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Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, to the Barbershop Conference on Changing the Discourse among Men on Gender Equality, in New York, today:

Thank you very much, distinguished moderator. Mr. President, I think you gave a couple of good quick Twitter lines there at the end, and I hope they will be going around the world right now.

It’s a true pleasure for me to join you and be with you today at this unconventional and innovative gathering. This must be the biggest barbershop conversation ever. We are in for a close shave! And today is one of the first times I have not felt uncomfortable at an all-male podium. Thank you very much for this.

I would first like to commend the inspirational leadership of Iceland and Suriname on this. It was not so long ago, in a shoeshine shop in New York about 200 yards from here, on a Saturday — we were dressed casually, both of us — that I met with Ambassador Mac-Donald, who enthusiastically introduced me to the concept for today’s event — at the consternation of the other people in that shoeshine shop! In fact, he and my dear Nordic friend Ambassador Gunnarsdottir are the audacious driving forces — as you understand, evidently with the support of their Governments — behind this ground-breaking forum. And I thank both of you for this. You already got the applause that I would have suggested at this moment! How about another round?

This Barbershop Conference aims to jolt our thinking, to make us dispel clichés, and in the end, of course, to change behaviour. Basically, it is about making gender equality as much a cause for men as it is for women. And I also applaud the focus today on ending violence against women and girls. From conflict zones to the home, huge numbers of women and girls, as we all know, face — now, as we speak — unacceptable levels of abuse and violence. And this affront to human dignity must be brought to an end.

This event takes place in the lead-up to the twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. And I’m glad UN-Women’s leader Phumzile [Mlambo-Ngcuka] and her colleagues are here today also. We should support them in this great work they’re doing in bringing great attention to gender equality this year, 20 years after Beijing. All around the world now there are events taking place as part of this campaign under the title: “Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture it!”

In addition, the current review of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security is an opportunity to promote women’s role at the negotiation table and in peacebuilding work. I have mediated, I think, in six different conflicts around the world, and I still haven’t seen a woman on the other side of the table. And I think this is unacceptable. I can assure you that on my side of the table there were women.

The Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and I are convinced that this must be the Century of Women and Girls. It is up to us all to make this a reality. And I think this meeting is part of this huge effort that will happen on so many fronts.

Today we are giving recognition to the important work of the HeForShe initiative, which is bringing one half of humanity in support of the other half, for the benefit of all. Gender equality and women’s empowerment, as we all know, are key also to sustainable development for all, with which the Member States are now working diligently and, hopefully, coming out with a visionary, yet practical, set of goals by the end of September.

We also have ample evidence of how we all gain and how we all grow — socially, economically, politically and even, in a deeper sense, psychologically — from women’s empowerment and gender equality in our everyday lives. At the same time, we have witnessed how painfully slow progress can be.

Twenty years ago, 12 per cent of parliamentarians in the world were women. Today, 22 per cent of MPs [Members of Parliament] are women. That’s nearly double, yes — of course. But after 20 years, we are still at only at a ratio of 1 to 5 — it’s not enough.

Further, women’s participation in the labour force remains too low. We know that economic growth is closely tied to the level of women’s engagement in the labour force, and the economic autonomy of women underpins their political and social rights.

When it comes to political representation and economic empowerment, there are still gaps also in constitutional and legislative provisions, even though nearly every country has ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. But, until we have a better balance among lawmakers, it is difficult to achieve balanced laws and results, it seems.

Now reaching that balance is going to mean that we — and I mean we men — have to play a stronger role in bringing about the necessary transformational change. We must ensure representation of women on boards and panels, both in the public and the private sector. We must put an end to tolerance of sexist behaviour or discriminatory practices against women. We must stand up against violence against women.

In closing, I want to recall a defining moment for me personally on today’s theme. I was, in the 70s and 80s, working with Prime Minister Olof Palme of Sweden, and he was once reviewing a draft speech with the title “Emancipation of Women”. And he looked at the draft and he looked around at us: “You haven’t understood what this is all about. Yes, it’s about emancipation of women. But you must understand, this basically is about the emancipation of Man.” Meaning, of course, the emancipation of mankind as a whole. We are all benefitting, we are all strengthened, we are all empowered by gender equality.

