disappearance of reporter Ahmed Rilwan. Local and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) expressed concern that the dismissal demonstrated impunity for violence against journalists and noted in previous court proceedings for other charges raised in this case, the court cited negligence in the investigation.																																				c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses										The constitution and law prohibited such practices, but there were complaints of torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. The law permitted flogging and other forms of corporal punishment. According to a Supreme Court guideline, the court had to delay the execution of a flogging sentence of individuals until they reached age 18.As of October, the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) reported receiving 119 complaints of torture, an increase over the number of cases reported over the same period during the two previous years. Also as of October, HRCM continued investigating 46 cases, closed 61 due to lack of evidence and did not register 12 of the complaints as official cases for investigation. Of the eight cases HRCM forwarded for prosecution in 2022, the Prosecutor General’s Office declined to press charges in two cases and had yet to decide on whether to raise charges in the six remaining cases as of October. The Maldives Police Service (MPS) Professional Standards Command reported continuing investigations into three complaints of at least three police officers subjecting three individuals to torture, as of August.In 2022 the Supreme Court upheld a High Court decision dismissing charges of assault and destruction of property raised against eight police officers accused of beating a Bangladeshi suspect in 2019 during a police raid. The courts ruled in favor of a pretrial motion submitted by the defense, arguing the MPS investigation of the case against the eight police officers contravened section 76 of the Criminal Procedure Act.By law only Islamic law penalties could be imposed for conviction of hadd (robbery, fornication, homosexual acts, alcohol consumption, apostasy) and qisas (retaliation in kind) offenses. Penalties could include hand amputation for theft and stoning to death for adultery, but these were not imposed during the year. Between January and August, courts sentenced two women to flogging for fornication but did not enforce the sentences.																Prison and Detention Center Conditions						Conditions in most prisons were harsh and life threatening due to gross overcrowding, inadequate sanitary conditions, and medical care, but they generally met other international standards.Abusive Physical Conditions: The HRCM and defense lawyers continued to report gross overcrowding, poor ventilation, and inadequate hygiene and sanitation standards in prisons and pretrial detention facilities.As of September, the MPS continued to provide bottled water to detainees in Dhoonidhoo Custodial Center and had not found a permanent solution to reports from HRCM in 2021 that drinking water at the facility was unfit for human consumption.Authorities and the HRCM reported prisoners could not access timely medical care at MPS- and Maldives Correctional Service (MCS)-supervised facilities. Most complaints received by MCS and HRCM from inmates related to extended delays in access to specialist physicians. Local hospitals did not schedule appointments for detainees seeking medical attention, leading to difficulties in obtaining timely specialist appointments for detainees.The HRCM reported in some units in Maafushi Prison, detainees were not allowed to leave their cells even for an hour a day, as required by law, citing a lack of staff and security issues.Administration: Authorities conducted investigations into credible allegations of mistreatment, but NGOs continued to report such investigations were lengthy and often did not result in successful convictions or punitive action against responsible officers.Independent Monitoring: The government generally permitted regular prison visits by the HRCM and the National Integrity Commission (NIC) but required a letter detailing the names of visiting HRCM and NIC representatives before allowing them access to prisoners. The government generally permitted visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Red Crescent, and other international assessment teams.																										d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention										The constitution and law prohibited arbitrary arrest and detention and provided for the right of any person to challenge the lawfulness of their arrest or detention in court. The government generally observed these requirements.																Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees						The constitution stated an arrest could not be made unless the arresting officer observed the offense, had reasonable evidence, or had a court-issued arrest warrant. The MPS generally complied with arrest procedures. The law authorized police to arrest terrorism suspects without an arrest warrant when there were probable and reasonable grounds to believe a terrorism offense was imminent unless immediate action was taken. In these cases, suspects had to be presented before a judge within 48 hours of arrest to determine the legality of the detention.Prisoners had the right to a ruling on bail within 36 hours, but lawyers reported the courts rarely considered bail.The law provided for investigative detention. A person detained for investigation was allowed one telephone call prior to police questioning. Once a person was detained, the arresting officer had to present evidence to a court within 24 hours to justify continued detention.Pretrial Detention: The MCS reported holding 279 pretrial or remand detainees in its facilities as of October, 28 fewer than in August 2022. Of these, 152 were in remand for more than a year, some for several years, without a conviction. Authorities reported it was likely that in some cases the length of pretrial detention was equal to or exceeded the maximum sentence allowed for the alleged crime.																										e. Denial of Fair Public Trial										The law provided for an independent judiciary, and the government generally respected judicial independence; however, it was subject to outside influence. Lawyers reported allegations of judicial impropriety and abuse of power among judicial officials, prosecutors, and attorneys who were reportedly intimidated or bribed. Government officials, members of parliament, and representatives of domestic and international civil society organizations accused the judiciary of bias.NGOs and defense lawyers reported the Judicial Service Commission investigated allegations of judicial misconduct but noted investigations against some judges were lengthy. Some of these judges were allowed to remain on the bench and hear cases while under investigation, raising concerns they could be intimidated to issue certain rulings to avoid punitive action by the commission.																Trial Procedures						The constitution and law provided for the right to a fair and public trial, but the judiciary did not always enforce this right. Lawyers reported in some cases that defendants who did not fully understand the language of the court were not provided free interpretation.The testimony of women was generally equal to that of men in court, but some laws allowed for differences in cases of rape (where the testimony of two male witnesses or four female witnesses was required). Sharia, as interpreted by the government, was applied in situations not covered by civil law.						Political Prisoners and Detainees						There were no reports of political prisoners or detainees.																										f. Transnational Repression										Not applicable.																																				g. Property Seizure and Restitution										Not applicable.																																				h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence										The law prohibited such actions, and there were no reports that the government failed to respect these prohibitions.																																					Section 2.													 Respect for Civil Liberties												    																																																a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media										The constitution provided for freedom of expression, including for the press and other media, except on religious matters, and the government generally respected this right. Civil society sources reported, however, that the government failed to act against online death threats and attacks against those perceived to be critical of Islam, leading journalists and NGOs to practice self-censorship on matters related to Islam.Freedom of Expression: The constitution prohibited utterances contrary to tenets of Islam or the government’s religious policies. The law criminalized the offence of “criticizing Islam” including use of a communications device to criticize Islam, the Quran, the Prophet Muhammed, or the Sunnah (traditions and practices of Muhammed).Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Community Empowerment regulations prohibited publishing literary material without authorization from the National Bureau of Classification. The regulations defined publication of literary material as “any writing, photograph, or drawing that has been made publicly accessible electronically or by way of printing, including publicizing or circulating on the internet.”Violence and Harassment: Journalists reported as concerns impunity and lack of arrests or action in cases of violence and harassment of media personnel reported to authorities in past years. Throughout the year international and domestic NGOs repeatedly condemned actions of police officers who assaulted or arrested journalists while they covered opposition protests. In a January statement, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Association for Democracy in the Maldives, and Transparency Maldives condemned the unjustified arrests of media personnel covering opposition protests. In February, March, and July, the Maldives Journalist Association and the International Federation of Journalists condemned police officers for obstructing, assaulting, and arresting reporters covering opposition protests in Malé.Independent media were nonetheless active and expressed a wide variety of views. Criticism of the government and debates on societal problems were commonplace, but media did not question Islamic values or the government’s policies on religion. Civil society and journalist sources stated media practiced self-censorship on matters related to Islam due to fears of harassment or being labeled “anti-Islamic.”In March chief editor of the online news outlet Adhadhu, Hussain Fiyaz Moosa, received anonymous death threats hours after his paper published an article on gangs and religious extremism. In April, Dhauru Ahmed Zahir, the senior editor of a news outlet, and a reporter from the same outlet, Ahmed Naif, received anonymous death threats days after the paper covered a long running arbitration dispute involving a private company owned by a parliamentarian. As of October, authorities continued to investigate the cases but had not identified perpetrators.Censorship or Content Restrictions for Members of the Press and Other Media, including Online Media: The law allowed authorities to force journalists to reveal their sources, but authorities did not routinely utilize this provision. In May 2022, a group of journalists from multiple media outlets submitted a petition to the President’s Office calling for the government to revoke or amend a provision in the newly passed Evidence Act that could compel journalists to reveal their sources when the information presented by the journalist related to acts of terrorism or when the information related to national security offenses. The provision applied when the court determined that factors described in it were more likely than not to have happened, a civil standard of proof.The law sanctioned anyone who violated an order to disclose a source with imprisonment of up to three months, a fine, or both. There were prohibitions on the import of foreign publications or materials applied to pornography or material otherwise deemed objectionable to Islamic values, including Bibles and idols for worship intended for public distribution. Tourists destined for resort islands were not prohibited from carrying Bibles and other religious items for their personal use.																Internet Freedom						The government generally did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content. A 2021 Criminal Court order for all local internet service providers to block access to websites, social media pages, YouTube channels, and online applications that targeted citizens of the country “with the intention of spreading religions other than Islam” remained in force. Authorities reported no new investigations into online content between January and August.The Communications Authority of Maldives was the regulatory body mandated to enforce internet content restrictions on sites hosted within the country and to block domestic access to any websites. The authority maintained an unpublished blacklist of offending websites. It did not proactively monitor internet content, but it accepted requests from ministries and other government agencies to block websites that allegedly violated domestic laws on anti-Islamism, pornography, child abuse, sexual and domestic violence, and other prohibited matters or material.NGOs reported the government’s failure to act against online death threats and attacks against those perceived to be critical of Islam continued. Freedom House reported local human rights groups had to relocate social media users who received death threats for exercising their freedom of expression.																										b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association										The constitution provided for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association; however, the government limited these rights.																Freedom of Peaceful Assembly						The constitution provided for “freedom of peaceful assembly without prior permission of the State.” The law on peaceful assembly restricted protests outside designated areas in the capital city. Protesters had to obtain prior written permission from the MPS and from the Ministry of Home Affairs to hold protests. Local civil society organizations condemned the restrictions as unconstitutional. MPS reported a total of 32 gatherings were dispersed from January until September for violation of the above provisions. NGOs reported that during some protest dispersals, MPS used pepper spray, verbal harassment, and undue force against protesters.						Freedom of Association						The constitution provided for freedom of association, but the government imposed some limits on this freedom. The government allowed only clubs and other private associations that did not contravene Islamic or civil law to register.The law allowed foreign associations to register and operate in the country but required them to submit documentation not required from domestic associations prior to registration, including submission of a resolution by the members of the association to register the association and copies of its constitutional documents.The act required all associations to disclose information related to any assistance received exceeding 500,000 rufiyaa ($32,400) with the Registrar of Associations prior to commencement of any activity using such assistance. The association was required to disclose the source, the amount obtained, and the purpose for which the assistance was obtained, and to record this information in an annual report submitted to the registrar.The government restricted the registration of political parties; see section 3.																										c. Freedom of Religion										See the Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report at  https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/.																																				d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country										The law provided for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation, and the government generally respected these rights. NGOs continued to report concerns regarding a 2020 High Court ruling that prohibited arrested migrant workers from release on bail unless a local national was willing to take responsibility for monitoring them until the conclusion of their cases.																																				e. Protection of Refugees										The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and other humanitarian organizations reported difficulty working with the government in providing protection and assistance to refugees, returning refugees, or asylum seekers, as well as other persons of concern.Access to Asylum: The law did not provide for granting asylum or refugee status, and the government had not established a system for providing protection to refugees.																																					Section 3.													 Freedom to Participate in the Political Process												    																						The constitution provided citizens the ability to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections held by secret ballot and based on universal and equal suffrage.																										Elections and Political Participation										Abuses or Irregularities in Recent Elections: Presidential elections held in September were peaceful, free, and well administered, according to Transparency Maldives and international election observers.Political Parties and Political Participation: Despite their assessment that the overall election was well administered, Transparency Maldives and international observers reported concerns in the pre-election environment including frequent allegations of vote buying, instrumentalization and abuse of state resources, particularly through state-owned enterprises, and a lack of transparency in campaign financing.In 2019 former president Abdulla Yameen was convicted on bribery and money laundering charges and sentenced to five years in prison; however, he was acquitted in 2021. In 2022 in a second case he was convicted, also of bribery and money laundering, and sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment. The political opposition alleged the conviction was politically motivated, although civil society and international observers viewed the convictions as credible and appropriate. Under the constitution, individuals convicted of a criminal offense and sentenced to a term of more than 12 months were ineligible to run for presidential office. Yameen’s supporters objected to his ineligibility to run, not based on his innocence, but because they believed it limited the political representation of citizens.The Political Parties Act restricted registration of political parties and eligibility for state funds to parties with 10,000 or more members. The act required all political parties to submit fingerprints with each membership application. Civil society organizations continued to express concerns that the law and subsequent amendments restricted the constitutional right to form and participate in political parties.Participation of Women and Members of Marginalized or Vulnerable Groups: No law limited participation of women or members of minority groups in the political process, and they did participate. Women’s rights activists and women politicians continued to highlight a lack of government and political party effort to encourage political participation of women. In their final report based on their 2022 visit to the country, the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls reported discriminatory social and cultural norms significantly undermined women’s political participation and made them targets of gender-based verbal abuse, harassment, hate speech, political intimidation, and disinformation campaigns both online and offline.																																					Section 4.													 Corruption in Government												    																						The law provided criminal penalties for corruption by officials, but the government did not implement the law effectively. There were numerous reports of government corruption filed with the Anti-Corruption Commission. According to NGOs, officials often engaged in corrupt practices with impunity because the government was slow to investigate, prosecute, and punish cases of corruption.Corruption: As of August, the Anti-Corruption Commission reported initiating 41 corruption investigations, less than half the number initiated over the same period of 2022. Most cases involved officials of state-owned enterprises; the majority of cases involved abuse of an official function for undue advantage or benefit. Civil society representatives reported concern over lack of political will to tackle corruption or implement anti-corruption laws resulting in increasing lack of accountability of public officials. They reported while a Whistleblower Protection Act was passed in 2019 and a whistleblower protection unit was established in the HRCM in 2020, the unit remained dysfunctional due to lack of budget support from the government.For additional information about corruption in the country, please see the Department of State’s Investment Climate Statement for the country, and the Department of State’s International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, which includes information on financial crimes.																											Section 5.													 Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights												    																						Several domestic human rights groups generally operated without government restriction, investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases. Government officials often were cooperative and responsive to their views.In March the Civil Court ruled in favor of the government’s 2019 decision to deregister the Maldivian Democracy Network following publication by the NGO in 2015 of their Preliminary Report on Radicalization in the Maldives that used language the Ministry of Islamic Affairs argued criticized Islam. Civil society organizations reported concern that the court decision legitimized the deregistration which intimidated many organizations.Retribution against Human Rights Defenders: In their final report based on their 2022 visit to the country, the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls reported women human rights defenders were subjected to online and offline harassment and attacks that often went unreported due a general environment of impunity and reprisals. In their final report based on their 2022 visit to the country, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism expressed concern that legitimate actions of human rights defenders were “limited by various pieces of legislation regulating freedom of expression, religion, association, and ‘extremism’” and noted particular challenges faced by women human rights defenders and their vulnerability to online harassment, including threats of violence.Government Human Rights Bodies: The HRCM was a constitutionally recognized independent institution with a mandate to promote and protect human rights under the constitution, Islamic law, and regional and international human rights conventions ratified by the country. The NIC was a statutorily recognized independent institution with a mandate to investigate allegations of human rights abuses by law enforcement agencies and employees, and it had the authority to forward cases with criminal elements to police for further investigation.Human rights activists reported the HRCM and NIC appeared to be working more independently since 2021. The HRCM reported government authorities were generally cooperative in investigations but were reluctant or slow to act on their recommendations. The NIC itself reported a lack of public awareness of its mandate, budgetary constraints, and a lack of trained technical staff.The Child Rights Ombudsman was tasked with monitoring implementation of the Child Rights Protection Act.The Office of Transitional Justice (OTJ) had a three-year mandate to investigate human rights violations by the state between 1953 and 2018. Civil society observers expressed concern that the office lacked adequate expertise to investigate cases covering a time span of 60 years. They also noted the three-year mandate was insufficient to adequately investigate the number of expected complaints. In November 2022, President Solih extended the term of the office until 17 November 2023. The office held a handful of closed-door hearings. Civil society observers noted while the hearings provided a forum for victims of past human rights violations to be heard, the office had not taken remedial action or provided compensation or closure to any victims. On November 17, the OTJ announced it had handed over all documents and assets to the government before the office was dissolved.																											Section 6.													 