Weekend Links: Top Stories from Around the Globe — Oct. 27 & 28, 2012 Reply

Weekend Links

By Steve Hashim

Each weekend we take a step outside our normal coverage to provide our readers with links to some of the stories we find the most intriguing from around the globe.

Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, “The Great Game, Burma Edition”, Ian Storey

Southeast Asia Realtime, “ADB Targets Crumbling Transport Systems as It Plans Myanmar Return”, Sam Holmes

beyondbrics, “Vietnam gets E&Y seal of approval”, Avantika Chilkoti More…

Departing U.S. Ambassador to Haiti is optimistic about country’s future Reply

Former U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Ken Marten

Reposted from The Miami Herald

Written by Jacqueline Charles

The new U.S. ambassador to Haiti, Pamela White, presented her credentials on Friday to Haitian President Michel Martelly. White is a career diplomat who previously served as ambassador to The Gambia before she was tapped to head the U.S. embassy in Port-au-Prince. This will mark her second stint in Haiti. She first worked in the country from 1985-90 on behalf of the U.S. Agency for International Development. More…

Myanmar reforms likely to continue -US State Department official Reply

U.S. Under Secretary of State Robert Hormats

U.S. Under Secretary of State Robert Hormats

Reposted from Reuters

(Reuters) – A top State Department official on Tuesday said he was optimistic Myanmar would stay on the path of political and economic reforms, but warned potential U.S. investors they face a complicated business environment there. More…

A new day in Haiti Reply

US Ambassador Kenneth Merten

Reposted from the Miami Herald

By Ambassador Kenneth Merten

I’ve had the pleasure of spending three tours in Haiti. My first was in 1988, when the State Department assigned me here as a junior officer. I have since returned to the embassy in 1998 focusing on the economic and commercial sectors and in 2009 to serve as ambassador. Over the course of my 25 years working on Haiti, I accompanied the Haitian people through an earthquake, a major humanitarian relief mission, three coups d’état, two hurricanes, one embargo and at least four elections. More…

Remarks: Hillary Clinton meets Haitian Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe Reply

Reposted from State Department Press Releases and Documents

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, good morning. It’s a great personal pleasure for me to have this opportunity to welcome the Prime Minister of Haiti. Prime Minister Lamothe is someone who comes to this job on behalf of his country with a lot of private sector experience, a lot of commitment. And we are delighted to be working with you. More…

US Special Coordinator Adams: Haiti Needs Private Investment Reply

Haiti Special Coordinator Thomas Adams

In a recent interview with The Canadian Press, the US State Department’s special coordinator for Haiti Thomas Adams reaffirmed the importance of private investment for the Haitian economy. “Haiti needs private investment. All the donor money, as generous as it is – and I think Canada and a lot of countries have been very generous – isn’t enough to fix Haiti.” More…