And I would now end with the question: isn’t it high time to convert such wisdom into reality? This is potentially a liberating moment for all of us. So let’s seize it. Thank you very much.

The Justice Department announced today that First United Bank, of Dimmitt, Texas, will maintain uniform pricing policies, conduct employee training and pay $140,000 as part of a settlement to resolve allegations that it engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination on the basis of national origin.

The settlement, which is subject to court approval, was filed in conjunction with the Justice Department’s complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. The complaint alleges that First United Bank charged higher prices on unsecured consumer loans made to Hispanic borrowers in violation of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA).

“The Civil Rights Division is committed to ensuring that lenders price all types of loans based on appropriate credit factors and not based on prohibited factors such as national origin,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We commend First United Bank for implementing a system of loan pricing that provides objective guidance to the bank’s employees.”

The lawsuit originated from a referral by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to the Civil Rights Division. First United Bank is a member of the FDIC.

Under the settlement, First United Bank will pay a total of $140,000 to compensate hundreds of victims of discrimination, monitor its loans for potential disparities based on national origin and provide equal credit opportunity training to its employees. First United Bank will also maintain its revised pricing policies to ensure that the price charged for its loans is set in a non-discriminatory manner consistent with the requirements of ECOA. The agreement also prohibits the bank from discriminating on the basis of national origin in any aspect of a credit transaction.

“This district is committed to ensuring banks and other lending institutions do not discriminate against borrowers on the basis of national origin,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John Parker for the Northern District of Texas. “I join the Acting Assistant Attorney General in recognizing First United Bank’s cooperation in accomplishing this settlement that will compensate hundreds of victims of this discrimination.”

The Justice Department’s enforcement of fair lending laws is conducted by the Fair Lending Unit of the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in the Civil Rights Division. Since the Fair Lending Unit was established in February 2010, it has filed or resolved 36 lending matters under the Fair Housing Act, ECOA and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. The settlements in these matters provide for over $1.2 billion in monetary relief for impacted communities and individual borrowers. The Attorney General’s annual reports to Congress subject to ECOA highlight the department’s accomplishments in fair lending and are available at www.justice.gov/crt/publication.

The Civil Rights Division and the FDIC are members of the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes. For more information on the task force, visit www.StopFraud.gov .

A copy of the complaint and proposed order, as well as additional information about fair lending enforcement by the Justice Department, can be obtained from the Justice Department website at www.justice.gov/fairhousing.

Attorney General Eric Holder announced today that – as the nation observes National AMBER Alert Awareness Day – the Justice Department has partnered with Facebook and Bing to expand the reach of the AMBER Alert system. Facebook will begin sending alerts to its members in designated search areas and Bing will allow users to access AMBER Alerts through its online tools. Attorney General Holder continued to urge other companies and organizations to step forward and do their part by offering whatever assistance they can provide.

“Protecting the well-being of our young people is a responsibility that falls to every American,” said Attorney General Holder. “Each of us can help by paying close attention to alerts that come in – and by making sure you are plugged into the AMBER Alert network via social media. Remember: finding an abducted child and returning him or her to safety depends on a fast response. The more vigilant citizens we have on the look-out, the better our chances of a quick recovery.”

The complete text of the Attorney General’s video message is below:

“At the Department of Justice, we are committed to ensuring the safety and security of everyone in this country – and especially our young people. Over the last two decades, a key tool in this effort has been the AMBER Alert system – an early warning system that helps us find and return abducted children.

“Since the first AMBER Alert system became operational in 1996, AMBER Alert’s strong network of law enforcement and transportation officials, broadcasters, private-sector representatives – and dedicated ordinary citizens – has helped to rescue and safely return more than 700 abducted children. Just last month, two young children were recovered. In one incident, a three-year-old boy who had been taken in a domestic dispute was used as a shield by his abductor. In another, an infant just 20 days old was abducted by a carjacker. Fortunately, with the help of the AMBER Alert system, both children were rescued unharmed.