Discrimination and Societal Abuses												    																																																Women										Rape and Domestic Violence: The law criminalized rape of women and men including spousal rape. The law also criminalized domestic violence, including physical, sexual, verbal, psychological, and financial abuse. The law also extended protection to wives against being forcibly impregnated by their husbands and included an extensive list of other abuses for which protection was provided. The law allowed courts to issue restraining orders in domestic violence cases and criminalized any actions violating these orders. A man, however, could be convicted of rape in the absence of a confession only if there were two male witnesses or four female witnesses willing to testify. In the case of the statutory rape of a child, the burden of proof was lower. Penalties if convicted ranged from four months’ to 10 years’ imprisonment, depending on factors such as the age of the survivor.The government did not enforce the law effectively. NGOs and other authorities reported MPS officers were reluctant to make arrests in cases of domestic violence against women. Reportedly, this made survivors reluctant to file criminal cases against abusers.The Ministry of Gender, Family, and Social Services received reports of rape, sexual offenses, and domestic violence, and conducted social inquiry assessments of cases it submitted to the MPS. It also provided psychological support to survivors during MPS investigations. To streamline the process of reporting abuses against women and children, the ministry operated family and children’s service centers on every atoll. Authorities and NGOs reported the service centers were short staffed and under-resourced. Staff employed at the centers lacked technical skills. Between January and October, the ministry carried out a national campaign to combat domestic violence under which the ministry trained facilitators across 17 atolls to conduct awareness raising on domestic violence and placed public billboards with awareness raising messages. The ministry also conducted sensitization programs to familiarize 35 staff from island magistrate courts on the Domestic Violence Act and the Sexual Offences Act.Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C): The law did not prohibit FGM/C. No cases of FGM/C were reported to government authorities during the year. Since 2014 some religious leaders intermittently sought to revive the practice.Other Forms of Gender-based Violence or Harassment: Civil society organizations reported sexual harassment was prevalent but underreported.Discrimination: The law provided the same legal status and rights for women and men in religious, personal status and nationality laws, and laws related to labor, property, access to credit, and owning or managing business and property. The law prohibited gender discrimination including in workplaces, educational institutions, and service providers such as hospitals. Discrimination against women remained a problem. Sharia governed inheritance of private property that gave male heirs twice the share of female heirs. Women’s rights activists reported that women who initiated divorce proceedings faced undue delays in court compared with cases brought by men who initiated divorce proceedings. According to women’s rights activists, there were no policies in place to provide equal opportunities for women’s employment, despite provisions in the constitution and the law.Reproductive Rights: There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities.Extramarital sex was criminalized and childbirth out of wedlock was stigmatized.Limited public information on reproductive health services was available for unmarried individuals. NGOs and activists expressed concern that adolescents’ access to information on reproductive health rights and services remained extremely limited. They also noted that in smaller island communities, contraceptives were only available at a single heath center or pharmacy on each island, leaving unmarried couples reluctant to access them due to social stigma.Health-care facilities generally provided reproductive health services only to married couples. A centralized system of health-care provision remained a significant barrier to access for health-care services on islands outside the capital region. NGOs who provided sexual and reproductive health services reported the high cost of travel to islands outside the capital region posed a challenge to providing services on outer islands. Reportedly, men often influenced or controlled the reproductive health decisions of women including use of contraceptives. In their final report based on their 2022 visit to the country, the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls reported family planning and contraceptives were offered to women with spousal consent. Youth access to reproductive health information and services was especially limited, and cultural attitudes prevented youths from accessing what limited services were available from health facilities or NGOs.NGOs reported that the government and some NGOs provided access to emergency contraceptives for sexual violence survivors. Postexposure prophylaxis was provided by the government through public hospitals and health centers. NGOs reported public health services provided psychosocial support and medical attention for a limited period immediately following instances of sexual violence. Access to these services through private health-care providers was costly or unavailable, especially outside Malé.In their final report based on their 2022 visit to the country, the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls reported women and girls from outer islands reported lacking access to feminine hygiene products.																																				Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination										The constitution prohibited discrimination based on race or national origin. No law specifically protected members of racial, ethnic, or national minorities or groups from violence and discrimination. The law and regulations prohibited discrimination in employment and occupation based on race, color, religion, and social origin, but not on national origin or ethnicity. The government generally enforced those laws and regulations, with some exceptions that included discrimination in working and living conditions of foreign migrant workers, especially from Bangladesh. The Minimum Wage Order, which came into force in 2022, exempted foreign migrant workers for the first two years of enforcement. NGOs reported some societal discrimination against members of racial, ethnic, or national minorities. There were no government programs to mitigate societal, racial, or ethnic biases.																																				Children										Child Abuse: The law prohibited sexual and physical abuse of children, child neglect, and exploitation of children. The courts had the power to detain convicted perpetrators, but many were released pending sentencing and allowed to return to the communities of their victims. The Ministry of Gender, Family, and Social Services which oversaw providing care and support to victims of child abuse, including sexual abuse, reported a lack of individuals trained in case work, psychosocial support, and other technical skills. More than 70 percent of the total cases received by the ministry as of August were cases of child abuse, the majority involving sexual abuse of girls. The MPS forwarded less than 2 percent of all received cases for prosecution as of July. Human rights activists conducted social media campaigns throughout the year to express concern regarding inadequate investigation of rape and child sexual abuse cases and impunity of offenders. Human rights activists reported the continuing lack of effective coordination among authorities handling child abuse cases, delays in attending to reports of abuse, and a lack of standard operating procedures to handle child abuse cases remained a problem.Child, Early, and Forced Marriage: The law prohibited any marriage of a person younger than age 18. NGOs reported anecdotal evidence of some child marriages conducted outside of the legal system.Sexual Exploitation of Children: The law prohibited commercial sexual exploitation and the sale, grooming, or use of children for commercial exploitation, including sex trafficking and practices related to child pornography. The law prohibited using, procuring, and offering children for pornographic performances; it was punishable by five to 25 years’ imprisonment. The law stipulated that a child between ages 13 and 18 involved in a sexual act was deemed not to have given consent “unless otherwise proven.” The law also treated the sexual exploitation of children by a third party as a form of human trafficking with exploitation, with a 15-year maximum sentence if convicted. The penal code allowed the Prosecutor General’s Office to file multiple charges against a perpetrator for a single offense. Regarding sex trafficking, for example, the office could file charges for human trafficking under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act and for prostitution under the Child Rights Protection Act and aggregate the penalties so convicted perpetrators served longer sentences for a single offense. As of August, the MPS investigated one case of child pornography but had not forwarded the case for prosecution. NGOs reported that there were no confirmed reports of child sex tourism, but government authorities lacked the capacity to monitor the guesthouse-tourism sector in remote islands.																																				Antisemitism										The public practice of religion other than Islam was prohibited by law, and the government did not provide estimates on the number of Jewish residents in the country. There were no reports of antisemitic acts.																																				Trafficking in Persons										See the Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report at  https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/.																																				Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics										Criminalization: The law prohibited same-sex sexual conduct. Under the penal code, the punishment for conviction included up to eight years’ imprisonment or, under Islamic law, 100 lashes. As of August, the MPS investigated six cases of individuals engaging in same-sex relations but charges were not brought in any of these cases, while the Criminal Court continued hearings in six trials initiated in previous years under the charge of engaging in same-sex relations.Violence and Harassment: There were no official reports that police or other government agents incited or perpetrated violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex (LGBTQI+) individuals or those reporting such abuse. There were no reports of officials complicit in abuses against LGBTQI+ persons, but societal stigma likely discouraged individuals from reporting such problems. In August multiple individuals posted numerous threatening messages against an employee at a beauty salon for appearing to be transgender, after one of the employee’s clients posted on social media alleging the employee was transgender. Multiple individuals on social media continued to post threatening messages calling for violence against individuals seen in videos leaked during the previous year showing a Bangladeshi man, M.D. Alamgiri, engaging in same-sex relations with multiple Maldivian men. As of September, authorities reported no action taken against those posting threatening messages in either case.Discrimination: No legal provision prohibiting discrimination covered discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics, and the law did not recognize LGBTQI+ individuals, couples, or their families. LGBTQI+ individuals largely remained hidden and did not come out due to social stigma. There were reports that schoolteachers were stricter when dealing with children perceived to be LGBTQI+.Availability of Legal Gender Recognition: The government did not allow individuals to change their gender identity marker on legal and identifying documents to bring them into alignment with their gender identity.Involuntary or Coercive Medical or Psychological Practices: LGBTQI+ individuals and therapists reported several instances where parents forced LGBTQI+ children to begin talk therapy or seek treatment from “religious healers” in order to change their sexual orientation and gender identity.Restrictions of Freedom of Expression, Association, or Peaceful Assembly: No organizations focused on LGBTQI+ advocacy existed in the country. Local citizens who expressed support for LGBTQI+ rights on social media continued to report they were targeted for online harassment as “apostates” or irreligious.																																				Persons with Disabilities										The constitution and law provided rights and freedom from most types of discrimination for persons with disabilities; however, persons with disabilities did not have access to education, health services, public buildings, or transportation on an equal basis with others. The constitution provided for freedom from discrimination in access to employment for persons with disabilities, but the law did not do so. The law provided for some protection of the rights of persons with disabilities as well as monthly financial assistance to each registered individual. NGOs reported, however, that the National Social Protection Agency’s registration process had strict conditions, a cumbersome screening process, and an assessment requirement from a medical center in Malé City, that prevented most persons with disabilities from registering. Government information on disability concerns were not provided in accessible formats.NGOs that operated throughout the country estimated that up to 10 percent of the total population of persons with disabilities had been subjected to various forms of abuse. NGOs also estimated that 40 to 60 percent of the total number of girls or women with disabilities who were subjected to various forms of abuse, were subjected to sexual abuse. The families of victims often did not report cases to authorities because the police investigation and judicial process was inaccessible to persons with disabilities.Students with physical disabilities were integrated into mainstream educational programs at primary and secondary level. Most large government schools also had special units catering to persons with disabilities who were not accommodated in the mainstream classes. Nonetheless, children with disabilities had virtually no access to support for transition to higher secondary education. Government services for persons with disabilities included special educational programs for those with sensory disabilities. Inadequate facilities and transportation for persons with disabilities on smaller islands and atolls made it difficult for them to attend school or work. Most public streets and buildings were not accessible for wheelchair users.For the first time in the country, blind and visually impaired voters were provided special accommodation and were able to vote without assistance during the September presidential elections.Institutionalized Children: During the year the Ministry of Gender, Family, and Social Services operated 14 facilities which housed children taken into state care, some of which housed children with disabilities. HRCM, NGOs and staff at some of these facilities reported a lack of basic infrastructure, material resources, such as books, clothing, recreational spaces, digital devices and connectivity, and an inadequate number of staff, trained or otherwise, at these facilities.																																					Section 7.													 Worker Rights												    																																																a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining										The constitution provided for workers’ freedom of association, although there was no specific law protecting the right to unionize. Organizations that wished to act as unions registered under the Associations Act. The act did not provide for independent unions, collective bargaining, or the conduct of strikes. As a result, the court system refused to officially recognize trade unions. Worker organizations were usually treated as civil society organizations or associations without the right to engage in collective bargaining. Police and armed forces did not have the right to form unions. Given the formal absence of unions, there were no reports of government enforcement of laws respecting their establishment or operation.Under the law, some workers’ organizations were established as civil society organizations, including in the tourism, fisheries, education, health, and shipping (seafarers’) sectors, but these functioned more as cooperative associations and had very limited roles in labor advocacy. The Teachers Association of the Maldives, the Tourism Employees Association of Maldives and the Maldives Trade Union Congress, an umbrella organization formed by the tourism employees’ association, the Maldivian Ports Workers, and the Maldives Health Professionals Union, were among the more active workers’ organizations.The Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act effectively prohibited strikes by workers in the resort sector, the country’s largest money earner, and the tourism employees’ association reported their representatives were often denied access to resorts when seeking to engage with members. Employees in the following services were also prohibited from striking: hospitals and health centers, electricity companies, water providers, telecommunications providers, prison guards, and air traffic controllers. The Home Ministry enforced the act by arresting workers who go on strike, but there were no such arrests during the year.Teachers were not prohibited by law from striking, but the teachers’ association in previous years reported that the Ministry of Education prohibited teachers’ strikes, citing potential damage to the profession, and stating that individuals’ reputations had to be maintained because teaching was a public trust profession.The government did not always enforce applicable laws. Resources, inspections, and remediation remained inadequate, and penalties were not commensurate with other laws involving the denial of civil rights and were sometimes applied against violators.																																				b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor										See the Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report at  https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/.																																				c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment										See the Department of Labor’s Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor at  https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/findings/ .																																				d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																														e. Acceptable Conditions of Work										Wage and Hour Laws: The law provided a minimum wage in most sectors, and it was more than the official estimate for the poverty income level. Foreign workers were excluded from the Minimum Wage Order which outlined the scope and amount of the minimum wage. Minimum wage price floors were different for the public sector and for small, medium, and large businesses in the private sector. Wages in the private sector were commonly set by contract between employers and employees and were based on rates for similar work in the public sector.The law established maximum hours of work, overtime, annual and sick leave, maternity leave, and guidelines for workplace safety. Civil servants were allowed six months of maternity leave and one month’s paternity leave. The law provided for a 48-hour per week limit on work with a compulsory 24-hour break if employees worked six days consecutively. Certain provisions in the law, such as overtime and public holiday pay, did not apply to emergency workers, air and sea crews, executive staff of any company, and workers who were on call. Employee associations reported some government schools and hospitals continued to place a cap on overtime pay.Occupational Safety and Health: The country did not have a general occupational safety and health (OSH) law, but certain industries, including construction, health, aviation, and tourism, had compiled their own standards and regulations, which they enforced themselves. There were no reports the government took any action under health and safety regulations, but civil society reported a lack of adequate safety measures and that workers were often not provided safety equipment in the construction sector. The law mandated implementation of a safe workplace, procurement of secure tools and machinery, verification of equipment safety, use of protective equipment to mitigate health hazards, employee training in the use of protective gear, and appropriate medical care, but there were no national standards for safety measures, and as a result such measures were at the discretion of employers.The law protected workers who removed themselves from situations that endangered health or safety without jeopardy to their employment.Wage, Hour, and OSH Enforcement: The government did not effectively enforce minimum wage or OSH-related laws; it effectively enforced overtime laws. Penalties for violations were not commensurate with laws for similar crimes and were rarely applied against violators. Penalties for overtime violations were commensurate with those for similar crimes, such as fraud.The Labor Relations Authority (LRA) and Employment Tribunal were charged with implementing employment law, and the LRA conducted workplace investigations and provided dispute resolution mechanisms to address complaints from workers. The most common findings related to missing or problematic provisions included in employment contracts and job descriptions, overtime and other pay, and problems related to leave. Inspectors had the authority to make unannounced inspections and initiate sanctions. The LRA typically gave employers one to three months to correct problems but lacked sufficient labor inspectors and travel funding to enforce compliance.The LRA reported difficulties in assessing safety standards during inspections due to the lack of national standards. Safety regulations for the construction industry required employers to provide employees with safety equipment such as helmets, belts, and masks, but NGOs reported the government failed to monitor implementation of these standards. All employers were required to provide health insurance for foreign workers.According to the government, 19 percent of the total working population was engaged in informal employment, with 62 percent of those self-employed and not covered by wage, hour, or OSH inspections. The LRA was authorized to inspect any workspace with employees but reported it did not routinely inspect workspaces of domestic workers. It did investigate complaints filed by domestic workers.																																				    							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Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																				Freedom of Peaceful Assembly																																												Freedom of Association																																																																																				c. Freedom of Religion																																																						d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																						e. Protection of Refugees																																																			Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																							Elections and Political Participation																																																			Section 4. Corruption in Government																Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																							Women																																																						Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																						Children																																																						Antisemitism																																																						Trafficking in Persons																																																						Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																						Persons with Disabilities																																																			Section 7. Worker Rights																																							a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																						b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																						c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																						d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																																						e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																									Tags																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																								Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs																								Maldives