“Through radio announcements, highway signs, wireless notifications, and Web posts, AMBER Alerts are now capable of rapidly reaching millions of people across the country. But we have a great deal more to do in order to ensure that we can spread the word about missing children as quickly and as widely as possible.

“Today – as our nation observes National AMBER Alert Awareness Day – I am pleased to announce that we are making two vital additions to our innovative national partnerships in order to expand the reach of the AMBER Alert system. Facebook, already an AMBER Alert partner, will now begin sending alerts, along with detailed information and photographs, to its members in designated search areas. And the search engine Bing will begin allowing users to access AMBER Alerts through its online tools. These cutting-edge tools are available as a result of agreements with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which coordinates our AMBER Alert distribution efforts.

“Facebook’s geo-targeted alerts and Bing’s online broadcast tools will give AMBER Alerts an expanded social media and Internet presence – extending our web of child protection resources into new and critical areas. I am grateful for their involvement, and for the participation of so many organizations and agencies that have helped to make the AMBER Alert system such an important public safety asset. And I urge other companies and organizations to step forward and do their part by offering whatever assistance they can provide.

“Protecting the well-being of our young people is a responsibility that falls to every American. Each of us can help by paying close attention to alerts that come in – and by making sure you are plugged into the AMBER Alert network via social media. Remember: finding an abducted child and returning him or her to safety depends on a fast response. The more vigilant citizens we have on the look-out, the better our chances of a quick recovery.

“For more information on how to get involved, please go to AMBERAlert.gov or www.missingkids.com [external link].”

Working for the United Nations proved especially deadly in 2014 as its personnel continued to be subject to deliberate attacks and exposed to hazardous environments. According to the Staff Union’s Standing Committee for the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service, at least 61 United Nations and associated personnel were killed in 2014: 33 peacekeepers, 16 civilians, 9 contractors and 3 consultants.

In 2013, at least 58 personnel were killed by deliberate attacks — 33 peacekeepers and 25 civilians and associated personnel. In 2012, 37 United Nations personnel — 20 civilians and 17 peacekeepers, two of them police officers — were killed in the line of duty

The incident with the most casualties took place in Northern Mali where nine peacekeepers were killed on 3 October when their convoy was ambushed. Northern Mali was the most deadly place for United Nations personnel: 28 peacekeepers were killed there between June and October. Gaza was the most deadly place for civilian personnel, with 11 killed in July and August.

South Sudan was the country with the highest number of national staff members detained or abducted. In May, alleged members of South Sudan’s security forces assaulted and illegally detained two staff members in separate incidents in Juba. On 26 August, South Sudan’s National Security Service detained two national staff. On 16 October, eight armed men wearing plain clothes seized a World Food Programme (WFP) staff member who was waiting in line for a flight from Malakal airport and drove him to an unknown location.

Scores of United Nations staff and associated personnel were also subject to hostage-taking, kidnapping and abductions. The worst incidents took place in the Golan Heights, where 44 Fijian peacekeepers were detained by armed opposition elements between 28 August and 11 September. United Nations personnel were abducted in Yemen, the Sudan’s Darfur region, Pakistan and South Sudan. An international contractor from India working for the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) was released on 12 June after 94 days of captivity.

Contracted personnel working alongside United Nations staff were equally targeted. A contracted deminer, along with two civilians, was killed in Afghanistan on 7 March by an improvised explosive device (IED) fixed to a motorcycle. Three contracted vaccinators were killed in Afghanistan on 11 March when their vehicle struck an IED. A United Nations driver was abducted in the Central African Republic on 1 May and found dead a few hours later. A United Nations polio worker was killed in an IED explosion in Pakistan on 7 October.

Ian Richards, President of the Coordinating Committee of International Staff Unions, speaking at the memorial service at United Nations Headquarters on 8 January to honour those personnel who had died in the service of peace, highlighted the increased dangers faced by staff and called on the General Assembly to do more to protect their lives.

“We are asked to work in some of the world’s most difficult and dangerous places,” Mr. Richards said. “The work is fulfilling and we do it willingly. All we ask in return is that the Organization do its best to protect us, look after our families and hold those who attack us, including Governments, responsible for their actions.”

“Partly for this reason we presented the Secretary-General with a proposal to set up an independent United Nations coroner, so that the death of every colleague is investigated, the results published, lessons learned and lives saved,” he said. “Families also need to be kept informed of how and why their loved one died.”

Here is a list of the most serious incidents according to the Staff Union’s Committee on the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service.

— On 17 January, a suicide attack at a restaurant in the Afghan capital, Kabul, killed 21 people, including four United Nations staff members: Basra Hassan, of the United States, nutrition specialist at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); Nasreen Khan, of Pakistan, health specialist at UNICEF; Wabel Abdallah, of Lebanon, the resident representative of the International Monetary Fund (IMF); and Vadim Nazarov, of the Russian Federation, the senior political officer at the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

— On 5 February, Hamza Ntuba Katsambya, a national staff member of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), was shot dead by an unknown gunman while going to work in Beni, North Kivu Province.

— On 7 April, two international consultants working for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Simon Davies, of the United Kingdom, and Clement Gorrissen, of France, were shot and killed by unknown gunmen at Galkayo Airport, Puntland, Somalia, as they disembarked from a plane.

— On 27 April, Daphna Beerdsen, 31, of the Netherlands, a consultant on climate change projects for the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), was found dead in her home in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, after receiving six stab wounds. Her 19-month-old baby daughter, Dana, was left in critical condition after being stabbed multiple times; her death was announced on 8 May.

— On 24 May, a UNAMID team was attending a mediation meeting between Fur people and Arab militia in Kabkabiya, North Darfur. The militia elements became hostile towards the peacekeepers and started shooting at them, at which point the peacekeepers returned fire. As a result of the fighting, four Rwandan peacekeepers were injured and one of them, Vincent Murangwa, died from his wounds.

— On 11 June, a car bomb attack on the Aguelhok camp of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) resulted in the death of four peacekeepers from Chad: Alyo Gabriel, Paque Tordalbaye Berangar, Maguemadji Innocent Kemsolbaye and Bassiri Madjima Tchompika. Six peacekeepers were injured.

— On 30 June, one MINUSMA peacekeeper from Burkina Faso, Christian Sawadogo, was killed and six others injured when their vehicle hit an IED about 30 kilometres west of Timbuktu, northern Mali.

— Between 20 July and 3 August, 11 civilian personnel of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) were killed during the Israeli operation in Gaza. They were Fatma A. Rahim Abu Amouna, 54, a teacher; Inas Shaban Derbas, 30, a teacher; Mohammed A. Raouf al-Dadda, 39, a teacher; Ismail A. Qader el-Kujk, 53, an environmental health worker; Farid Mohammed Ahmed, 50, a teacher; Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed, 51, a school principal; Munir Ibrahim Hajjar, a social worker; Medhat Ahmed al Amoudi, 53, a labourer; Abdullah Naser Fahajan, 21, a school attendant; Adel Abu Qamar, a guard; and Hazem Abu Hellal, a guard.

— On 16 August, two MINUSMA peacekeepers from Burkina Faso, Moussa Konaté and Innocent Rouamba, were killed and seven others wounded in a suicide attack in Ber, Timbuktu region.

— On 26 August, three Russian crew members — Captain Andrei Berdnikov, aged 50, Flight Engineer Tuktasyn Ishmetov, 57, and Flight Attendant Alexey Sazontov, 33 — of a helicopter contracted by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) were killed in a crash about 10 kilometres south of Bentiu, South Sudan. An initial probe indicated that the helicopter, which was on a routine cargo flight, was shot down.