- Department Press Briefing – March 6, 2024 HomeDepartment Press Briefing – March 6, 2024				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Department Press Briefing – March 6, 2024																																																					March 6, 2024																																																								1:14 p.m. ESTMR MILLER: All right, everyone. I don’t have anything for the top, so &#8212;QUESTION: Really?MR MILLER: &#8212; Matt, you want to &#8212;QUESTION: You don’t have anything at the top?MR MILLER: You have – I have – calling on you counts as something. So &#8212;QUESTION: There’s a lot going on. Well, yeah, not much. All right. I &#8212;MR MILLER: That’s your assessment, not mine. I don’t share that assessment.QUESTION: I got several – I have several brief ones, in alphabetical order, but – and my colleagues should feel free to interrupt if they have anything on these. My alphabetical order are Haiti, Houthis, and Gaza.MR MILLER: Okay.QUESTION: Starting with Haiti, what is the situation with Prime Minister Henry. There – the report that you guys wanted – you guys want him out, is that correct? I understand that your ambassador to the UN spoke to this earlier, but wondering what you have to say about it.MR MILLER: So let me start by just saying generally the United States has long worked with CARICOM and Haitian leaders on the path to restoring democratic order in Haiti through free and fair elections, inclusive governance, and power sharing, which will give them the opportunity to democratically elect a prime minister. And as the situation on the ground grows increasingly dire, we and CARICOM have continued to call on stakeholders, including the prime minister, to make concessions in the interest of the Haitian people.So we are not calling on him or pushing for him to resign, but we are urging him to expedite the transition to an empowered and inclusive governance structure that will move with urgency to help the country prepare for a multinational security support mission to address the security situation and pave the way for free and fair elections.QUESTION: Okay. So what’s your understanding of where he is now and his efforts to get back to the country?MR MILLER: So I will let him speak to his travel plans and his location.QUESTION: All right. Well, look, the U.S. has a long and very difficult history with Haiti and going back long before you or I were born, decades, and decades, and decades. But also in my time at the State Department, I was there when you guys organized the, quote/unquote, “evacuation” of the prime minister. So how far are you guys prepared to go in pushing or telling Prime Minister Henry that he needs to either start the transition or get out of the way so that the transition can start?MR MILLER: So we are going to continue to work with CARICOM, because I think it’s important to make clear that it’s not the United States acting alone in this – with this regard. It’s the United States in consultation with partners in the region are having these conversations. And what we are saying to the prime minister is that he needs to expedite the transition to an empowered and inclusive governance, including the appointment of a transition council. So that’s what we’ll continue to discuss with him.QUESTION: All right. If anyone else has anything on Haiti &#8212;QUESTION: Can I ask a couple things on &#8212;MR MILLER: Yeah.QUESTION: I know you’re not confirming his whereabouts, but is he welcome in the United States? I mean, can Prime Minister Henry stay in the United States and U.S. territory?MR MILLER: I’m just – I am just not going to speak to his travel plans at all. I think it’s appropriate for him to make those announcements.QUESTION: Sure. And also, I mean, the – can you flesh it out a little bit more? To a new governance structure – is that something – is there something concrete that’s in mind? I mean, there’s obviously ideas from CARICOM and elsewhere, but is there some sort of a concrete plan or this more just generally speaking that something needs to change?MR MILLER: I don&#8217;t want to speak to it in detail from here, because it’s something we’re in conversation with partners in the region about at this time. But we have always been clear that there needs to be a transition to free and fair elections in Haiti, and we have been clear that we need to see the deployment of a multinational security support mission to address the dire security situation on the ground. So we are continuing to work through both of those things. We are making progress on deploying the MSS; we want to see that happen as soon as possible. And we’re also in – as I said, in conversation with partners in the region about how to transition back to the path to democracy.QUESTION: And just one more. The new governance structure – is that – and the elections, I mean this – the call for elections – is that – do those go in tandem? Is there an idea that you need to have elections to have this new governance structure? Is there any idea that there needs to be something that changes right now even before &#8212;MR MILLER: I just don’t want to get into details. But of course we are looking to get to – on – back on the path to elections in the country, as well as to security.QUESTION: Go ahead.QUESTION: There’s no more on Haiti? I just want to go to the Houthis.MR MILLER: The Houthis?QUESTION: And you’ve seen that there’s been – CENTCOM has put out a statement about fatalities. These are apparently the first fatalities. Do you have anything to say about this incident?MR MILLER: So I think that it was, sadly, inevitable. The Houthis have continued to launch these reckless attacks with no regard for the well-being of innocent civilians who are transiting through the Red Sea. And now they have, unfortunately and tragically, killed innocent civilians. And so the United States will continue to hold the Houthis accountable for their attacks, which have not just disrupted international commerce, not just disrupted the freedom of navigation in international waters, and not just endangered seafarers, but now, tragically, killed a number of them. So we will continue to hold them accountable, and we call on governments around the world to do the same.Anything else?QUESTION: No. I’ll let other people go on Gaza.MR MILLER: Okay.QUESTION: Do you want to step in or &#8212;QUESTION: Just a little bit.QUESTION: Go ahead.MR MILLER: It’s just so &#8212;QUESTION: Just one more thing on the Houthis.MR MILLER: I’m sort of – it’s so weird.QUESTION: So cooperative.MR MILLER: Like, the two of you guys, like, collaborating or maybe conspiring. (Laughter.)QUESTION: Well, why not? Great. When you say we’ll continue to hold the Houthis accountable for their attacks, should we expect, like, a new wave of U.S. retaliatory attacks from here in a way that we’ve saw – we’ve seen three weeks ago, or what is that that you’re referring to?MR MILLER: I am just – I am not going to preview actions that we will take from this podium, as is always the case.QUESTION: Okay. I’ll go to Gaza in that case.MR MILLER: Yeah.QUESTION: Just &#8212;QUESTION: Oh, sure. Go ahead.QUESTION: Just briefly one more.MR MILLER: Comity.QUESTION: We’re being very polite. I mean, just the flipside of what Humeyra asked – I mean, does this show a failure, for lack of another term, of deterrence? I mean, there have been these strikes from the U.S. and the UK and others on Houthi targets. Does this show it’s not working and that there needs to be a new strategy?MR MILLER: Look, we have always made clear that this is going to be a long-term process, both to deter the Houthi attacks and to degrade their capabilities to carry them out, and that’s a process that is continuing. At the same time, we continue to talk to partners in the region about how they ought to make clear to the Houthis that these attacks are irresponsible, that they endanger international commerce, and that they hurt the economies of countries in the region as well as countries around the world. So it’s something that we will continue to push, not just on behalf of the United States but on behalf of the coalition that we have assembled to oppose the Houthis’ actions, and again, to collaborate with other countries in the world who share those interests.QUESTION: Go ahead.MR MILLER: Yeah.QUESTION: Okay. On Gaza ceasefire, Matt, yesterday you said that U.S. believes that the obstacles at the moment are not insurmountable. How would you describe the talks today, given that there’s still no breakthrough, and it’s day three and it’s at a very critical week?MR MILLER: So I’m not going to give a day-by-day assessment of the talks, but the over &#8212;QUESTION: Gazans live day by day.MR MILLER: But the overall assessment that I offered yesterday has not – we still – we continue to believe that the obstacles are not insurmountable and that a deal can be reached and a deal is in the interest of Israel, it’s in the interest of the Palestinian people, and it’s in the interest of the broader region. So we’re going to continue to push for one, but I’m not going to offer an assessment of where things stand today.QUESTION: So you wouldn’t describe the talks as they’re at an impasse?MR MILLER: They are ongoing. No.QUESTION: Right. And what is the U.S. understanding that the biggest sticking point is at the moment?MR MILLER: Nice try, but you know I’m not going to answer that one. (Laughter.)QUESTION: And would you say that it is right now up to Hamas or Israel or both of them – which one – to basically accept the deal? Or is – it’s not like that; it is something that they have to &#8212;MR MILLER: So it is a negotiation. It’s an ongoing process. But the point that you have heard me make and that you have heard the Secretary and other leaders of the administration make over the past few days is that Israel put a serious proposal on the table, and it’s for Hamas to accept it; it’s also for Hamas to engage in good faith and show that they actually want to get a deal, and we’re going to continue to engage on good faith on our behalf and continue to try to get a deal over the finish line.QUESTION: Have you seen in recent days that Hamas is not engaging in good faith &#8212;MR MILLER: So &#8212;QUESTION: &#8212; and they actually don’t want a deal?MR MILLER: So I think that I – it’s hard to ever offer an assessment that a terrorist organization that attacks innocent civilians is acting &#8212;QUESTION: Sure, but they’re &#8212;MR MILLER: &#8212; is acting wholly in good faith, but it is a negotiation, and I don’t want to comment on the underlying negotiation.Go ahead, Tom, and then I’ll come to you next, Said.QUESTION: The World Health Organization said yesterday that its officials had visited Shifa Hospital, where there were treatment – there was the treatment of 50 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. In Kamal Adwan Hospital, 10 children had reportedly died from hunger and dehydration in recent days, and that it was overwhelmed by patients. They say the current rate of 15 percent of wasting among children under the age of two in northern Gaza suggests a serious and rapid decline. Such a decline in a population’s nutritional status in three months is unprecedented globally. I mean, you know about this situation, so what is being done to alleviate this?MR MILLER: So first of all, let me say that those reports, which we saw and reviewed, are obviously heartbreaking, and it confirms what you heard the Secretary say yesterday – that not only is the situation on the ground right now in Gaza unacceptable, but it’s unsustainable. It cannot continue this way. And so you have seen the United States take action to air drop food supplies in. You have seen us take action to fund the delivery of humanitarian assistance. You have seen us announce that we are exploring a maritime option to deliver humanitarian assistance through new routes. But it still is incumbent upon the Government of Israel to do more as well.Now, we did see an increase in the number of trucks that went into Israel yesterday – around 250, 260 trucks made it in through Rafah and Kerem Shalom. That’s an improvement over where we have been. We have seen some improvement in the distribution, but we need to see dramatically more go in. We need to see it go in not just through Rafah and Kerem Shalom, but we need to see it go in through a crossing in the north. And we have made very clear to the Government of Israel that’s what we expect and that we expect to see improvement, and as the President said, there can be no excuses.QUESTION: And he said that on Friday. The Vice President’s repeated it. We heard from the Secretary of State yesterday a similar message, insisting that Israel facilitate some more aid, and yet yesterday 14 World Food Programme trucks were blocked by the Israelis going to the north of Gaza. So they’re not listening.MR MILLER: So I can’t speak to that specific report of trucks being blocked. Sometimes trucks are blocked for legitimate reasons; sometimes they’re blocked for less than legitimate reasons. We want to see trucks move all around, and there needs to be a security situation that allows them to move, and that’s one of the difficult things that we have tried to work through.So what I’ll say is the messages that you ticked through that you heard the President, and the Vice President, and the Secretary deliver publicly, I can assure you that we are delivering those messages every bit as clearly privately with Israel as well, and we expect to see action.Said.QUESTION: Thank you. Thank you, Matt. Just to follow up on Tom’s referencing of the hospitals. I mean, of Gaza’s 33 hospitals before that were fully operational before October 7th, there are now three that are semi-functional and so on. That’s creating a really horrific situation. And we talk about the food and the starvation and so on, but is there any way – I don’t have any ideas, but – is there any way to actually make these hospitals more functional and able to care for more people, especially children?MR MILLER: So the best way to achieve that goal, which is very much a goal that we have, would be to reach a deal for an immediate ceasefire that would last for at least six weeks and would allow for a cessation in hostilities, would allow for the delivery of humanitarian assistance, would allow for people inside Gaza to move around, both doctors and patients and those who just need to seek medical care. That would be the best route to reach that objective, and it’s one that we are continuing to pursue.QUESTION: So six weeks would probably be a nice respite for the people and for everybody involved, but it also presumes that the fighting will continue thereafter for whatever reason after the end of the six weeks, especially in light of what you alluded to yesterday, that you support Israel in its pursuit of the defeat of Hamas and so on. And what we see 150 days after this war began, we see that the fighting is still going, Hamas is not defeated; by the best analysis, it has been degraded somewhat, maybe 30 percent, 20 percent, whatever it is. So conceivably this war can go on for another year.MR MILLER: So we have always said that we want to see this conflict end as soon as possible. We want to get a temporary ceasefire to alleviate the humanitarian situation and get the hostages home, but it is our goal to end the conflict completely, and to end it as soon as possible, and, as you have heard me say before, Hamas bears a lot of responsibility for the conflict continuing to be waged. Hamas could come forward and surrender, they could come forward and swear off violence, they could put their arms down. And one of the things that we would very much try to pursue in the event of a humanitarian ceasefire would be the demilitarization of Gaza and the demilitarization of Hamas. And we are – it’s something that we will consult with – that we have been consulting and will continue to consult with partners in the region about. Because for all that – for all that Israel has done in this conflict, and the – and all it has done to bring Hamas terrorists to justice, Hamas does bear a lot of responsibility for the conflict ongoing. So if we are able to get a ceasefire, it is very much something that we will pursue.QUESTION: I understand, but you’re saying that you want Hamas to surrender – that is, I mean, is there really serious thinking that this is actually going to happen? I mean, considering that the Palestinians have been waging some sort of an armed struggle against Israel for the past 75 years. I mean, they take – they go from Beirut to (inaudible) to Jordan to places like this, but it goes on in the West Bank and so on. Is there really expectation that the Palestinians will give up the notion of getting their rights or – getting their rights; in the absence of the world doing anything about granting them their rights, that they have to do it on their own?MR MILLER: So we do not want the Palestinians to give up their rights. In fact, you have seen the Secretary and the President pushing very hard for a two-state solution that would create an independent Palestinian state, and would answer the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people.But to this question about Hamas, when you’ve seen 30,000 Palestinians killed, why wouldn’t they lay down their arms and stop that bloodshed? Why wouldn’t they lay down their arms and stop the war? If they truly care about the thousands and thousands of civilians who have been killed in a war that Hamas started – so remember who started this war – if that was in their real interest, the well-being of the Palestinian people, I’m hard-pressed to answer why they wouldn’t lay down their arms and pursue a demilitarization option when you have the United States and other countries in the region saying we are prepared to step forward and work on a legitimate political path forward for the Palestinian people – not one that’s brought about by terrorism, not one that’s brought about by violence, but a legitimate political path that leads to an independent Palestinian state.QUESTION: And lastly – I’m sorry, but just to push this point a bit further – the Palestinians basically said okay, we lay down our arms; they’ve done it time and time again. They recognize Israel. They sign treaties and so on with them &#8212;MR MILLER: Hamas has not done it.QUESTION: Hamas said they will abide by the – I mean, let’s not – it’s a very complex issue.MR MILLER: Hamas won’t even sign up to the principles of the PLO, so.QUESTION: But I’m saying that – what we’re saying is there has been a Palestinian effort that has failed. I mean, people look – whether it’s Hamas or somebody else – they look at 30 years of efforts to arrive at the resolution that the United States has signed to and in fact sponsored in 1993. No? And it has gone nowhere. We see the settlements expand. We see the occupation become more violent against the Palestinians. People are more imprisoned and so on.MR MILLER: So if people continue to look at the past and only the past that has happened for decades and decades without being willing to sign on to a positive vision of the future, we will never have a peaceful way out of this conflict – not just the current conflict in Gaza, but an actual resolution to the longstanding conflict between Israel and Palestinians.QUESTION: Well – but the problem with that, Matt, is that you have called for in every single conflict around the world there to be accountability for things that have happened in the past, and now you’re saying, oh, well, just forget about it.MR MILLER: No. That’s not – my point is there has to be at some point a political reconciliation. And so I think Said’s point was why would Hamas agree to lay down arms when we have seen grievance after gradience go on for decades. And the point that we have made – and you’ve heard this – the Secretary speak to this a number of times &#8212;QUESTION: Fair enough, but &#8212;MR MILLER: Ultimately there are two paths. There is – you can continue down this path where we talk about what happened decades and decades ago and try to address that with – through violent activities, or we can have a peaceful resolution to this. And of course you &#8212;QUESTION: But &#8212;MR MILLER: Of course, there’s a process for addressing legitimate grievances through that process. But what I am saying, and the point that we have made, is continuing to carry out violence as the solution to decades-old grievances &#8212;QUESTION: Legitimate gradiences.MR MILLER: &#8212; is a path – is a path to continued conflict and a never-ending cycle that does not advance the interests of the Palestinian people.QUESTION: But you’re talking about addressing legitimate grievances from the past, right?MR MILLER: Yes. And my point is through violence will just lead you in this never-ending cycle that we – that the region has been in for decades.QUESTION: Okay.QUESTION: Can I follow up on Said’s point?MR MILLER: Yeah.QUESTION: I mean, because you said that why wouldn’t Hamas look at the numbers of dead – 30,000 – and effectively surrender, but that almost suggests or implies that the numbers killed creates a political or military pressure on Hamas to do so. But you’ve always said that any civilian death is unacceptable.MR MILLER: That’s – that is not – that’s not my implication. That’s not my implication at all. Any civilian death is unacceptable.QUESTION: But you connected those two issues &#8212;MR MILLER: No, I &#8212;QUESTION: &#8212; that if Hamas surrender – Hamas looking at the number of dead, why would they not surrender?MR MILLER: This – any – hold on. It is not – it is – it is not the implication. I don’t think that’s a fair reading of what I’m saying. My – every civilian death is unacceptable. The point is that Hamas surrendering would end the conflict, and would end the civilian causalities that have unfortunately happened since October 7th.Go ahead. I’m sorry, Jenny. Go.QUESTION: So I just want to clarify: The Israeli Government has told you that if Sinwar was to purely surrender, that would be sufficient to end the war?MR MILLER: I – so I’m not going to get into our – the conversations that we’ve had, but obviously if Hamas surrendered and laid down its arms that would be an end to the conflict.QUESTION: Including Sinwar?MR MILLER: That – he is the leader of Hamas in Gaza.QUESTION: So it’s sufficient for them.MR MILLER: So I am not – I am not going to speak on behalf of the Israeli Government, but obviously when you have one side of a conflict stop fighting and lay down its arms, that brings about an end to the conflict.QUESTION: Okay. And I want to push you on some of the many things the U.S. Government has called on Israel to investigate. Do you have any updates on the convoy shooting into the air, into the crowd, that &#8212;MR MILLER: That investigation is ongoing, is our understanding. They have announced preliminary results. I know they’ve announced those publicly, and they’ve briefed them to us privately as well. But the fuller investigation is still ongoing.QUESTION: And then on the investigations into the two American teenagers who were killed in the West Bank? What is the &#8212;MR MILLER: Those investigations are also going – ongoing. But we should be clear, only one of those is an Israeli-conducted investigation. The other is being conducted by Palestinian law enforcement authorities because of where that killing took place in the West Bank.QUESTION: And the CHIRG process, have there been any conclusions there?MR MILLER: It’s ongoing. Yeah.QUESTION: Please follow up &#8212;QUESTION: I – just &#8212;MR MILLER: Sorry, Humeyra.QUESTION: Just on the investigations &#8212;MR MILLER: Yeah.QUESTION: Just two others specifically. The one – the implosion of the university in Gaza?MR MILLER: I don’t – I don’t have any new information to report from the Israeli Government.QUESTION: And what about the incident that happened a couple months ago in which the – Israeli agents went into the hospital, went room by room and &#8212;MR MILLER: I’ll have – I’ll have to check to see if we have any updates on it.QUESTION: &#8212; basically killed people?MR MILLER: I’ll have to check and get back to you and see if we have any updates.QUESTION: So &#8212;MR MILLER: Oh, sorry. Humeyra and then &#8212;QUESTION: &#8212; just one further – on this – on these investigations, when was the first time that State Department or the administration has launched one of these investigations in an incident like this?MR MILLER: Do you mean &#8212;QUESTION: Do you remember?MR MILLER: Are you speaking with respect to the CHIRG process which is not something I would describe as an investigation?QUESTION: Not necessarily CHIRG, but like all of these investigations: the university, the hospital, West Bank.MR MILLER: So a little bit of conflation. Those are investigations that are being conducted either by Israeli authorities, or in one of these cases, by the Palestinian law enforcement authorities.QUESTION: Right. So I’m just trying to get a sense of what U.S.’s expectation of how long those investigations will last, and what is your mechanism to really follow up on the result of the investigation. And &#8212;MR MILLER: So it depends on the circumstances. There are things that the Israeli Government has looked into at our request where they have come back and reported to us either that – I’ve talked about this some before. Like, we’ve gone and asked them about specific strikes, and they have come back to us and said we were targeting this specific strike where there were reports of civilian casualties because there was a legitimate military target. And sometimes they’re able to tell us who – the name of that legitimate military target who is there. At other times, they have come back to us and told us that this strike that you asked us to look into, we were targeting one facility, and we mistakenly hit another facility. So we have gotten answers on a number of things that we have raised questions for.With respect to other investigations, it’s different depending on the circumstance – for example, the killing of two American citizens in the West Bank, one of which is being conducted by the Israeli police, one of which is being conducted by Palestinian law enforcement. I can’t possibly give you a timetable on how long a police investigation takes, just as we can’t – local law enforcement in the United States can’t usually give you a timetable on how long an investigation is going to take because it depends on how they turn up leads and how they’re followed through and if they get breakthroughs.What we do is ask for those investigations to be carried out as quickly as possible. We ask to be briefed on the results when it’s appropriate for us to be briefed on those results, and we ask that when there’s appropriate there be accountability.QUESTION: Right. Can you then commit that U.S. will somehow follow up with the results of all of those investigations and ensure accountability? And can you think of one example that the situation has moved to that level since the beginning &#8212;MR MILLER: There have been absolutely cases that we have raised with the Israeli Government about incidents targeting civilians in Gaza where they have come back to us and said that they made a mistake, and there have been times where they have talked about accountability for IDF forces. And I know at times they’ve talked publicly about accountability for members of the IDF who have done things that are inappropriate.QUESTION: And let me just ask a question that we’ve asked before: Is there any process of atrocity determination or anything similar to that from this building looking into Israel – its military conduct?MR MILLER: Again, we continue to collect information, monitor information. We collect information about specific incidents and examine that through the CHIRG process that we set up last year, but I don’t have any updates on that.QUESTION: One last thing, sorry. On the ceasefire talks, you don’t agree that there at an impasse or you just don’t want to use that word, but what is the U.S. alternative if – because, I mean, the President talked about March the 4th a week ago. Ramadan, the start of Ramadan is fast approaching. If the talks are really at an impasse and they go south, does the U.S. have like an alternative plan and specifically regarding the aid situation? Because you’re relying so much on the establishment of this truce to get in more aid.MR MILLER: So – yeah. So I disagree a little bit – or disagree with that quite a bit. So first of all, I don’t want to talk – speculate about a hypothetical. We are pushing for – I mean – and I mean not with respect to aid, but overall I don’t want to speculate about a hypothetical. We are pushing for a successful conclusion to these talks. We believe that’s possible and we’re going to continue to push for it.Now, that said, we are not waiting for the outcome of these talks to push for an improvement in the humanitarian assistance – the humanitarian situation on the ground, and that’s why you’ve seen us take our own action already by launching air drops, which will continue. It’s why you see us exploring a maritime option that we are very much engaged in. And it’s why you see us pushing the Israeli Government at the seniormost levels. We are not waiting for the outcome of a hostage deal, and I think you heard this – the Secretary say this yesterday, that notwithstanding what happens with a hostage deal, the improvement in the humanitarian situation is something that needs to happen immediately.QUESTION: Sorry, can you just – when you say that sometimes they’ve gotten back to you and said we were going for one target and hit the wrong one and we made a mistake, can you give one or two or three or – examples?MR MILLER: I do not have them off the top of my head. This has been something that we’ve been in conversation with them back to the earliest days of this war.QUESTION: Are you aware of any situation where they’ve come back to you and said we screwed this up?MR MILLER: Of course. Yeah, of course.QUESTION: And people have been held accountable?MR MILLER: We have seen examples where they have come back to us and said people made a mistake &#8212;QUESTION: Okay. Can you give me one or two?MR MILLER: I don’t – I – no &#8212;QUESTION: No, no, no. Not a mistake, like this was bad, this was something &#8212;MR MILLER: We have seen examples where they have come to us and said they are holding members of the IDF accountable.QUESTION: Can you give an example of one?MR MILLER: I don’t have them off the top of my head, but you can also look, Matt. They have announced some of these publicly as well, and so it’s publicly available, but they have disciplined IDF members.QUESTION: Yeah, but – okay, but I’m not talking – I’m talking about when they get back to you, because you guys are their prime supplier of weaponry and money. And so when you guys ask or demand an explanation for something, it should be – you should get an answer, right?MR MILLER: We do get an answer now. It’s not always perfect, but we do get answers, and sometimes we want more information about those answers.QUESTION: But if you can’t give – if you can’t give a single example of either &#8212;MR MILLER: So I can’t – so Matt, this is something that’s been going on for five months, but I can say – remember, as I – so I’m not going &#8212;QUESTION: Well, I understand that, but I’m not &#8212;MR MILLER: Hold on. I’m not going to remember &#8212;QUESTION: But I’m not looking for an exhaustive list.MR MILLER: Hold on. I’m not going to remember every example.QUESTION: I’m just asking – I’m asking for one example of either.MR MILLER: And I’m telling you I can’t give you every example off the top of my head, but as I said, you can look publicly and find examples of this.QUESTION: All right. All right.MR MILLER: So you don’t have to take my word for it. They have announced publicly where they have disciplined IDF members for acting – for inappropriate actions that they have taken inside Gaza.QUESTION: All right.MR MILLER: Camilla, finally. Sorry. (Laughter.)QUESTION: Staying on this question, sorry.MR MILLER: Don’t blame me, blame them.QUESTION: You said to Jenny that the investigation’s still ongoing with the convoy. Last week it was notable that you topped the briefing with the incident of the convoy. I asked you yesterday about the apparent sticking point of a list – Israel wanting a list of names, Hamas saying they can’t get a list of names. Was the incident – the convoy incident last week, was that a significant reason for derailing the talks this time around?MR MILLER: I’m just not going to – I am not going to speak at all to the status of the talks and how they’re going, but the talks have – are ongoing, so to the extent that they have been derailed or anything, I wouldn’t describe them as been – as having been derailed. They are ongoing and we continue to think a deal is possible.QUESTION: And with the questions you’ve been getting about what happens if a deal is not reached soon and not enough aid gets in – if there are more incidents like what happened last week with the convoy being stormed, if that happens again and again, is there a concern that, again, this deal is getting further and further away from being achievable?MR MILLER: So again, I don’t want to speak to hypotheticals, but the desperation of the Palestinian people continues, and people still are desperate for food and water and medicine. They’re desperate to feed their families. So the situation that we saw last week is something that we are concerned could be repeated, which is why we are continuing to push to get as much aid in as possible through as many channels as possible so, one, people have the food to feed their families; and two, as I said yesterday – I think it was yesterday – that when they see a convoy coming through, they don’t believe it’s the last chance they’re going to have to feed their families for a week or two weeks or a month.Alex, go ahead.QUESTION: Thank you, Matt. A couple of separate topics. Russian missile strike appeared to target President Zelenskyy today in Odesa and while he was meeting with Greek prime minister. This – let me get a reaction first. Also, did anyone reach out to Ukrainians or Greek side to discuss this?MR MILLER: We are in constant contact with both of those countries. I don’t have any specific conversations to read out. I think the strike is yet another reminder of how Russia continues to strike Ukraine every single day, and it’s a reminder of Ukraine’s need for air defense interceptors, and it’s a reminder that the United States Congress needs to take action, as we have called on them to do, to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.QUESTION: Thank you. And while this was happening in Odesa, back in Sochi we saw the IAEA chief met with President Putin today. The pictures of him shaking hand with indicted war criminal is all over the place. Do you approve that meeting? Did he reach out to the U.S. side prior to the meeting? Is there any message that he’s conveying on behalf of &#8212;MR MILLER: I just don’t have any comment on that meeting at all.QUESTION: And may I move to Azerbaijan, please?MR MILLER: Sure.QUESTION: There’s a police raid against independent news outlet called Toplum TV. Let me get your reaction. And this, as you know, is part of the ongoing media crackdown in the country.MR MILLER: So we are deeply troubled by the reports that Azerbaijani police raided the office of independent media outlet Toplum TV and by the reported arrests of multiple independent journalists and civil society activists in Azerbaijan today. We must express our strong objections to continued attempts to intimidate, repress, and punish journalists, civil society voices, and opposition figures. We call on Azerbaijan to end the harassment of those exercising their fundamental freedoms and urge the release of all individuals being unjustly held in politically motivated cases. No one should face incarceration or other retribution for exercising freedom of expression.QUESTION: Thank you for that. Let me press you a little bit on that, because strong objections have been expressed during previous raid against Abzas TV as well. That did not stop them; they arrested reporters. Why do you think they should draw a different conclusion this time?MR MILLER: I think they should draw a different – so I will not speak to drawing different conclusions. What I will say is that they should stop these actions that crack down on free expression because it – doing so would be in the interest of their own people. So we will continue to make that clear. And I can assure you that when we have private diplomatic conversations with Azerbaijani officials, as the Secretary had occasion to do just last month, we make those same points privately.QUESTION: Thank you.MR MILLER: Willy, go ahead.QUESTION: Thanks, Matt. The two Americans detained in Gaza now a month ago and the woman in the West Bank – any further consular visits with them? The Israelis are saying it was on suspicious – suspicion of collaborating with Hamas. The family completely refutes that. Do you guys have any sense of where the truth is?MR MILLER: So I’m not going to speak to an ongoing legal process. But with respect to the two who are detained in Gaza, we have had consular access to those two American citizens, and with respect to the American citizen that was arrested in the West Bank, we had consular access to her and she has now been released on bail.Jenny, go ahead.QUESTION: Matt, tomorrow Chairman McCaul has threatened to mark up a bill to keep – or put Blinken in contempt of Congress. Has there been any update on trying to appease his demands?MR MILLER: So we have been in close, repeated consultation with the committee about this matter. As I’ve said before, we have done everything that we can to try and address their legitimate oversight needs. We have made 15 department officials or former department officials available for lengthy interviews about – throughout this process. We have turned over somewhere in the neighborhood of 15,000 pages of documents. So we have a – the need to protect legitimate Executive Branch equities. We recognize that Congress has a need to conduct legitimate oversight authorities, and so we’re in conversation with them. We are trying to resolve this amicably, as we have been successful in doing at previous points in the past year. And so we’ll continue to do that today and tomorrow.QUESTION: Are you confident this will be resolved before tomorrow?MR MILLER: All I will say is that we are hopeful it can be resolved, we’re doing everything we can to try to resolve it, and we’ll continue to do that.QUESTION: And then on Afghanistan, are there any updates on the number of SIVs you guys have been able to get out now more than two years &#8212;MR MILLER: So as you know, we invested a good deal of resources to ramp up our ability to grant SIV visas. In fact, in the last fiscal year, we were able to issue more than 39,000 SIVs. It was the record number of visas for principal applicants and their eligible family members. We’ve now given out a hundred – 117,000 SIVs since the passage of the Afghan Allies Protection Act in 2009, and more than 30 percent of that number came in just the past 28 months.But we are at this point where because we made these investments in our ability to more quickly process these visas, that we have been issuing them at this record number – somewhere around now over 1,000 a month – and we are nearing the annual cap. So we’re going to hit the cap; we have somewhere around 8,000 left that we can process this fiscal year. We are clearly going to hit this cap, and we need statutory approval to raise the cap. We have urged Congress to raise the cap and allow us to meet our obligation to those Afghans who put their lives on the line for the United States, make sure that they are not forgotten. Congress has not acted yet, so we are urging them to do so, because we are going to hit that cap and we want to make sure that we can continue to grant as many of these visas as is appropriate and is possible.Shaun.QUESTION: Could I just revisit a question I asked yesterday about Maldives, whether you have a reply to – basically I asked – the Maldives after kicking out Indian forces – if there’s any concern about a defense deal with China.MR MILLER: So we are tracking reports that the Government of Maldives has reached a military assistance agreement with the PRC. Maldives is a valued partner of the United States. Our countries share almost 60 years of partnership and a commitment to an Indo-Pacific region that is connected, secure, resilient, and prosperous, and we remain committed to strengthening our partnership with the Maldives across many spheres, including economic development, education, security cooperation, and climate change response.QUESTION: And specifically on the Chinese defense deal, that’s all you’re going to say?MR MILLER: So I would defer to the Government of Maldives for details or on the specific agreement. We see them as a valued partner and look forward to continuing to work with them.Go ahead.QUESTION: Thanks, Matt. Two questions on Middle East. First, on humanitarian aid, yesterday you said that Israeli ministers are preventing aid deliveries, and this raises questions about the legality of U.S. military assistance to Israel. So I’m going to ask again: Is the U.S. still in the position of not considering cutting off military assistance to Israel?MR MILLER: So while – what I meant in my comments yesterday: We have seen actions by specific ministers of the Israeli Government to try and block aid, but ultimately we’ve seen the Government of Israel take decisions to allow aid to go in. And so when we saw protesters blocking Kerem Shalom and preventing aid to go in, we saw the ministry of defense step in and declare that a military security area and send in military police to ensure that aid could reach. So while we’ve seen actions taken by members of the government that don’t support the provision of aid, ultimately the decisions of the government have been to allow aid in.Now, that doesn’t – that doesn’t mean that it’s enough aid. There’s not enough aid, and Israel needs to do more, and so that’s why we continue to press them to do that.QUESTION: So you don’t think Israel is deliberately preventing humanitarian aid entering to Gaza?MR MILLER: So they have – they have made clear – they have said that they want to allow aid in, and they have allowed aid in. Now, that aid is not enough, and there needs to be more. There needs to be &#8212;QUESTION: And is &#8212;MR MILLER: There need to be additional crossings open, and there needs to be additional improvement and distribution. So that’s – those are the conversations we’ll continue to have with them.QUESTION: And is there any further steps that the U.S. is planning to take in order to force Israeli Government to allow more aid in?MR MILLER: So we are going to continue to have the – very frank and candid conversations with them about this matter.QUESTION: Just a quick one.MR MILLER: Yeah.QUESTION: Do you have anything to say on Israeli Government approving plans for more than 3,400 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, since you view these last settlements illegal?MR MILLER: Only that settlements continue to be a barrier to peace. These settlements continue to be inconsistent with international law. And so the point that we will make to the Government of Israel is that these settlements don’t just harm the Palestinian people, but that they ultimately weaken Israel’s security and weaken the prospects for a lasting agreement that would provide real peace and real security for the Israeli people.Go ahead.QUESTION: Thank you, sir. Indian Prime Minister Modi greeted Shehbaz Sharif for his election as the new prime minister of Pakistan. How do you see this gesture of Indian prime minister as there are too many tensions between the two countries on several issues?MR MILLER: So we of course welcome the prime minister’s statement. The United States values its relationship with both India and Pakistan, and we want to see them have a productive and peaceful relationship.QUESTION: So would the U.S. welcome future talks between India and Pakistan on all issues, including Kashmir?MR MILLER: Of course we would welcome productive and peaceful talks between India and Pakistan, but the pace, scope, and character of any dialogue is a matter for India and Pakistan to determine.QUESTION: Sir, one last question. Sir, any updates from India on assassination attempt on Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun? You told us a month ago that State Department is waiting for the internal investigations of Indian Government on this. Any updates?MR MILLER: My understanding is that investigation is ongoing.Go ahead.QUESTION: First question on Iran. Based on today’s report by Iranian judiciary, Iran seizes a U.S. cargo and oil tanker, which valued more than $50 million, over sanction. What’s your reaction on that?MR MILLER: So the Iranian Government should immediately release the Advantage Sweet, the old tanker to which you refer. Iran has unlawfully seized a number of commercial vehicles sailing in the Middle East in recent years. Iran’s continued harassment of vessels and interference with navigational rights and freedoms in the region’s vital waterways is a threat to maritime security, regional stability, and the global economy.QUESTION: Another question on Afghanistan. The new academic year in Afghanistan begin in two weeks, and for third years millions of women and girls are banned from school. And this meanwhile U.S. and UN are trying to engage with Taliban, regardless of their policy against human rights and educational rights. Is there any hope for Afghan girls to – back to school? Do you – can you estimate a time for that?MR MILLER: So I cannot, unfortunately. We’re of course aware that this sad anniversary is coming up, and we have made it clear that girls should never have been blocked from going to school in the first place. Advancing respect for the rights of Afghan women and girls is critical to our efforts in Afghanistan. At every opportunity we urge the Taliban to allow girls to return to school, respect the rights of all Afghans, and reverse their discriminatory decrees on women and girls.Go ahead, and then we’ll – oh, and then Guita, and then we’ll wrap.QUESTION: Thank you very much, Matt. Just two questions, please. One question is, I want to give you an opportunity – you had again called Maryam Nawaz a milestone, and in 48 hours half a million people in Pakistan have said that Matt should take this milestone statement back because her father was corrupt – came out his name in Panama Papers; she has been accused of corruptions, and you are calling her milestone. So, I mean, I do not get half a million &#8212;MR MILLER: I do not have any update on my comments &#8212;QUESTION: Okay. Second question.QUESTION: &#8212; from a couple of days ago.QUESTION: Is today Mr. Javed Hashmi, who has been in politics for 56 years – and again, he was the president of the ruling party which Benazir – I mean Maryam Nawaz that you called milestone – he used to be president. Today he said that the situation in Pakistan has reached a point where the whole nation is in catastrophic situation. I mean, for the last one year, I personally have been – raised issues with you regarding human rights, women – mothers are dragged from the houses. Journalists are put in jail on likely ridiculous charges. It’s been one year. Why doesn’t the Secretary just pick up the phone and call the Pakistani establishment and the people to just settle on some things? Nobody is accepting this corrupt government.MR MILLER: So we – let me go ahead and answer. So we have made clear publicly – you’ve heard me say from this podium many times, and we have made clear from – we have made clear in our private conversations that we want to see Pakistan respect the human rights of all of its citizens.Guita, go ahead.QUESTION: Matt, in answer to the question about Iran intending to unload the crude oil in the tanker that belonged to Chevron, an American company, you said that Iran should release the tanker and it has seized unlawfully. Hasn’t the United States itself seized tankers or marine vessels that are – have been carrying Iranian goods and commodities in the past?MR MILLER: So our sanctions have always had carveout for humanitarian purchases: food, medicine, medical devices, agricultural products. That has been our sanctions policy, not just in this administration but back across multiple administrations, and we have never prevented medicine from reaching the Iranian people.QUESTION: Can I just ask &#8212;QUESTION: But &#8212;MR MILLER: Yeah, let Guita – you &#8212;QUESTION: Go ahead. Different subject. It is very brief.MR MILLER: Yeah, yeah. Go – Guita, you finish.QUESTION: Well, all right. That was about U.S. sanctions, which Iran claims that it’s going to truse the proceeds from the sale of that oil for certain patients there which it claims the U.S. sanctions have prevented from getting the necessary medicine from overseas. But what about the U.S. seizing ships carrying Iranian commodities?MR MILLER: So with respect to – so with respect to commodities that are exempt from our sanctions policy that has never been our target. Now, with respect to the seizures that we have done, we have done those consistent with the rule of law.So Matt, go ahead and then &#8212;QUESTION: Yeah, I just wanted to ask you if – I know you expressed your concern on multiple occasions about the situation between China and the Philippines. But I just wanted to see if there was anything you had to add since the statement of &#8212;MR MILLER: No, I don’t have anything.QUESTION: &#8212; 6:51 p.m. last night?MR MILLER: No, I do not.QUESTION: Oh, okay.MR MILLER: I do not.QUESTION: Thank you.MR MILLER: Humeyra, and then we’ll wrap.QUESTION: Sorry, I have two small things. On China, they released their defense budget, and it looks like their – the growth of their defense budget outstrips their economic growth. I’m just wondering if U.S. has, like, any concerns or any comment about that particular &#8212;MR MILLER: So we have for a long time expressed concerns about their rapid and opaque modernization efforts as well as their efforts to acquire dual-use technologies and know-how under their Military-Civil Fusion strategy.QUESTION: All right. And the report also seems to highlight that they officially adopted tougher language against Taiwan, dropping the mention of peaceful reunification. Is that also a particular reason of concern for you guys?MR MILLER: So we oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo by either side. We don’t support Taiwan independence. We support cross-strait dialogue and expect cross-strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means, free from coercion, and in a manner acceptable to the people on both sides of the strait.QUESTION: Final thing on South Sudan. U.S. prosecutors have charged a prominent South Sudanese economist conspiring to export Stinger missile systems. Do you have any particular comment on that?MR MILLER: So I would refer to DOJ on specific questions about that matter. But just to be clear, the United States does not support violent or undemocratic changes in government in Africa or elsewhere; and all violations of U.S. export regulations will be punished to the full extent of the law.With that, wrap for the day.QUESTION: Thank you.QUESTION: (Off-mike.)MR MILLER: Thank you.QUESTION: Wait a second. The United States does not support violence or undemocratic changes to government in Africa or elsewhere?MR MILLER: We do not.QUESTION: Come on.MR MILLER: We’ll wrap up – wrap for the day.(The briefing was concluded at 2:00 p.m.)# # #Gaza ↑						Tags																					Afghanistan																								Azerbaijan																								China																								Haiti																								India																								Iran																								Israel																								Maldives																								Office of the Spokesperson																								Pakistan																								Palestinian Territories																								Russia																								South Sudan																								Taiwan																								Ukraine																								Yemen
- Clean EDGE Asia: ENR’s Power Sector Program (PSP) Launched Discussions on New Assistance Programming in Bangladesh and Maldives On February 25-29, PSP and implementing partner Deloitte met with power sector ministries, regulators, utilities, grid operators and international donors in Dhaka and Malé to discuss potential technical assistance opportunities under Clean EDGE Asia.  Discussions highlighted challenges and the need for support in grid code development, net metering, renewable energy integration, energy efficiency, and cross-border trade expansion in the region.  Exchanges in Maldives established new PSP contacts for potential engagement, while assistance to Bangladesh will build on previous PSP power sector development support.  Assistance will help both countries improve energy sector governance, incentivize renewable energy investments, create competitive and open energy markets, and enhance cross border power trade to achieve decarbonization and sustainable energy goals.
- Deputy Secretary Verma’s Meetings with the Government of Maldives in Malé Office of the SpokespersonThe below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma visited Malé on February 22 to advance goals within the U.S-Maldives relationship. His meeting with Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer sought to advance shared priorities in increasing economic cooperation, promoting maritime security, and boosting people-to-people ties. Deputy Secretary Verma and Foreign Minister Zameer discussed plans for the United States to provide $8 million in funding for four patrol boats to the Maldives, which will help Maldives monitor its waters and deter malign influence by state and non-state actors and other threats to Maldives’ sovereignty.In these meetings, and a joint meeting with Foreign Minister Zameer, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Saeed, Minister of Defense Maumoon, Minister of Homeland Security Ihusaan, Minister of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy Ibrahim, and Minister of Fisheries Shiyam, the Deputy Secretary also highlighted opportunities for the United States and Maldives to expand bilateral cooperation and people-to-people ties through the opening of a new U.S. Embassy in Maldives and re-opening of Maldives’ Embassy in Washington, D.C.
- Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Verma’s Travel to India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka Office of the SpokespersonDeputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard R. Verma will travel to India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka on February 18-23 to strengthen the United States’ cooperation with each of these key Indo-Pacific partners.&nbsp; Shortly following the two-year anniversary of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy, his trip will reaffirm the United States’ enduring commitment to a free, open, secure, and prosperous region.In New Delhi, India, Deputy Secretary Verma will meet with senior government officials, business leaders, and entrepreneurs to advance the U.S.-Indian global strategic partnership on a full range of issues, including economic development, security, and technology.From India, Deputy Secretary Verma will travel to Malé, Maldives, to meet with senior officials and advance shared priorities in increasing economic cooperation and promoting maritime security.&nbsp; The Deputy Secretary will also tour the planned office space for a new U.S. Embassy in Malé, which will help further increase people-to-people ties between the United States and Maldives.Deputy Secretary Verma will conclude his trip in Colombo, Sri Lanka.&nbsp; His meetings with senior officials will support U.S.-Sri Lankan defense and maritime security cooperation. &nbsp;The Deputy Secretary will visit the Port of Colombo&#8217;s West Container Terminal, where the United States is supporting Sri Lanka&#8217;s ongoing economic recovery through $553 million in financing to transform Colombo into a regional shipping hub.&nbsp; Finally, he will meet with civil society leaders to hear their perspective on democratic governance in Sri Lanka and with government officials to voice U.S. support for the protection of free speech and open discourse.						Tags																					Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs																								Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources																								India																								Maldives																								Office of the Spokesperson																																Official International Travel																															Sri Lanka
- DRL Strengthening Women’s Leadership in the Maldives Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and LaborUnited States Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL)Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO):  DRL Strengthening Women’s Leadership in the MaldivesThis is the announcement of funding opportunity number SFOP0010183Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number:  19.345Type of Solicitation:  Open CompetitionApplication Deadline:  11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, March 27th, 2024Total Funding Floor:  $500,000Total Funding Ceiling:  $500,000Anticipated Number of Awards:  1Type of Award: GrantPeriod of Performance:  18-24 monthsAnticipated Time to Award, Pending Availability of Funds:  6-8 monthsA. Project DescriptionThe U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that strengthen women’s meaningful leadership and participation in civic life and political institutions in the Maldives.Despite passing the Decentralization Act in 2019, which included a provision to ensure 33% of all local council seats were reserved for women, the Maldives has few women serving in political leadership roles at the central or local government levels. According to data provided by the Inter-Parliament Union, as of 2023 the Maldives ranks 179th out of 185 countries for the number of women representatives in the Parliament1. This is partially due to the cultural stigma associated to being a woman in politics but also because many women in the country lack the skills and empowerment to run for office or act in critical leadership roles around the country. At a community level, many women who run NGOs or work at organizations focused on gender issues note challenges in engaging with community actors due to their gender.Addressing barriers to women’s participation in political and community spaces in the Maldives remains a critical need.DRL aims to increase women&#8217;s leadership skills and empowerment in order to build and sustain good governance and lasting democracy in Maldives. Through this program, women should be better informed, resourced and equipped to proactively and effectively participate in civic and political life.Program outcomes can include:Increased leadership skills for Maldivian women, particularly those leading organizations, that enables them to engage proactively in democratic reforms, protect human rights, and sustain their activism;Increased acceptance and tolerance of women and marginalized community members in civic and political life from family members, community leaders and broader society;Trained women human rights defenders (WHRD), including young WHRDs, and CSOs collaborate to develop joint advocacy strategies to press for the social acceptance and inclusion of women’s leadership and political participation.Political organizations represent or have members who are leaders outside of traditional power centers (non-elitist, regional, age, gender, identity diversity).Program activities can include:Leadership and governance skills building trainings for women in the Maldives that focus on democratic participation, civic engagement, inclusive policy-making, gender equality frameworks, etc.;Strategic capacity building trainings for women-led organizations in the Maldives on topics such as personnel management, financial and organizational sustainability, community engagement, human rights and gender equality advocacy, etc.;Engaging and encouraging young women to participate in their communities through community-driven projects or seminars;Engaging political organizations to consider increasing their representation and leadership from non-traditional power centers (ie: gender, age, identity, socio-economic backgrounds)Youth specific trainings aimed at leadership skills, awareness-raising campaigns, networking opportunities and women’s rights education both in secular and faith-based frameworks;Public awareness initiatives and advocacy aimed at increasing women’s political participation in the Maldives;Engaging male political and community leaders to advocate for greater participation of women in the government, political organizations and in the community;Ensuring that women in leadership feel protected and safe from physical violence and violent rhetoric in their community.All programs should aim to have impact that leads to reforms and have the potential for sustainability beyond DRL resources. DRL’s preference is to avoid duplicating past efforts by supporting new and creative approaches. This does not exclude from consideration projects that improve upon or expand existing successful projects in a new and complementary way.DRL is committed to advancing equity and support for underserved and underrepresented communities. In accordance with the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Underserved Communities, programs should implement strategies for integration and inclusion of individuals/organizations/beneficiaries that can bring perspectives based on their religion, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, national origin, age, genetic information, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, political affiliation, or veteran’s status. Programs should be demand-driven and locally led to the extent possible.DRL requires all programs to be non-discriminatory and expects implementers to include strategies for nondiscrimination of individuals/organizations/beneficiaries based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, marital status, parental status, political affiliation, or veteran’s status.Where appropriate, competitive proposals may include:Opportunities for beneficiaries to apply their new knowledge and skills in practical efforts;Solicitation of feedback and suggestions from beneficiaries when developing activities in order to strengthen the sustainability of programs and participant ownership of project outcomes;Input from participants on sustainability plans and systematic review of the plans throughout the life of the project, with adjustments made as necessary;Inclusion of vulnerable populations;Joint identification and definition of key concepts with relevant stakeholders and stakeholder input into project activities;Systematic follow-up with beneficiaries at specific intervals after the completion of activities to track how beneficiaries are retaining new knowledge as well as applying their new skills.Activities that are not typically allowed include, but are not limited to:The provision of humanitarian assistance;English language instruction;Development of high-tech computer or communications software and/or hardware;Purely academic exchanges or fellowships;External exchanges or fellowships lasting longer than six months;Off-shore activities that are not clearly linked to in-country initiatives and impact or are not necessary per security concerns;Theoretical explorations of human rights or democracy issues, including projects aimed primarily at research and evaluation that do not incorporate training or capacity-building for local civil society;Micro-loans or similar small business development initiatives;Initiatives directed towards a diaspora community rather than current residents of targeted countries.This notice is subject to availability of funding.B. Federal Award InformationPrimary organizations can submit one application in response to the NOFO.The U.S. government may:  (a) reject any or all applications, (b) accept other than the lowest cost application, (c) accept more than one application, and (d) waive irregularities in applications received.The U.S. government may make award(s) on the basis of initial applications received, without discussions or negotiations.  Therefore, each initial application should contain the applicant&#8217;s best terms from a cost and technical standpoint.  The U.S. government reserves the right (though it is under no obligation to do so), however, to enter into discussions with one or more applicants in order to obtain clarifications, additional detail, or to suggest refinements in the project description, budget, or other aspects of an application.DRL anticipates awarding either a grant or cooperative agreement depending on the needs and risk factors of the program.  The final determination on award mechanism will be made by the Grants Officer.  The distinction between grants and cooperative agreements revolves around the existence of “substantial involvement.”  Cooperative agreements require greater Federal government participation in the project.  If a cooperative agreement is awarded, DRL will undertake reasonable and programmatically necessary substantial involvement.  Examples of substantial involvement can include, but are not limited to:Active participation or collaboration with the recipient in the implementation of the award;Review and approval of one stage of work before another can begin;Review and approval of substantive provisions of proposed sub-awards or contracts beyond existing Federal policy;Approval of the recipient’s plan of work prior to the award.The authority for this funding opportunity is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (FAA).To maximize the impact and sustainability of the award(s) that result from this NOFO, DRL retains the right to execute non-competitive continuation amendment(s).  The total duration of any award, including potential non-competitive continuation amendments, shall not exceed 54 months, or four and a half years.  Any non-competitive continuation is contingent on performance and pending availability of funds.  A non-competitive continuation is not guaranteed, and the Department of State reserves the right to exercise or not to exercise this option.C. Eligibility InformationFor application information, please see the proposal submission instructions (PSI), updated December 2022 on our website.C.1 Eligible ApplicantsDRL welcomes applications from U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and public international organizations; private, public, or state institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations or businesses.  DRL’s preference is to work with non-profit entities; however, there may be some occasions when a for-profit entity is best suited.Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process.  Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards.  Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs.  The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR 30, Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.Please see 2 CFR 200.307 for regulations regarding program income.C.2 Cost Sharing or MatchingProviding cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not an eligibility factor or requirement for this NOFO and providing cost share will not result in a more favorable competitive ranking.  Per 2 CFR 200.306, budget line items that are proposed for cost share must be allowable per 2 CFR 200, Subpart E—Cost Principles.C.3 OtherApplicants should have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with thematic or in-country partners, entities, and relevant stakeholders, including private sector partners and NGOs, and have demonstrable experience in administering successful and preferably similar projects.  DRL encourages applications from foreign-based NGOs headquartered in the geographic regions/countries relevant to this NOFO.  Applicants may form consortia in order to bring together organizations with varied expertise to propose a comprehensive program in one proposal.  However, one organization should be designated in the proposal as the lead applicant, with the other members designated as sub-award partners.  DRL reserves the right to request additional background information on applicants that do not have previous experience administering federal grant awards, and these applicants may be subject to limited funding on a pilot basis.DRL is committed to an anti-discrimination policy in all of its programs and activities.  DRL welcomes applications irrespective of race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or other status.  DRL seeks applications that demonstrate that the recipient does not discriminate against any beneficiaries in implementation of a potential award, such as, but not limited to, by withholding, adversely impacting, or denying equitable access to the benefits provided through this award on the basis of any factor not expressly stated in the award.  This includes, for example, race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, disability, age, genetic information, marital status, parental status, political affiliation, or veteran’s status.  The recipient should insert this provision, including this paragraph, in all sub-grants and contracts under a potential award.Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov)  (www.sam.gov) and/or has a current debt to the U.S. government is not eligible to apply for an assistance award in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR,1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR,1989 Comp., p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension.”  Additionally, no entity or person listed on the Excluded Parties List System in SAM.gov can participate in any activities under an award.  All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Excluded Parties List System in SAM.gov to ensure that no ineligible entity or person is included in their application.D. Application and Submission InformationD.1 Address to Request Application PackageApplicants can find application forms, kits, or other materials needed to apply on www.grants.gov  and SAMS Domestic (https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com ) under the announcement title “Strengthening Women’s Leadership in the Maldives,” funding opportunity number “SFOP0010183.”  Please contact the DRL point of contact listed in Section G if requesting reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or for security reasons.  Please note that reasonable accommodations do not include deadline extensions.D.2 Content and Form of Application SubmissionFor all application documents, please ensure:All documents are in English and all costs are in U.S. Dollars.  If an original document within the application is in another language, an English translation must be provided (please note the Department of State, as indicated in 2 CFR 200.111, requires that English is the official language of all award documents).  If any document is provided in both English and a foreign language, the English language version is the controlling version;All pages are numbered, including budgets and attachments;All documents are formatted to 8 1⁄2 x 11 paper; and,All documents are single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, with 1-inch margins.  Captions and footnotes may be 10-point Times New Roman font.  Font sizes in charts and tables, including the budget, can be reformatted to fit within one page width.D.2.1 Application RequirementsComplete applications must include the following:Completed and signed SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B forms.  Please see SF-424 instructions in Section 2B of the PSI.Organizations that engage in lobbying the U.S. government, including Congress, or pay for another entity to lobby on their behalf, are also required to complete the SF-LLL “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” form (only if applicable).  Please see SF-LLL guidance in Section 2B of the PSI.Cover Page (not to exceed one (1) page, preferably as a Word Document) that includes a table with the organization name, project title, target country/countries, project synopsis, and name and contact information for the application’s main point of contact.  Please see Cover Page Section 2C of the PSI for a template and more details.Executive Summary (not to exceed one (1) page, preferably as a Word Document) that outlines project goals, objectives, activities, etc.The Executive Summary should include a brief section that explicitly states:  (1) the problem statement addressed by the project, (2) research-based evidence justifying the unique project approach, and (3) quantifiable project outcomes and impacts.Table of Contents (not to exceed one (1) page, preferably as a Word Document) listing all documents and attachments with page numbers.Proposal Narrative (not to exceed ten (10) pages, preferably as a Word Document).  Please note the ten-page limit does not include the Cover Page, Executive Summary, Table of Contents, Attachments, Detailed Budget, Budget Narrative, Audit, or NICRA.  Applicants are encouraged to combine multiple documents into a single Word Document or PDF (i.e., Cover Page, Table of Contents, Executive Summary, and Proposal Narrative in one file).  Please see Proposal Narrative Guidelines in Section 2F of the PSI for more details.The Proposal Narrative should demonstrate the applicant’s commitment to ensuring the participation of all people as a strategy for implementation.  Please integrate inclusion strategies in all sections of the Proposal Narrative to enhance programmatic impact.Budget (preferably as an Excel workbook) that includes three (3) columns containing the request to DRL, any cost sharing contribution, and the total budget.  A summary budget should also be included using the OMB-approved budget categories (see SF-424A as a sample) in a separate tab.  Costs must be in U.S. Dollars.  Detailed line-item budgets for sub-grantees should be included as additional tabs within the Excel workbook (if available at the time of submission).Please see Budget Guidelines Section 2G of the PSI for more information.The programming approach should be dedicated to strengthening inclusive societies as a necessary pillar of strong democracies.Please include costs associated with this commitment in the Budget and Budget Narrative.Competitive proposals may include a summary budget for no additional months following the proposed period of performance.Budget Narrative (preferably as a Word Document) that includes substantive explanations and justifications for each line item in the detailed budget spreadsheet, as well as the source and a description of all cost-share offered.  Please see Budget Guidelines Section 2G of the PSI for more information.Competitive proposals may include a summary budget narrative for no additional months following the proposed period of performance.The organization’s most recent audit, if applicable.  This should be a single audit, program-specific audit, or other audit in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS).  Please see Audit Section 2H of the PSI for more information.Logic Model (preferably as a Word Document).  Please see Logic Model Section 2I of the PSI for more information.Monitoring and Evaluation Narrative (not to exceed four (4) pages, preferably as a Word Document).  Please see Monitoring and Evaluation Narrative Section 2J of the PSI for more information.As stated within the DRL Guide to Program Monitoring and Evaluation (p. 6): DRL strongly encourages applicants to consider whether their monitoring and evaluation systems are utilizing human rights-based approaches, applying a gender and equity lens, and/or include the participation of sub-grantees and project participants.  Within the Monitoring and Evaluation Narrative, applicants should demonstrate their commitment to inclusive strategies and consider whether evaluation design, data collection, analysis, reporting and learning are conducted in an ethical and responsible way with all project participants (e.g. direct beneficiaries, sub-grantees).  Applicants should still make adequate provisions to protect the privacy of human subjects when collecting data from individuals.  For instance, when collecting data from project participants, consider whether your organization will have the necessary informed consent forms, confidentiality agreements, and data security protocols.  Applicants should be aware that, should an application move forward for funding consideration, DRL will request a detailed Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for further review and approval.Risk Analysis (preferably as a Word Document).  Please see Risk Analysis Section 2K of the PSI for more information on this requirement, including Do No Harm principles and Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) policies/plans.Key Personnel (not to exceed two (2) pages, preferably as a Word Document).  Please include short bios that highlight relevant professional experience.  Given the limited space, CVs are not recommended for submission.Timeline (not to exceed one (1) page, preferably as a Word Document or Excel Sheet).  The timeline of the overall proposal should include activities, evaluation efforts, and program closeout.Gender and Inclusion Analysis (not to exceed three (3) pages, preferably as a Word Document) that provides a concise analysis of relevant gender norms, equity and equality for underserved communities and marginalized populations, power relations, and conflict dynamics in target countries.  Potential domains of analysis include institutional practices and barriers, cultural norms, gender roles, access to and control over assets and resources, and patterns of power and decision-making.  Applicants should briefly explain how they have integrated findings from their analysis into project design and/or other proposal documents, including a plan for regularly reviewing and updating the gender and inclusion analysis with local partners/beneficiaries, and making any necessary adjustments to project implementation.  A set of guiding questions can be found in Section 2L of the PSI.Security Plan addressing any issues involving in-person events and recruitment for said events, and safety for any online programs or communications, including independent IT security audits (to include a vulnerability assessment) of any proposed web application or platform.  Organization’s Security Plan should demonstrate consideration of the risks identified in the submitted risk assessment.  Costs may also be identified within the budget and budget narrative.  Applicants are also encouraged to include contingency plans for in-person or online activities.Lessons Learned (not to exceed one (1) page, preferably as a Word Document) from past programs (insert country or theme) that demonstrate how the implementer has safely operated and responded to programmatic challenges, learning from both successes and failures, in the operating environment.  To be incorporated into the ten (10) pages allowed for “Proposal Narrative.”Psychosocial Assistance (to be incorporated into the ten (10) pages allowed for “Proposal Narrative,” and into “Budget” and “Budget Narrative”).  A section in the proposal, budget, and budget narrative to reflect appropriate resources and support for the psychosocial health of staff (i.e., activities can range from access to educational materials and training opportunities to counseling services to other contextually relevant support).References:  For reference to international guidance, please see the following: Core Humanitarian Standard Commitment 8.9 (https://corehumanitarianstandard.org/files/files/CHS-Guidance-Notes-and-Indicators.pdf ); and IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings Action Sheet 4.4 (http://www.who.int/mental_health/emergencies/guidelines_iasc_mental_health_psychosocial_june_2007.pdf ).Applications that do not include the elements listed above will be deemed technically ineligible.    D.2.2 Additional Application DocumentsStrong applications will also contain the following:Individual Letters of Support and/or Memorandum of Understanding.  Letters of support and MOUs must be specific to the project implementation (e.g., from proposed partners or sub-award recipients) and will not count towards the page limit.Please refer to the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI), updated December 2023, on DRL’s website for detailed guidance on the documents above:  https://www.state.gov/bureau-of-democracy-human-rights-and-labor/programs-and-grants/.  For an application checklist and sample templates please see the Resources page on DRL’s website:  https://www.state.gov/resources-for-programs-and-grants/.  The sample templates provided on the DRL website are suggested, but not mandatory.DRL reserves the right to request additional documents not included in this NOFO.  Additionally, to ensure that all applications receive a balanced evaluation, the DRL review panel will review from the first page of each section up to the page limit and no further.Note:  If ultimately provided with a notification of non-binding intent to make a federal award, applicants typically have two to three weeks to provide additional information and documents requested in the notification of intent.  The deadlines may vary in each notification of intent and applicants must adhere to the stated deadline in the notification of intent.D.2.3 Additional Information Requested for Those Receiving Notification of IntentSuccessful applicants must submit, after notification of intent to make a federal award, but prior to issuance of a federal award:Written responses and revised application documents addressing conditions and recommendations from the DRL review panel;A copy of the applicant’s latest NICRA as a PDF file, if the applicant has a NICRA and includes NICRA charges in the budget;A completed copy of the Department’s Financial Management Survey, if receiving DRL funding for the first time;Submission of required documents to register in the Payment Management System managed by the Department of Health and Human Services, if receiving DRL funding for the first time (unless an exemption is provided);Other requested information or documents included in the notification of intent to make a federal award or subsequent communications prior to issuance of a federal award;Applicants who submit their applications through Grants.gov will be required to create a SAMS Domestic account in order to accept the final award.  Accounts must be logged into to every 60 days in order to maintain an active account.D.3 Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)All prime organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration with the SAM.gov before submitting an application.  DRL may not review applications from or make awards to applicants that have not completed all applicable UEI and SAM.gov requirements.  A UEI is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards.Note:  As of April 2022, a DUNS number is no longer required for federal assistance applications.The 2 CFR 200 requires that sub-grantees obtain a UEI number.  Please note the UEI for sub-grantees is not required at the time of application but will be required before the award is processed and/or directed to a sub-grantee.Note:  The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks.  Please begin your registration as early as possible.Organizations based in the United States or that pay employees within the United States will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.  Please note that as of February 2023, organizations based in the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities.  If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove an NCAGE code from their SAM.gov registration, the applicant should submit a help desk ticket (“incident”)  with the Federal Service Desk (FSD) online at www.fsd.gov  using the following language:  “I do not intend to seek financial assistance from the Department of Defense.  I do not wish to obtain a CAGE code.  I understand that I will need to submit my registration after this incident is resolved in order to have my registration activated.”Organizations based outside of the United States and that do not pay employees within the United States do not need an EIN from the IRS, but do need a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.  Please note that as of December 2022, organizations based outside of the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a NATO CAGE (NCAGE) code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities.  If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove an NCAGE code from their SAM.gov registration, the applicant should submit a help desk ticket (“incident”)  with the Federal Service Desk (FSD) online at www.fsd.gov  using the following language:  “I do not intend to seek financial assistance from the Department of Defense.  I do not wish to obtain an NCAGE code.  I understand that I will need to submit my registration after this incident is resolved in order to have my registration activated.”Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO NOT plan to do business with the DoD should follow the below instructions: Step 1:  Proceed to SAM.gov to obtain a UEI and complete the SAM.gov registration process.  SAM.gov registration must be renewed annually.Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO plan to do business with the DoD should follow the below instructions:Step 1:  Apply for an NCAGE code by following the instructions on the NSPA NATO website linked below:NCAGE Homepage:https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/sc/CageList.aspx NCAGE Code Request Tool (NCRT):https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/Codification/CageTool/home For NCAGE help from within the United States, call +1 (888) 227-2423.For NCAGE help from outside the United States, call +1 (269) 961-7766.Or, email NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil for any problems in applying for an NCAGE code.Step 2:  After receiving an NCAGE code, proceed to SAM.gov to obtain a UEI and complete the SAM.gov registration process.  SAM.gov registration must be renewed annually.All prime organizations must also continue to maintain active SAM.gov registration with current information at all times during which they have an active Federal award or application under consideration by a federal award agency.  SAM.gov requires all entities to renew their registration once a year in order to maintain an active registration status in SAM.gov.  It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure it has an active registration in SAM.gov and to maintain that active registration.  If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements at the time of application, the applicant may be deemed technically ineligible to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.Please refer to 2 CFR 25.200 for additional information.Note:  SAM.gov is not the same as SAMS Domestic.  It is free of charge to register in both systems, but the registration processes are different.Information is included on the SAM.gov website to help international registrations, including “Quick Start Guide for International Registrations” and “Helpful Hints.”  Navigate to www.SAM.gov, click “HELP” in the top navigation bar, then click “Explore” and “New to SAM.gov?” for general information.  Please note, guidance on SAM.gov and the guidance on GSA’s website about requirement for registering in SAM.gov is subject to change and is currently being updated.  Applicants should review the website for the most up-to-date guidance.The attached “AQM Guidance for NCAGE-SAM.gov for Foreign Applicants Feb. 2023” is a compilation of resources gathered by the Department’s Office of Acquisitions Management (AQM).  Any content shown from SAM.gov is not owned by the Department of State.  This guidance and instruction are to the best of our knowledge based at the time of posting this solicitation.  Where guidance in these attachments differs from the SAM.gov website, SAM.gov prevails and the applicant is encouraged to seek and document responses provided by the SAM.gov help desk.D.3.1 ExemptionsAn exemption from these requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis if:An applicant’s identity must be protected due to potential endangerment of their mission, their organization’s status, their employees, or individuals being served by the applicant. For an applicant, if the federal awarding agency makes a determination that there are exigent circumstances that prohibit the applicant from receiving a UEI and completing SAM.gov registration prior to receiving a federal award.  In these instances, federal awarding agencies must require the recipient to obtain a UEI and complete SAM.gov registration within 30 days of the federal award date.Organizations requesting exemption from UEI or SAM.gov requirements must email the point of contact listed in the NOFO at least two weeks prior to the deadline in the NOFO providing a justification of their request.  