— On 2 September, five MINUSMA peacekeepers from Chad — Toidengar Merci Djasna, Abdoulaye Said Zakaria, Abba Maina Koumaba, Mahamath Moukou Djorogo and Adama Djerbo Macky — were killed when their vehicle was hit by an explosive on a road between Aguelhok and Kidal.

— On 14 September, an attack on a MINUSMA military vehicle in the vicinity of Aguelhok, Kidal region, resulted in the death of a Chadian peacekeeper, Florent Djimtoloum Miambaye, and left four others wounded.

— On 18 September, five MINUSMA peacekeepers from Chad — Ousmane Bouye, Mahamat Sougoy Iga, Hisseine Ali Hisseine, Issakh Zakaria Hassane and Saria Sylvestre — were killed and three others injured when their vehicle was hit by an explosive on a road between Aguelhok and Tessalit.

— On 3 October, nine MINUSMA peacekeepers from Niger — Jacob Soumaila Cherif, Issoufou Seydou, Massaoudou Koula Moutari, Yacouba Issa Yagi, Oumarou Djibo, Edwi Wayfan, Sanoussi Mamane Issa, Salamou Harouna and Ahmed Mohamed — were killed when their convoy was ambushed while travelling from Ménaka to Ansongo, in Mali’s north-eastern Gao region.

— On 7 October, a MINUSMA peacekeeper from Senegal, Birane Wane, was killed and another injured when unidentified assailants launched approximately six explosive rounds towards the Mission’s camp in the northern Malian town of Kidal.

— On 9 October, Fahad Iftikhar, a Pakistani peacekeeper with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), was killed and eight others were injured in an attack by unknown perpetrators against their convoy on the outskirts of Bangui, Central African Republic.

— On 16 October, a group of unidentified armed men attacked a patrol of Ethiopian UNAMID peacekeepers guarding a water borehole in Korma, North Darfur, killing two peacekeepers, Abiyot Amajo and Worku Weldeyes, and seriously injuring one. The injured soldier, Wudu Tawye, subsequently died in Khartoum.

Many other United Nations personnel paid with their lives while serving the Organization due to accidents and other causes, including three who died while trying to contain the Ebola virus disease outbreak.

In addition, Glenn Thomas, of the United Kingdom, a spokesperson at the World Health Organization (WHO), was among the 298 people killed in the crash of a Malaysia Airlines jet on 17 July in eastern Ukraine. He was headed to Melbourne for a global AIDS conference.

In the lead-up to the State of the Union next Tuesday, President Obama’s been traveling across the country unveiling some of the ideas he’ll be talking about in the address.

Today, he stopped by the Federal Trade Commission offices to talk about how we can better protect consumers from identity theft and safeguard everyone’s privacy, including our children. He laid out a number of new steps and proposals, which you can read more about below.

“Since I’ve only got two years left in the job, I tend to be impatient and I didn’t wait to wait for the State of the Union to start sharing my plans,” the President quipped at the top of his remarks.

“If we’re going to be connected, then we need to be protected.”

In today’s world, we’re exchanging more and more sensitive information online — we’re managing our bank accounts, paying bills, handling medical records, and even controlling our homes from our smartphones. But as the President made clear today, the ability to do all of this online poses additional risks:

Major companies get hacked; America’s personal information, including financial information, gets stolen. And the problem is growing, and it costs us billions of dollars. In one survey, 9 out of 10 Americans say they feel like they’ve lost control of their personal information. In recent breaches, more than 100 million Americans have had their personal data compromised, like credit card information. When these cyber criminals start racking up charges on your card, it can destroy your credit rating. It can turn your life upside down. It may take you months to get your finances back in order.
“This is a direct threat to the economic security of American families, and we’ve got to stop it,” President Obama said. “If we’re going to be connected, then we need to be protected.”