Approval for a SAM.gov exemption must come from the warranted Grants Officer before the application can be deemed eligible for review.Note:  As of December 2022, organizations based outside of the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a NATO CAGE (NCAGE) code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities.  As of February 2023, organizations based in the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. DoD awards are no longer required to have a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities.D.4 Submission Dates and Times  Applications are due no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST), on Wednesday, March 27th, 2024 on https://www.grants.gov/ or SAMS Domestic (https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com ) under the announcement title “DRL Strengthening Women’s Leadership in the Maldives,” funding opportunity number “SFOP0010183.” Grants.gov and SAMS Domestic automatically log the date and time an application submission is made, and the Department of State will use this information to determine whether an application has been submitted on time.  Late applications are neither reviewed nor considered.  Known system errors caused by Grants.gov or SAMS Domestic (https://mygrants.service-now.com ) that are outside of the applicant’s control will be reviewed on a case by case basis.  Applicants should not expect a notification upon DRL receiving their application.D.5 Funding RestrictionsPrior to issuing a federal award with a total amount of federal share greater than $250,000, the Department of State is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is found in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov (41 USC §2313).  An applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM.gov and comment on any information about itself that a federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov.  The Department of State will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant&#8217;s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2 CFR 200.206.DRL will not consider applications that reflect any type of support for any member, affiliate, or representative of a designated terrorist organization.  Please refer the link for Foreign Terrorist Organizations:  https://www.state.gov/foreign-terrorist-organizations/Project activities whose direct beneficiaries are foreign militaries or paramilitary groups or individuals will not be considered for DRL funding given purpose limitations on funding.In accordance with Department of State policy for terrorism, applicants are advised that successful passing of vetting to evaluate the risk that funds may benefit terrorists or their supporters is a condition of award.  If chosen for an award, applicants will be asked to submit information required by DS Form 4184, Risk Analysis Information (attached to this solicitation) about their company and its principal personnel.  Vetting information is also required for all sub-award performance on assistance awards identified by the Department of State as presenting a risk of terrorist financing.  Vetting information may also be requested for project beneficiaries and participants.  Failure to submit information when requested, or failure to pass vetting, may be grounds for rejecting your proposal prior to award.The Leahy Law prohibits Department foreign assistance funds from supporting foreign security force units if the Secretary of State has credible information that the unit has committed a gross violation of human rights.  Per 22 USC §2378d(a) (2017) , “No assistance shall be furnished under this chapter  or the Arms Export Control Act  to any unit of the security forces of a foreign country if the Secretary of State has credible information that such unit has committed a gross violation of human rights.”  Restrictions may apply to any proposed assistance to police or other law enforcement.  Among these, pursuant to section 620M of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (FAA), no assistance provided through this funding opportunity may be furnished to any unit of the security forces of a foreign country when there is credible information that such unit has committed a gross violation of human rights.  In accordance with the requirements of section 620M of the FAA, also known as the Leahy law, project beneficiaries or participants from a foreign government’s security forces may need to be vetted by the Department before the provision of any assistance.  If a proposed grant or cooperative agreement will provide assistance to foreign security forces or personnel, compliance with the Leahy Law is required.U.S. foreign assistance for Burma or Burmese beneficiaries is subject to restrictions.  This includes restrictions, pursuant to section 7043(a)(3) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2023 (Div. K, P.L. 117-328)(SFOAA), on funds appropriated under title III of the act for assistance for Burma.  Section 7043(a)(3) provides that “none of the funds appropriated by this Act that are made available for assistance for Burma may be made available to the State Administration Council or any organization or entity controlled by, or an affiliate of, the armed forces of Burma, or to any individual or organization that has committed a gross violation of human rights or advocates violence against ethnic or religious groups or individuals in Burma, as determined by the Secretary of State.”  In addition, funds cannot be made available to any individual or organization that has committed serious human rights abuse.Organizations should be cognizant of these restrictions when developing project proposals as these restrictions will require appropriate due diligence of program beneficiaries and collaboration with DRL to ensure compliance with these restrictions.  Program beneficiaries subject to due diligence vetting will include any individuals or entities that are beneficiaries of foreign assistance funding or support.  Due diligence vetting will include a review of open-source materials.Federal awards generally will not allow reimbursement of pre-award costs; however, the Grants Officer may approve pre-award costs on a case-by-case basis.  Generally, construction costs are not allowed under DRL awards.  For additional information, please see the DRL Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for Applications:  https://www.state.gov/bureau-of-democracy-human-rights-and-labor/programs-and-grants/.D.6 Application SubmissionAll application submissions must be made electronically via www.grants.gov or SAMS Domestic (https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com ).  Both systems require registration by the applying organization.  Please note that the Grants.gov registration process can take ten (10) business days or longer, even if all registration steps are completed in a timely manner.It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that it has an active registration in SAMS Domestic or Grants.gov.  Applicants are required to document that the application has been received by SAMS Domestic or Grants.gov in its entirety.  DRL bears no responsibility for disqualification that result from applicants not being registered before the due date, for system errors in either SAMS Domestic or Grants.gov, or other errors in the application process.  Additionally, applicants must save a screen shot of the checklist showing all documents submitted in case any document fails to upload successfully.Faxed, couriered, or emailed documents will not be accepted.  Reasonable accommodations may, in appropriate circumstances, be provided to applicants with disabilities or for security reasons.  Applicants must follow all formatting instructions in the applicable NOFO and these instructions.DRL encourages organizations to submit applications during normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST)).  If an applicant experiences technical difficulties and has contacted the appropriate help desk but is not receiving timely assistance (e.g., if you have not received a response within 48 hours of contacting the help desk), you may contact the DRL point of contact listed in the NOFO in Section G.  The point of contact may assist in contacting the appropriate help desk.The Grants Officer will determine technical eligibility of all applications.SAMS Domestic Applications:Applicants using SAMS Domestic for the first time should complete their “New Organization Registration.”  To register with SAMS Domestic, click “Login to https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com ” and follow the “create an account” link.Please note that establishing an account in SAMS Domestic may require the use of smartphone for multi-factor authentication (MFA).  If an applicant does not have accessibility to a smartphone during the time of creating an account, please contact the ILMS help desk and request instructions on MFA for Windows PC.Organizations must remember to save a screen shot of the checklist showing all documents submitted in case any document fails to upload successfully.SAMS Domestic Help Desk:  For assistance with SAMS Domestic accounts and technical issues related to the system, please contact the ILMS help desk by phone at +1 (888) 313-4567 (toll charges apply for international callers) or through the Self Service online portal that can be accessed from https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com  .  Customer support is available 24/7.Grants.gov Applications:Applicants who do not submit applications via SAMS Domestic may submit via www.grants.gov.Please be advised that completing all the necessary registration steps for obtaining a username and password from Grants.gov can take ten (10) business days or longer.Please refer to the Grants.gov website for definitions of various &#8220;application statuses&#8221; and the difference between a submission receipt and a submission validation.  Applicants will receive a validation e-mail from Grants.gov upon the successful submission of an application.  Validation of an electronic submission via Grants.gov can take up to two business days.  Additionally, organizations must remember to save a screenshot of the checklist showing all documents submitted in case any document fails to upload successfully.Grants.gov Helpdesk: For assistance with Grants.gov, please call the Contact Center at +1 (800) 518-4726 or email support@grants.gov.  The Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except federal holidays.See https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/  for a list of federal holidays.E. Application Review InformationE.1 Proposal Review CriteriaThe DRL review panel will evaluate each application individually against the following criteria, listed below in order of importance, and not against competing applications.  Please use the below criteria as a reference, but do not structure your application according to the sub-sections.Quality of Project IdeaApplications should be responsive to the program framework and policy objectives identified in the NOFO, appropriate in the country/regional context, and should exhibit originality, substance, precision, and relevance to DRL’s mission of promoting human rights and democracy.  Projects should have the potential to have an immediate impact leading to long-term, sustainable reforms. DRL prefers new approaches that do not duplicate efforts by other entities.  This does not exclude from consideration projects that improve upon or expand existing successful projects in a new and complementary way.  In countries where similar activities are already taking place, an explanation should be provided as to how new activities will not duplicate or merely add to existing activities and how these efforts will be coordinated.  Proposals that promote creative approaches to recognized ongoing challenges are highly encouraged.  DRL prioritizes project proposals with inclusive approaches for advancing these rights.Project Planning/Ability to Achieve ObjectivesA strong application will include a clear articulation of how the proposed project activities contribute to the overall project objectives, and each activity will be clearly developed and detailed.  A comprehensive monthly work plan should demonstrate substantive undertakings and the logistical capacity of the organization.  Objectives should be ambitious yet measurable, results-focused and achievable in a reasonable timeframe.  A complete application must include a Logic Model to demonstrate how the project activities will have an impact on its proposed objectives.  The Logic Model should match the objectives, outcomes, key activities, and outputs described in the narrative.  Applications should address how the project will engage relevant stakeholders and should identify local partners as appropriate.If local partners have been identified, DRL strongly encourages applicants to submit letters of support from proposed in-country partners.  Additionally, applicants should describe the division of labor among the direct applicant and any local partners.  If applicable, applications should identify target geographic areas for activities, target participant groups or selection criteria for participants, and the specific roles of sub-awardees, among other pertinent details.DRL recognizes that all programs have some level of risk due to internal/external variables that have the potential to adversely affect a program.  Risk management should address how the project design incorporates the identification, assessment, and management of key risk factors.  DRL will review the Risk Analysis based on the organization’s ability to identify risks that could have an impact on the overall program as well as how the organization will manage these risks.Institution’s Record and CapacityDRL will consider the past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.  Applications should demonstrate an institutional record of successful democracy and human rights programs, including responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting requirements for past grants.  Proposed personnel and institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the project&#8217;s objectives.  Projects should have potential for continued funding beyond DRL resources.Addressing Barriers to Equal ParticipationDRL strives to ensure its projects advance the rights and uphold the dignity of all persons.  As the U.S. government’s lead bureau dedicated to promoting democratic governance, DRL requests a programming approach dedicated to strengthening inclusive societies as a necessary pillar of strong democracies.  Discrimination, violence, inequity, and inequality targeting any members of society undermines collective security and threatens democracy.  DRL prioritizes inclusive and integrated program models that assess and address the barriers to access for individuals and groups based on their race, ethnicity, religion, income, geography, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability.  The proposal should also demonstrate how the project will further engagement in underserved communities and with individuals from underserved communities. Applicants should describe how programming will impact all of its beneficiaries, including support for underserved and underrepresented communities.  This approach should be an integral part of both the concept and explicit design, and implementation of all proposed project activities, objectives, and monitoring.  Strong proposals will provide specific analysis, measures, and corresponding targets as appropriate.  Stakeholders shall identify the difference between opportunities and barriers to access, and design projects accordingly to not perpetuate these inequalities, but rather enhance programmatic impact by including all people in society.  The goal of this approach is to bring communities and those in power together in support of more stable and secure societies.Cost EffectivenessDRL strongly encourages applicants to clearly demonstrate project cost-effectiveness in their application, including examples of leveraging institutional and other resources.  However, cost-sharing or other examples of leveraging other resources are not required.  Inclusion of cost-sharing in the budget does not result in additional points awarded during the review process.  Budgets should have low and/or reasonable overhead and administration costs, and applicants should provide clear explanations and justifications for these costs in relation to the work involved.  All budget items should be clearly explained and justified to demonstrate necessity, appropriateness, and connection to the project objectives.Please note:  If cost share is included in the budget, the recipient must maintain written records to support all allowable costs that are claimed as its contribution to cost share, as well as costs to be paid by the Federal government.  Such records are subject to audit.  In the event the recipient does not meet the minimum amount of cost-sharing as stipulated in the recipient’s budget, DRL’s contribution may be reduced in proportion to the recipient’s contribution.Multiplier Effect/SustainabilityApplications should clearly delineate how elements of the project will have a multiplier effect and be sustainable beyond the life of the grant.  A good multiplier effect will have an impact beyond the direct beneficiaries of the grant (e.g. participants trained under a grant go on to train other people; workshop participants use skills from a workshop to enhance a national level election that affects the entire populace).  A strong sustainability plan may include demonstrating continuing impact beyond the life of a project or garnering other donor support after DRL funding ceases.Project Monitoring and EvaluationComplete applications will include a detailed M&amp;E Narrative, which detail how the project’s progress will be monitored and evaluated.  Incorporating well-designed monitoring and evaluation processes into a project is an efficient method for documenting the change (intended and unintended) that a project seeks.  Applications should demonstrate the capacity to provide objectives with measurable outputs and outcomes.The quality of the M&amp;E sections will be judged on the narrative explaining how both monitoring and evaluation will be carried out and who will be responsible for those related activities.  The M&amp;E Narrative should explain how evaluation(s), internal or external, will be incorporated into the project implementation plan or how the project will be systematically assessed in the absence of one.  Please see the section on Monitoring and Evaluation Narrative in the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for more information on what is required in the narrative.Note: Applicants are no longer required to submit a detailed Monitoring and Evaluation Plan in their proposals.  However, applicants should be aware that, should an application move forward for funding consideration, DRL will request a detailed Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for further review and approval.The output and outcome-based performance indicators should not only be separated by project objectives but also should match the objectives, outcomes, and outputs detailed in the Logic Model and Proposal Narrative.  Performance indicators should be clearly defined (i.e., explained how the indicators will be measured and reported) either within the table or with a separate Performance Indicator Reference Sheet (PIRS).  For each performance indicator, the table should also include baselines and quarterly and cumulative targets, data collection tools, data sources, types of data disaggregation, and frequency of monitoring and evaluation.  There should also be metrics to capture how project activities target those who face discrimination due to their religion, gender, disabilities, ethnicity or sexual orientation and gender identity, where applicable.  Please see the section on Monitoring and Evaluation Plan in the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for more information on what is required in the plan.E.2 Review and Selection ProcessDRL strives to ensure that each application receives a balanced evaluation by a DRL review panel.  AQM will determine technical eligibility for all applications.  All technically eligible applications for a given NOFO are reviewed against the same seven criteria, which include quality of project idea, project planning/ability to achieve objectives, institutional record and capacity, inclusive programming, cost effectiveness, multiplier effect/sustainability, and project monitoring and evaluation.Additionally, the DRL review panel will evaluate how the application addresses the NOFO request, U.S. foreign policy goals, and the priority needs of DRL overall.  DRL may also take into consideration the balance of the current portfolio of active projects, including geographic or thematic diversity, if needed.In most cases, the DRL review panel includes representatives from DRL, the appropriate Department of State regional bureau (to include feedback from U.S. embassies), and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) (to include feedback from USAID missions).  In some cases, additional panelists may participate, including from other Department of State bureaus or offices; U.S. government departments, agencies, or boards; representatives from partner governments; or representatives from entities that are in a public-private partnership with DRL.  At the end of the panel’s discussion about an application, the review panel votes on whether to recommend the application for approval by the DRL Assistant Secretary.  If more applications are recommended for approval than DRL can ultimately fund, the review panel will rank the recommended applications in priority order for consideration by the DRL Assistant Secretary.  The Grants Officer Representative (GOR) for the eventual award does not vote on the panel.  All panelists must sign non-disclosure agreements and conflicts of interest agreements.DRL review panels may provide conditions and recommendations on applications to enhance the proposed project, which must be addressed by the applicant before further consideration of the award.  To ensure effective use of DRL funds, conditions or recommendations may include requests to increase, decrease, clarify, and/or justify costs and project activities.F. Federal Award Administration InformationF.1 Federal Award NoticesDRL will provide a separate notification to applicants on the result of their applications.  Successful applicants will receive a letter electronically via email requesting that the applicant respond to review panel conditions and recommendations.  This notification is not an authorization to begin activities and does not constitute formal approval or a funding commitment.Final approval is contingent on the applicant successfully responding to the review panel’s conditions and recommendations; being registered in required systems, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Payment Management System (PMS), unless an exemption is provided; and completing and providing any additional documentation requested by DRL or AQM.  Final approval is also contingent on Congressional Notification requirements being met and final review and approval by the Department’s warranted Grants Officer.If awarded, payments under this award will be made through PMS or by completing form SF-270, Request for Advance or Reimbursement.  Final determination will be made in conjunction with the Grants Officer.  Unless otherwise stipulated, the recipient may request payments on a reimbursement or advance basis.Instructions for requesting payments via PMS are available at:  https://pms.psc.gov/ .Instructions for requesting payments via SF-270 are available at: https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF270-V1.0.pdf .Advance payments must be limited to the minimum amounts needed and be timed to be in accordance with the actual, immediate cash requirements of the recipient in carrying out the purpose of this award.  The timing and amount of advance payments must be as close as is administratively feasible to the actual disbursements by the recipient for direct program or project costs and the proportionate share of any allowable indirect costs.The notice of Federal award signed by the Department’s warranted Grants Officers is the sole authorizing document.  If awarded, the notice of Federal award will be provided to the applicant’s designated Authorizing Official via SAMS Domestic to be electronically counter-signed in the system.F.2 Administrative and National Policy and Legal RequirementsDRL requires all recipients of foreign assistance funding to comply with all applicable Department and Federal laws and regulations, including but not limited to the following:The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards set forth in 2 CFR Chapter 200 (Sub-Chapters A through F) shall apply to all non-Federal entities, except for assistance awards to Individuals and Foreign Public Entities.  Sub-Chapters A through E shall apply to all foreign organizations, and Sub-Chapters A through D shall apply to all U.S. and foreign for-profit entities. The applicant/recipient of the award and any sub-recipient under the award must comply with all applicable terms and conditions, in addition to the assurance and certifications made part of the Notice of Award.  The Department’s Standard Terms and Conditions can be viewed at https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/.Additionally, DRL supports implementation of the National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality; the Women Peace and Security (WPS) Act of 2017, which highlights the U.S. commitment to the meaningful participation of women in conflict prevention, management, and resolution; and the Department of State WPS Implementation Plan.  For additional information, please refer to the following link: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1141 .Due to the determination made under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) for funds obligated during FY 2024, assistance that benefits the governments of the following countries may be subject to a restriction under the TVPA.  The Department of State determines on a case-by-case basis what constitutes assistance to a government; the general principles listed below apply.Assistance to the government includes:All branches of government (executive, legislative, judicial) at all levels (national, regional, local);Public schools, universities, hospitals, and state-owned enterprises, as well as government employees;Cash, training, equipment, services, or other assistance provided directly to the government, assistance provided to an NGO or other implementer for the benefit of the government, and assistance to government employees.Subject to TVPA for funds obligated during FY 2024:AF:  Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, South SudanEAP:  Burma, China (PRC), Macau, North KoreaEUR:  Belarus, RussiaNEA:  Iran, SyriaSCA:  AfghanistanWHA:  Cuba, Curacao, Nicaragua, Sint MaartenAdditional requirements may be included depending on the content of the program.F.3 ReportingApplicants should be aware of the post-award reporting requirements for federal assistance awards as reflected in 2 CFR 200 Appendix XII &#8211; Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters.https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&amp;SID=027fb85899500d580fc71df69d11573a&amp;mc=true&amp;n=pt2.1.200&amp;r=PART&amp;ty=HTML &#8211; ap2.1.200_1521.i   DRL awards require that all reports (financial and progress) are uploaded to the federal award file in SAMS Domestic on a quarterly basis.  The Federal Financial Report (FFR or SF-425) is the required form for financial reports and must be submitted in PMS, and a copy of the report submitted in PMS then uploaded to the award file in SAMS Domestic.  Progress reports uploaded to the award file in SAMS Domestic must include a narrative as described below as well as Program Indicators (or other mutually agreed upon format approved by the Grants Officer), including standard (F) framework indicators and DRL framework indicators.  F and DRL framework indicators will be reviewed and negotiated during the final stages of issuing an award on a project-by-project basis.Narrative progress reports should reflect the focus on measuring the project’s progress on the overarching objectives and should be compiled according to the objectives, outcomes, and outputs as outlined in the award’s Scope of Work (SOW) and in the Monitoring &amp; Evaluation Narrative.  An assessment of the overall project’s achievements should be included in each progress report.  Where relevant, progress reports should include the following sections:Relevant contextual information (limited);Explanation and evaluation of significant activities of the reporting period and how the activities reflect progress toward achieving objectives, including meeting benchmarks/targets as set in the approved M&amp;E Plan.  In addition, attach the M&amp;E Plan, comparing the target and actual numbers for the indicators;Any qualitative impact or success stories from the project, when possible;Copy of baseline, mid-term, and/or final evaluation report(s) conducted by an external evaluator; if applicable;Relevant supporting documentation or products related to the project activities (such as articles, meeting lists and agendas, participant surveys, photos, manuals, etc.) as separate attachments;Description of how the recipient is pursuing sustainability, including looking for sources of follow-on funding;Any problems/challenges in implementing the project and a corrective action plan with an updated timeline of activities;Reasons why established goals were not met;Data for the required F and/or DRL framework indicator(s) for the quarter as well as aggregate data by fiscal year;Program Indicators or other mutually agreed upon format approved by the Grants Officer;Proposed activities for the next quarter; and,Additional pertinent information, including analysis and explanation of cost overruns or high unit costs, if applicable.Foreign Assistance Data Review:  As required by Congress, the Department of State must make progress in its efforts to improve tracking and reporting of foreign assistance data through the Foreign Assistance Data Review (FADR).  The FADR requires tracking of foreign assistance activity data from budgeting, planning, and allocation through obligation and disbursement.  Successful applicants will be required to report and draw down federal funding based on the appropriate FADR Data Elements, indicated within their award documentation.  In cases of more than one FADR Data Element, typically program or sector and/or regions or country, the successful applicant will be required to maintain separate accounting records.A final narrative and financial report must also be submitted within 120 days after the expiration of the award.Please note:  Delays in reporting may result in delays of payment approvals and failure to provide required reports may jeopardize the recipient&#8217;s’ ability to receive future U.S. government funds.  DRL reserves the right to request any additional programmatic and/or financial project information during the award period.G. Contact InformationFor technical submission questions related to this NOFO, please contact drl-sca-programinfo@state.gov.For assistance with SAMS Domestic accounts and technical issues related to the system, please contact the ILMS help desk by phone at +1 (888) 313-4567 (toll charges apply for international callers) or through the Self Service online portal that can be accessed from https://afsitsm.service-now.com/ilms/home .  Customer support is available 24/7.Please note that establishing an account in SAMS Domestic may require the use of smartphone for multi-factor authentication (MFA).  If an applicant does not have accessibility to a smartphone during the time of creating an account, please contact the helpdesk and request instructions on MFA for Windows PC.For assistance with Grants.gov accounts and technical issues related to using the system, please call the Contact Center at +1 (800) 518-4726 or email support@grants.gov.  The Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except federal holidays.For a list of federal holidays visit:https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ Except for technical submission questions, during the NOFO period U.S. Department of State staff in Washington and overseas shall not discuss this competition with applicants until the entire proposal review process has been completed and rejection and approval letters have been transmitted.H. Other InformationApplicants should be aware that DRL understands that some information contained in applications may be considered sensitive or proprietary and will make appropriate efforts to protect such information.  However, applicants are advised that DRL cannot guarantee that such information will not be disclosed, including pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or other similar statutes.The information in this NOFO and “Proposal Submission Instructions for Applications” is binding and may not be modified by any DRL representative.  Explanatory information provided by DRL that contradicts this language will not be binding.  Issuance of the NOFO and negotiation of applications does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government.  DRL reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets.This NOFO will appear on www.grants.gov, SAMS Domestic , and DRL’s website https://www.state.gov/bureau-of-democracy-human-rights-and-labor/programs-and-grants/.Background Information on DRL and General DRL FundingDRL has the mission of promoting democracy and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms globally.  DRL supports projects designed through an evidence-based framework that empower local civil society partners to promote and defend democracy globally, including efforts to counter authoritarianism, promote human rights, and meaningfully address diversity, equity, and inclusion as a core element of good governance.  DRL typically focuses its work in countries facing human rights violations and abuses, where democracy and human rights defenders are under pressure, and where governance infrastructure is undemocratic, in transition, or at risk of backsliding.Additional background information on DRL and its efforts can be found on https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/under-secretary-for-civilian-security-democracy-and-human-rights/bureau-of-democracy-human-rights-and-labor/.
- Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Lu’s Travel to India and Maldives Office of the SpokespersonAssistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu will travel to India and Maldives January 26-31.While in India, Assistant Secretary Lu will lead a U.S. delegation’s participation at the India-U.S. Forum in New Delhi.  Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources Geoffrey R. Pyatt will also participate.  The delegation will engage with Indian government officials and members of the private sector, academia, and media to discuss and enhance opportunities for partnership between the United States and India.The Assistant Secretary and delegation will then travel to Maldives, where they will meet with senior Maldivian officials to build U.S.-Maldives cooperation and to advance the establishment of a permanent U.S. Embassy space in Malé.  The delegation will also engage with members of civil society and higher education officials.For further information, please contact SCA-Press@state.gov.
- Secretary Blinken’s Call with Maldivian Foreign Minister Zameer HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Secretary Blinken’s Call with Maldivian Foreign Minister Zameer				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Secretary Blinken’s Call with Maldivian Foreign Minister Zameer																																		Readout																														January 4, 2024																																							The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer today.&nbsp; The Secretary reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to strengthening cooperation with Maldives, a key partner in a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.&nbsp; The Secretary and the Foreign Minister also discussed the importance of defense cooperation, economic growth, combating the climate crisis, and democratic governance.						Tags																					Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs																								Maldives																								Office of the Spokesperson																								The Secretary of State
- Maldives HomeReportsBureau of CounterterrorismCountry Reports on Terrorism 2022&#8230;Maldives				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							Country Reports on Terrorism 2022: Maldives																																					Bureau of Counterterrorism																																																																																																				 In this section																																												Maldives																																												Maldives				Overview:  The Government of Maldives is cognizant of the threat of terrorism and in 2022 continued to focus its CT efforts on CVE and arrests of Maldivians suspected of planning terrorist attacks or of “supporting or promoting a terrorist organization.”  Those within the penal system or involved in criminal gangs are at heightened risk of terrorist radicalization.  Maldives works with the United States and international partners to strengthen CT efforts and capacity.2022 Terrorist Incidents:  On June 21 a group of men, 17 of whom were later charged with terrorism-related crimes, attacked participants at a public International Day of Yoga event in Male with water bottles and flags.  Before the event, religious NGOs and scholars asked authorities to stop it, alleging it was “irreligious.”Legislation, Law Enforcement, and Border Security:  Maldives established general regulations and a regulation on rehabilitation and reintegration under the Antiterrorism Act (ATA) and passed a Prohibition on Chemical Weapons.There were no significant changes to law enforcement capacity.  The Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), including the marines and coast guard, and Maldives Police Service (MPS) remained jointly responsible for CT response.  The MPS established a Joint Intelligence and Investigations Team (JITT), which covers terrorism and other transnational crimes.  The JITT requires the MPS to coordinate early on with the Prosecutor General’s Office on investigations.  The MNDF conducted multiple cooperative engagements with U.S. forces focused on CT operations and enhancing maritime security capabilities to increase domain awareness and security.  Maldives also continued cooperating with the United States to strengthen its border security, including by using the U.S.-provided Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System (PISCES) integrated border security management system to screen arriving and departing travelers, and through the Maldives Customs Service’s use of the World Customs Organization’s Global Travel Assessment System.In January the MPS, working with international law enforcement officials, arrested Hoodh Mohamed Zahir, a Maldivian national suspected of promoting ISIS ideology and inciting acts of terrorism.  Zahir was charged with inciting acts of terrorism, promoting terrorism online, membership in a terrorist organization, supporting a terrorist organization, and possession of materials supporting a terrorist organization. In December the case was in the pretrial motions stage, with the last hearing held on December 5.In March the MNDF and the MPS conducted a joint operation in Addu, arresting six individuals suspected of planning to carry out an act of terrorism. None of the suspects were charged with terrorism crimes and they were subsequently released.  In November the MNDF and the MPS conducted joint operations in Male, Addu, and Guraidhoo Island, arresting 14 individuals also suspected of planning an act of terrorism.  At year’s end this investigation remained under way, with seven individuals in detention, and no charges yet filed.In October, 17 men were charged with crimes under the ATA and the Penal Code relating to the violent disruption of the International Yoga Day event. The charges include encouraging to commit an act of terrorism, committing and aiding to commit acts of terrorism, possession of documents supporting terrorist organizations, committing assault with a dangerous weapon, attempted battery with a dangerous weapon, obstruction of law enforcement, and obstruction of justice.  Defendants have been released under police supervision, pending the appointment of lawyers.Countering the Financing of Terrorism:  Maldives is a member of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering; its FIU is established within the Maldives Monetary Authority.  There were no significant changes in 2022.Countering Violent Extremism:  On March 11 the government facilitated the return of a Maldivian mother and her four children from northeast Syria, the first group of returnees under Maldives’ efforts to repatriate Maldivian families located in refugee camps and conflict zones.  They were placed in the National Reintegration Center following an initial screening and were undergoing a rehabilitation program at year’s end.  The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) held numerous regional workshops and capacity building exercises with both public and private sector groups, to include counternarrative creation and the role of civil society and local leaders in countering what it considers “violent extremism and terrorism.”  USAID supported some of the NCTC’s programming.  In partnership with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and the Ministry of Family, Gender &amp; Social Services, the MPS continued Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) programs in islands with violent extremist activities.  Male is a member of the Strong Cities Network.International and Regional Cooperation:  The government continued to work with multilateral and bilateral partners to strengthen its CT and countering terrorism financing (CTF) efforts.  The NCTC conducted national and regional-level capacity building consultations and workshops focusing on addressing the rehabilitation and reintegration of returning FTFs and their associated family members.  The NCTC also worked with UNDP Maldives, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and the UN Counterterrorism Executive Directorate to increase capacity of law enforcement agencies, the legal sector, and the resilience of civil society organizations.In 2020, USAID initiated a $5 million program in cooperation with the Ministry of Home Affairs on PCVE by conducting evidence-based research on violent extremism and improving career prospects, education, and employment opportunities for youth.  The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Technical Assistance conducted quarterly CTF consultations with the Maldives Monetary Authority, and case-based mentoring for the Maldives Police Service and the Prosecutor General’s Office.  The U.S. Department of Justice held programmatic activities on CT and CTF, including a regional CT prosecutors’ workshop, and provided case-based mentoring on CT and CTF investigations and prosecutions.  A corrections advisor from the International Criminal Investigation Training and Assistance Program worked with the Maldives Correctional Service on developing protocols and procedures for managing prisoners, and a CTF advisor embedded with MPS provided case-based investigation mentoring.																												    							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- Department Press Briefing – October 3, 2023 HomeDepartment Press Briefing &#8211; October 3, 2023				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Department Press Briefing &#8211; October 3, 2023																																																					October 3, 2023																																																								1:19 p.m. EDTMR PATEL: Good afternoon, everybody. I’m going to – where is this? Okay.QUESTION: What was that noise?MR PATEL: That was the adjusting thing.QUESTION: Did you lower or raise it?MR PATEL: What do you think? I lowered it. (Laughter.) I lowered it, of course. I am not of Matt Miller height, so – with that, I don’t have anything off the top, so Matt, if you want to kick us off.QUESTION: Okay. I don’t really have anything directly – well, specifically directly with the U.S. But I wanted to ask you what your thoughts, the administration’s thoughts, are about the apparent escalation in this India-China – I mean, India-Canada dispute.MR PATEL: So, Matt, I don’t really have anything new to sort of offer on this that both Matt and the Secretary haven’t spoke to already, I would say, in the number of times it has come up before the press in the past week or so. I would just reiterate again we are, and continue to be, deeply concerned about the allegations referenced by Prime Minister Trudeau, and we remain in regular contact with our Canadian partners. And it’s critical that Canada’s investigation proceed and the perpetrators be brought to justice. We also have, as we previously said, publicly and privately urged the Indian Government to cooperate in the Canadian investigation and cooperate in those efforts.QUESTION: Yeah. But are you not concerned that if Canada reciprocates in terms of mass expulsion of Indian diplomats from Canada, that this will trigger a – kind of an avalanche-type effect?MR PATEL: So I’ve &#8212;QUESTION: And that could impact your Indo-Pacific strategy?MR PATEL: I’ve seen the reports on the diplomatic staffing levels for the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi. But I don’t have anything further to offer on those reports, and certainly don’t want to get into hypotheticals and take this process one step at a time. As it relates to our Indo-Pacific strategy and the focus that we continue to place on the region, that effort and that line of work is going to continue; and of course, with India, we are partners with them in the Quad and in many other fora. And we continue to work with them and other countries in the region on a number of important issues.But as I said at the top of this, we take these allegations very seriously, and we continue to not just work closely with our Canadian partners, but have, as I said, publicly and privately urged the Indian Government to cooperate with Canada also.Simon, go ahead.QUESTION: India, a slightly different India topic. There was a raid on the offices of a news outlet called Newsclick, and some of the journalists for the outlet had their homes raided, I believe, as well. So on one hand there’s been some outcry about – from press organizations in India, saying this is an infringement on the free press. So I’m interested in your response to that.But separately, the – well, or relatedly – there is also an allegation related to this that this news outlet was part of a Chinese influence operation that’s funded through a network, according to The New York Times, of an American businessman. So I guess on those two separate points, do you want to respond to – do you have any comment on these raids? And do you have any information on the potential Chinese influence operation that might be connected to this?MR PATEL: Let me take your second question first. So we are aware of those concerns and have seen that reporting about this outlet’s ties to the PRC, but we can’t comment yet on the veracity of those claims. Separately of course, though, the U.S. Government strongly supports the robust role of the media globally, including social media, in a vibrant and free democracy, and we raise concerns on these matters with the Indian Government, with countries around the world, through our diplomatic engagements that are, of course, at the core of our bilateral relationship.And we have urged the Indian Government, and have done so not just with India but other countries as well, about the importance of respecting the human rights of journalists, including freedom of expression both online and offline. I don’t have additional information, Simon, though, about this particular circumstance or any of the underlying issues that may or may not be related to this outlet, however.QUESTION: Sure. Thank you.QUESTION: Could I stay with an India theme for now?MR PATEL: Sure.QUESTION: Maldives.MR PATEL: Yeah.QUESTION: I know there was a statement, I believe, over the weekend on the election, congratulating the winner. But the president-elect of Maldives has spoken today about removing Indian forces from there. He’s widely perceived as being a bit more of a tilt toward Beijing. Does the U.S. have anything to say about this?MR PATEL: I don’t. This is a matter between the Maldives and India, of course. What I will just say broadly is what we have – this is consistent around the world – is that we have never tried to imply one way or the other that any country is required to make any kind of decision about the kinds of exclusionary partnerships that it enters in through its bilateral relationships, whether it be with China or the United States or India or any other country.QUESTION: Sure. Could I ask something on a different topic?MR PATEL: Sure.QUESTION: Unless somebody wants to pursue that.MR PATEL: No, no.QUESTION: Just on Armenia, Armenia joining the Rome Statute for the ICC. Obviously, the U.S. is not part of that, but this is something that’s gotten quite a reaction, particularly from the Kremlin.MR PATEL: Right.QUESTION: Do you have any general comment on Armenia doing this, and what it means?MR PATEL: Well, we respect Armenia’s sovereignty and independence, and we’ll leave it to Armenia’s Government to comment on its legislative processes, of course. We respect the right of every country to join the ICC and have been encouraged by many states, including Armenia, that have undertaken commitments to promote justice, accountability for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.QUESTION: Still on the South Caucasus?MR PATEL: Sure. Go ahead, Alex.QUESTION: Thanks, Vedant. Welcome back to the podium.MR PATEL: Thanks.QUESTION: Same topic. We have seen increasing rhetoric coming out of Russia, threatening Armenia for the very step it has taken. Will the United States step up and defend Armenia against potential Russian aggression, either directly through its army or through its proxy forces, like there are reports about Wagner being present?MR PATEL: That is a – is quite the hypothetical, Alex, that I don’t want to get into. What I will say, though, is that the United States is going to continue to play a role in engaging with Azerbaijani and Armenian leadership at the highest levels to pursue a dignified and durable peace.And you’ve also seen us, over the course of this past week and beyond, reiterate our call for a longer-term, independent, international monitoring mission in Nagorno-Karabakh to provide transparency and reassurances that the rights and securities of ethnic Armenians will be protected, particularly for those who may wish to return, and for the protection of cultural heritage sites, which all of course is in line with Azerbaijan’s public statements and their international obligations as well.QUESTION: On that line, let me ask you about Russian presence in Karabakh. Last week, Matt told us that you guys didn’t find it helpful during the events that happened previous week. The question is: Do you subscribe to concerns that Russian army, particularly after Armenians population have left the region, is there – for not maintain the peace in Karabakh but to keep the piece of Karabakh?MR PATEL: To keep the what?QUESTION: The piece of Karabakh. Not for peace in –MR PATEL: Ah. Interesting wordplay there, Alex. Again, I just don’t want to speculate. I, again, would echo what Matt said – of course, that that kind of presence continues to be concerning. But the United States is going to continue to remain focused on engaging with Azerbaijani and Armenian leadership on this, and doing whatever we can to continue to have a dignified and durable peace on this.QUESTION: Same topic.QUESTION: Thank you. I have one on Georgia if you come back to me later.MR PATEL: I’ll come back to you on Georgia. Go ahead, yeah.QUESTION: According to the UN spokesperson yesterday, the UN team visiting Karabakh did not see any damage to civilian infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, and housing, or to cultural and religious sites. Do you have any comment on that?MR PATEL: So we certainly appreciate that – those comments from the UN spokesperson. But that does not change the United States’ point of view on this. As I just said to Alex, we continue to believe, even in the light of the UN visit, that there is a strong desire and a need for a longer-term, independent international monitoring mission in Nagorno-Karabakh. We think that that will provide transparency; we think that it will provide the appropriate reassurances for the various rights and securities that we continue to be deeply concerned about.QUESTION: Can I have a quick one on Serbia?MR PATEL: Sure. Go ahead.QUESTION: Yesterday Matt said he wasn’t able to verify the reports about Serbia’s withdrawal from the Kosovo border. Do you have any updates since yesterday?MR PATEL: So we do. We have been quite clear about our concerns, and we are deeply concerned about the rising cycle of tensions and sporadic violence in northern Kosovo. We’ve been monitoring an unprecedented staging of advanced Serbian artillery, tanks, and mechanized infantry units, along the border with Kosovo. And we’ve called on Serbia to withdraw forces from the border and lower tensions as well. We’ve noted some withdrawal of forces and materiel along the border of Kosovo since September 29th, and we expect Serbia to continue de-escalatory steps, including continued withdrawal of forces to or below historical norms.QUESTION: Can I just do a quick follow-up with –MR PATEL: Sure. Go ahead.QUESTION: Just the – there was an arrest by Serbia of somebody involved in the killing in Kosovo, of a Kosovo police officer in September, that – it was one of the triggers of this tension. Do you have anything more specifically to say about that?MR PATEL: So we have seen those reports, Shaun. We’re not going to get ahead of the investigation. And as we’ve said, we know that the attack was well coordinated and planned, and everyone who was involved in planning and carrying out this attack must be brought to justice.Michel, go ahead.QUESTION: Yeah. I have a couple of questions. First, on the normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel.MR PATEL: Yeah.QUESTION: The White House announced on the weekend that there’s a basic framework for the normalization. Can you elaborate on that?MR PATEL: I’m not going to get ahead of this process, Michel. So what I will just leave it at is that many of the key elements of a pathway towards normalization are now on the table, and there is broad understanding of those elements, which we’re certainly not going to get into the specifics of these diplomatic engagements publicly.What I will also say is that this requires – the specifics require an incredible amount of legwork, diplomacy, discipline, rigor, and all of the stakeholders being deeply engaged in this. I will note, though, we don’t have a formal framework and we don’t have the terms ready to be signed. There’s still lots of work to do, and we’re continuing to work that process.We believe, though, as part of our efforts to advance a more peaceful, secure, and prosperous and stable Middle East region, that continuing our support for full normalization with Israel and continue to talk to our regional partners about how more progress can be made. And that’s going to – what we’re going to continue to stay focused on.QUESTION: Okay.QUESTION: Sorry. What – hold on.QUESTION: Can I follow up? Can I follow up?QUESTION: Wait, wait. Hold on one second. You just said it requires an incredible amount of diplomacy, discipline, and rigor? Is that right?MR PATEL: Yes. Yes.QUESTION: Is there another word in there that I missed?MR PATEL: No, I think that’s it.QUESTION: Is this a new phrase?MR PATEL: No, no. It’s just how we are describing the &#8212;QUESTION: Okay. Who came up with that one? I’m curious.MR PATEL: I’m going to move on. Thank you, Matt.QUESTION: Can I follow up?MR PATEL: Sure. I’ll come to Said, then I’ll come back to this side of the room. Go ahead.QUESTION: Yeah. On this very issue, although Matt’s question is really very important. Rigor – does that mean like ongoing, non-stopping kind of an effort, the full steam ahead? Is that what it means?MR PATEL: The point that I’m making, Said, is that this is an incredibly mounting task in front of us, one that we think, as the Secretary has said recently, could be transformative for the region, one that we, of course, are continuing to be deeply engaged on and work towards as well. I just don’t want to get ahead of that process.QUESTION: Okay. So on this very point &#8212;MR PATEL: Yeah.QUESTION: &#8212; both the former ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk, and the former Jordanian ambassador to the UN, Ra’ad Zeid Al Hussein, wrote an article, lengthy article, in Foreign Affairs that says what a Saudi-Israeli deal could mean for the Palestinians. And they are warning you, saying that the real aim of the judicial reform and so on is it’s a ploy that they want to basically form – have an Israeli state from the river to the sea. That is the aim of the right wing. That’s what they’re saying, right wing government of Israeli currently.And they’re suggesting to you that whatever you want on the Palestinian issue – they list the three components, which is the – whatever, defense-backed and the nuclear issue and so on. But on the Palestinian issue, that you must extract that before you go ahead with any kind of normalization effort. Do you have any comment on this? Do you feel that something must be sort of gotten from the Israelis, cast in concrete, before moving ahead with any normalization?MR PATEL: Said, a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia will and should include a serious component dealing with the fundamental issues between Israelis and Palestinians. But as I said in answering Michel’s question, I don&#8217;t want to get ahead of the process or what that might look like. This is an effort that is ongoing. Again, as the Secretary said, we believe that reaching a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia could be transformative for the region. But much work continues to lie ahead, work, as Matt says or points out, that we said is – will require discipline and rigor and a continued engagement of diplomacy. And so we’ll let that process play out.QUESTION: Can I just make a suggestion?MR PATEL: Sure.QUESTION: And I probably shouldn’t do this. But if you’re going to come up with a phrase like that, say, “diplomacy, discipline, and rigor,” maybe you should try for the alliterative – diplomacy, discipline, and determination. Right? Yeah?MR PATEL: Thank you. I will take that. I don&#8217;t think anybody was trying to &#8212;QUESTION: So you take that back to your people who are &#8212;MR PATEL: I don&#8217;t think anybody was trying to come up with a new phrase. We’re just talking about the important work that we have ahead.QUESTION: The three Ds.MR PATEL: Go ahead, Said.QUESTION: (Inaudible) really quick. So just to follow up &#8212;MR PATEL: Yeah.QUESTION: I mean, going back to the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002, it really is a normalization plan. But it is predicated on the creation of a Palestinian state. So what is the difference between this step-by-step kind of normalization and that one that was really, really grandiose? In other words, it was for all the Arab and Muslim countries to recognize Israel, have wonderful relations and so on, on the premise that there’s a Palestinian state at the end. And that’s what you keep saying. You keep saying that you are committed to the two-state solution. So what is the difference?MR PATEL: Said, we are committed to a two-state solution. We’ve been very clear about that. But on the subject of this, I don&#8217;t know if there – how many different ways I can say it, so I will just be very blunt. There’s still lots of work to do ahead, and we’re working through it, and we’ll have more to share and talk about as this – progress on this proceeds.QUESTION: Can I just follow up on this, too?QUESTION: Let me &#8212;QUESTION: What changed from Sunday, when Kirby said that there is a framework, basic framework, to today?MR PATEL: You’ll have to speak with the White House on what they were referring to. What I will just say again is that this is a process that is in front of us. We’re continuing to work through that. We don’t have a formal framework, but the key elements of a pathway, of course, have been on the table. And that’s something that we’re continuing to work towards.Guita, go ahead.QUESTION: Thank you. Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic in Iran, doesn’t seem to agree with the Biden administration’s view of expanding the Abraham Accords. He actually has called – has said that the Arab countries are gambling, those who want to sign on, and that they’re, quote, “betting on a losing horse.” Any comments?MR PATEL: No, not really. What I will just say is that I’m not sure that we are really interested in the supreme leader’s point of view on this, when it comes to what we think could be a potentially transformative normalization agreement for the region. What I will also just add is that part of this, of course, with these countries – with Israel, with, of course, Saudi Arabia – the nexus of our bilateral relationships with both of these countries is, of course, the role that they play in countering and combating against the malign and destabilizing activities that the Iranian regime partakes in in the region.Olivia, go ahead.QUESTION: Mine is a separate topic.MR PATEL: Yeah. Anything else in the region before we move away?QUESTION: The region. Egypt. Sorry about that.MR PATEL: Okay. Sorry, I promise we’ll get to you.QUESTION: No worries. No worries.QUESTION: Senator Ben Cardin pledged to block the release of $235 million in military aid to Egypt unless the country made progress on releasing political prisoners and improving the human rights there. Do you support his view?MR PATEL: We’re continuing to work and consult closely with Congress and the Egyptian Government on providing the Foreign Military Financing package announced by the Secretary that advances our shared vision for a secure and prosperous region, while ensuring that tangible progress on human rights continues to be made in Egypt. I’m not going to get ahead of that process.QUESTION: And one more. President Sisi confirmed that he will run for reelection next December. Do you have any comment on that?MR PATEL: That is an internal domestic matter for Egypt.QUESTION: Thanks.QUESTION: I have one in the region.MR PATEL: Guita and then we’ll close out.QUESTION: Today, Iran’s foreign minister has commented on something that happened during the previous U.S. administration, and that is the &#8212;MR PATEL: Which previous U.S. administration? The immediate previous?QUESTION: The Trump, yes. The immediate.MR PATEL: Got it.QUESTION: The Trump administration. He was talking about the killing of Qasem Soleimani and that after that the U.S., the White House communicated with them on a number of occasions telling them: don’t retaliate; we’ll lift some sanctions on you or that – let us tell you how to retaliate. And then eventually, when Iran did attack the Ayn al-Asad base in Iraq, the White House said – communicated with them again and told them that: all right, that’s enough, stop it. So do you have – does this administration have any comments, any insight into that?MR PATEL: Does this administration have any comment on something that the former administration did as it relates to their engagements with Iran?QUESTION: Well, do you think the Iranian foreign minister now, at this point in time, talking about that – does that – what does that tell you? What do you think?MR PATEL: I try not to get in the minds of foreign interlocutors and certainly not in the – that country in particular is probably one that I would avoid as well. So I really don’t have anything to offer on that.QUESTION: Okay. Just one last one.MR PATEL: Okay. Last one, Guita. I’ve got to work the room. Yeah.QUESTION: Yes, yes. I promise. They also unveiled a new type of drone today and they’re talking about electronic warfare. Do you see that as a – electronic warfare as a possibility with Iran, boosting its capability not only in case there is any interaction with the U.S., but also with regards to export of its goods to Russia and other countries?MR PATEL: Of course. I think the use of Iranian military equipment, whatever it may be – I certainly don’t want to get into the technical specifics – but the use of any of it of course poses a risk of it continuing to play a bigger role in the already existing malign and destabilizing activities that the Iranian regime already partakes in. We have seen – we spent so much of this past year and the year before talking about the deepening security partnership with – between the Iranian regime and the Russian Federation. And so of course, any kind of new potential system of course poses the potential risk to make worse these already deeply violent and destabilizing activities that we know the Iranian regime is going to partake in.What the U.S. is going to do is we’ll continue to use the tools at our disposal to hold the Iranian regime accountable and we’ll do so in close conjunction with our allies and partners both through the E.U. and the E3 and the other relevant multilateral organizations that we engage with so closely to hold the Iranian regime accountable.Olivia, go ahead.QUESTION: Thank you, Vedant. The readout of the Secretary’s call with his Swedish counterpart today noted that the two discussed final preparations for Sweden’s accession to NATO. I’m just wondering what the expectation here is for the timing of that accession given that the Turkish parliament has delayed that vote apparently.MR PATEL: So I have been doing this long enough to know to not to assign too finite timelines on anything. What I will just say – and we have been clear about this going back to even before the NATO Summit in Vilnius earlier this summer – we believe that Sweden is ready to formally ascend to NATO. We believe that they have met the conditions that they have been in discussions with our Turkish partners as well.So again, we’re just going to continue to engage deeply on this and let this process play out. I don’t want to assign a timeline to this.QUESTION: Okay. Where do the discussions on the F-16s to Türkiye stand?MR PATEL: As we have been very clear about before, this is – that’s an issue before Congress and so I’m just not going to get ahead of that process.QUESTION: So no update on that one?MR PATEL: I have no updates for you.All right. Go ahead.QUESTION: Thanks, Vedant. Nishant for Nikkei. I just wanted to get your thoughts on Leader Schumer’s planned delegation to China and what the goals of this trip – how the goals might contrast from the goals of previous senior administration officials’ visits earlier this year.MR PATEL: Well, it’s a totally different entity of the U.S. Federal Government, so you’ll have to ask them. Again, Congress is a separate but co-equal branch of our government. Of course, when a CODEL travels to any foreign location there of course is a State Department component in helping coordinate any necessary logistics and things like that, but on outcomes for the visit, goals, things like that, I would encourage you to speak to Senator Schumer’s office.QUESTION: President Biden has said to be supportive of the trip. Do you think it could be used to lay the groundwork for a potential Biden-Xi summit at APEC?MR PATEL: I’m just not going to – don’t want to speculate or get ahead of any scheduling. And again, this is something that the senator’s office can speak more to.QUESTION: Thank you.MR PATEL: Jahanzaib, go ahead.QUESTION: Thank you, sir. Jahanzaib from ARY. You just spoke in detail about India-Canada tensions, but what is U.S. position on the Khalistan issue? Because there are thousands of Sikhs living in United States and there is a U.S.-based education group Sikhs for Justice managing the Khalistan referendum. So is there any policy on that or it’s just a matter of free speech?MR PATEL: So we’re not going to comment on the unofficial referendum. What I will just say is that, broadly across the board, individuals have the right to freedoms of speech, right to peacefully assemble in the United States, all of which are in line with our First Amendment protections and adherence, of course, to any appropriate federal and local regulations. So I will just leave it at that.QUESTION: Sir, Pakistan ordered all illegal immigrants, including 1.73 million Afghan nationals, to leave the country as soon as possible. A Pakistani official says that 14 of 24 suicide bombings in the country this year were carried out by Afghan nationals. Are you concerned that the huge number of Afghan nationals is being &#8212;MR PATEL: I’ve not seen that comment or the specific reporting that might be rooted in that specific statistic. What I will just say, though, that – is that Pakistan has been an important partner when it has come to the resettlement of Afghans who are fleeing and looking to resettle. They’ve been an important stopover in that process and we’ll just leave it at that.QUESTION: I have one last question if you are &#8212;MR PATEL: Sure.QUESTION: Thank you so much. Sir, in the House Foreign Affairs Committee last week, the chairman of the committee, McCaul, said that the Biden administration officials attempting to downplay the Taliban’s terrorist ties in an effort to exclude them from an update Authorized Use of Military Force, AUMF. Would you like to respond to that?MR PATEL: There is nobody in this administration that is attempting to downplay the Taliban and the type of organization that they are. They’ve been labeled an FTO. There’s been no change in that. So we’ll see if we have anything more to add on that, though.Shannon, go ahead.QUESTION: Thanks, Vedant. I’d like to ask about the case of Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos.MR PATEL: Mm-hmm.QUESTION: She’s a 21-year-old college student studying in New York, and she apparently transited through Dubai and was sentenced to a year in jail after being accused of assaulting and insulting airport staff in the country. Is the State Department providing any assistance or working to bring her home?MR PATEL: So we are aware of the sentencing of this U.S. citizen in Dubai and we take seriously our commitment to assist U.S. citizens abroad and are providing all appropriate consular assistance. The department is in communication with her and her family and we’re going to continue to monitor her case and be involved.QUESTION: One follow-up. Some independent groups are calling for the State Department to issue increased warnings for American travelers who might want to visit the UAE because of detentions like this one and some other high-profile cases. Does the State Department see validity to those concerns?MR PATEL: And what were the groups you were saying at the beginning?QUESTION: A couple of independent groups. The Detained in Dubai is a prominent one that’s been raising the alarm.MR PATEL: Got you. Well, Shannon, this is not the first time that I – we’ve been asked about someone facing a potential consular issue while abroad, and in this circumstance and in many others you’ve seen me once again reiterate the importance of American citizens who are traveling abroad to cross-reference travel.state.gov for the appropriate travel advice and the travel – I don’t want to say “warnings,” but guidelines that may exist in any country or jurisdiction that they may be traveling or transiting to. And we continue to believe that is one of the best sources for information in addition to doing the appropriate steps, like registering in Smart Traveler and things like that.Simon, you’ve had your hand up.QUESTION: Yeah. Yesterday was the five-year anniversary of the death of – the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. I’m wondering why the – was there a decision made not to put out any statement on the anniversary?MR PATEL: I don’t have a specific reason that I am aware of. We, of course, have talked about Jamal’s murder quite regularly from this podium and even beyond. One of the first things that Secretary Blinken did once he was confirmed was come down to this very briefing room and talk about the report in which it, at great length, went into the details around Jamal’s murder.It is something also we have continued to raise directly with Saudi Arabia. The Secretary and the President spoke about this quite clearly on their travel to the region together last summer, and of course the protection of journalists and the respect for the First Amendment and respecting the human rights of journalists is something that we continue to raise directly with countries around the world.QUESTION: So his case is something that still comes up in every interaction with the Saudis?MR PATEL: I’m certainly not going to get into the specifics of diplomatic engagements. What I will just say is that it’s something that we have raised.QUESTION: And so for the three-year anniversary the department did put out a statement, obviously. What has changed in the last two years about the importance of this case?MR PATEL: I certainly don’t want to imply that there has been any change in the importance of this case. The department puts out statements on a lot of things; we also don’t put out statements on a lot of things that are also important. So I don’t have a decision-making rubric to provide for you. What I will just say again is that we have talked about Jamal’s murder quite clearly and will continue to do so as appropriate.QUESTION: And I think one of the things that the statements – sorry to press on this &#8212;MR PATEL: Yeah.QUESTION: &#8212; but some of the statements a couple of years ago when you were talking a lot about this case were talking about the importance that his murder not be in vain. We – this was coming from the President: “we owe it to his memory to fight for a more just and free world.” And at the time, you guys announced this new thing called a Khashoggi ban, and I think initially 76 Saudi individuals were visa-banned under that. Does that still exist? And how many additionally – additional people have been given Khashoggi bans? We don’t seem to hear that phrase &#8212;MR PATEL: I’m happy to check if we have any updated metrics on visa restrictions in place. I don’t have the – that information readily handy for me.QUESTION: I’m also waiting for the statement on Nixon and Kissinger’s visit to China, the anniversary of that. Is that coming any time soon, now that it’s almost a year later?MR PATEL: Alex, go ahead.QUESTION: Thanks, Vedant. We’ll go back to Georgia, if you don’t mind.MR PATEL: Yeah.QUESTION: You know the Georgian ruling, pro-Russian party is pursuing with its initial plan to go after the president, impeaching her for her trip to Europe. Now, let me get your reaction to that. But broadly speaking, yesterday, we were discussing with Matt how Georgian Government is targeting the USAID, U.S. embassy, civil society, journalists who ask questions, just name it. Does it require a policy response from Washington?MR PATEL: So let me boil down specifically unto the mention of USAID that you just highlighted. Our embassy in Tbilisi put out a very clear statement about this, and – which I’ll just reiterate here, in that allegations against one of our assistance projects are false and are – fundamentally mischaracterize the goals of our assistance to Georgia. As always, our assistance is transparent. And we will continue to support Georgian organizations that work to secure fundamental rights provided by the Georgian constitution and Georgia’s international commitments and obligations.QUESTION: And anything on the impeachment of the president that they are – they just started the process, their constitutional court.MR PATEL: I don’t have anything for you on that.QUESTION: And one more, if you don’t mind. Last week marked 30 years from occupation of Abkhazia. As you know, 20 percent of Georgia is under occupation. The fact that Georgian pro-Russian regime is in bed with Russia doesn’t take away from the fact that 20 percent of the country is under occupation. Is the U.S. still part of the peace process, like Geneva process, and who is in charge of the process from the U.S. side? I haven’t seen Ambassador Louis Bono going to Georgia lately.MR PATEL: Alex, let me broaden the aperture a little bit. The Russian-occupied regions are integral parts of Georgia, and we fully support Georgia’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized border. I will also note, Alex, that we continue to partner with the people of Georgia as they pursue a democratic, prosperous, peaceful, and Euro-Atlantic future. And we urge the Georgian Government to implement the necessary reforms to acquire EU candidate status, and we stand ready to assist the government in doing so.You had your hand up in the back? We’ll do last question. Go ahead.QUESTION: First of all, thank you for your support you are providing to Georgians over the years. And I just want to now follow up on Alex’s question. He had described – characterized the Georgian Government as the pro-Russian political force, and you didn’t comment on it. Do you agree? Or let me put it this way: Do you consider the Georgian Government as the pro-Russian political force?MR PATEL: I’m just not going to categorize it like that one way or the other. That would be inappropriate for me to do. What I will just reiterate is, again, that we continue to partner with the people of Georgia as they pursue a democratic, prosperous, and peaceful Euro-Atlantic future.All right. Thanks, everybody.(The briefing was concluded at 1:55 p.m.)						Tags																					Afghanistan																								Armenia																								Azerbaijan																								Canada																								China																								Egypt																								Georgia																								India																								Iran																								Israel																								Kosovo																								Maldives																								Office of the Spokesperson																								Pakistan																								Palestinian Territories																								Russia																								Saudi Arabia																								Serbia																								Sweden																								United Arab Emirates