New actions to protect identities and privacy

The President announced a number of new steps today to safeguard Americans’ identities and privacy:

1. We’re introducing legislation to create a single, national standard protecting Americans from identity theft.

Right now, almost every state has a different law on this, and it’s confusing for consumers and it’s confusing for companies — and it’s costly, too, to have to comply to this patchwork of laws. Sometimes, folks don’t even find out their credit card information has been stolen until they see charges on their bill, and then it’s too late. So under the new standard that we’re proposing, companies would have to notify consumers of a breach within 30 days. In addition, we’re proposing to close loopholes in the law so we can go after more criminals who steal and sell the identities of Americans — even when they do it overseas.

2. More banks, credit card issuers, and lenders are giving customers free access to their credit scores.

This includes JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, USAA, State Employees’ Credit Union, Ally Financial. Some of them are here today. I want to thank them for their participation. This means that a majority of American adults will have free access to their credit score, which is like an early warning system telling you that you’ve been hit by fraud so you can deal with it fast. And we’re encouraging more companies to join this effort every day.

3. We’re also introducing a new Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights.

Working with many of you — from the private sector and advocacy groups — we’ve identified some basic principles to both protect personal privacy and ensure that industry can keep innovating.
For example, we believe that consumers have the right to decide what personal data companies collect from them and how companies use that data, that information; the right to know that your personal information collected for one purpose can’t then be misused by a company for a different purpose; the right to have your information stored securely by companies that are accountable for its use. We believe that there ought to be some basic baseline protections across industries.
So we’re going to be introducing this legislation by the end of next month, and I hope Congress joins us to make the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights the law of the land.
4. We’re working to protect our children’s personal information and privacy online.

Today, we’re proposing the Student Digital Privacy Act. That’s pretty straightforward. We’re saying that data collected on students in the classroom should only be used for educational purposes — to teach our children, not to market to our children. We want to prevent companies from selling student data to third parties for purposes other than education. We want to prevent any kind of profiling that outs certain students at a disadvantage as they go through school.
And we believe that this won’t just give parents more peace of mind. We’re confident that it will make sure the tools we use in the classroom will actually support the breakthrough research and innovations that we need to keep unlocking new educational technologies.

“We pioneered the Internet, but we also pioneered the Bill of Rights, and a sense that each of us as individuals have a sphere of privacy around us that should not be breached, whether by our government, but also by commercial interests,” the President said. “And since we’re pioneers in both these areas, I’m confident that we can be pioneers in crafting the kind of architecture that will allow us to both grow, innovate, and preserve those values that are so precious to us as Americans.”

As serious fighting continued among warring armed groups in Mali, resulting in heavy casualties among both civilians and peacekeepers alike, the strife-torn nation’s ongoing peace talks had reached a crucial stage and must move forward, the head of United Nations peacekeeping told the Security Council this afternoon.

“In such a context, more than ever before, we need to issue an appeal to all parties to put an end to violations of the ceasefire,” said Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, as he briefed the 15-member body on the Secretary-General’s latest report on the situation in Mali (document S/2014/943), dated 23 December 2014. It was critical, he added, that all parties show faith on the ground in Mali and around the negotiating table in Algiers.

Also under consideration was the Secretary-General’s letter (document S/2014/944) to the Council President containing a report on operational support provided by French forces to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) from 18 September to 2 December 2014.

The security situation in the country’s north remained “extremely volatile”, thwarting socioeconomic development, human rights and the entry and distribution of much-needed humanitarian aid, Mr. Ladsous went on to say. Threats against MINUSMA’s staff remained very high. Since July 2013, 33 MINUSMA peacekeepers had died and 109 had been injured. In the last few days, peacekeepers had also been attacked on a daily basis, he said, citing incidents against United Nations truck convoys near Gao, as well as in Mampala, a central town along the Mauritanian border.

The Government of Mali and armed groups planned to meet in early February to discuss the terms of a draft peace agreement presented in November, he said. Three rounds of talks held since July 2014 — under the auspices of the Algerian Government, with support from MINUSMA — had led to “fairly modest” progress. However, they had yet to address the root causes of the crisis.

“We don’t want the same causes in the future producing the same effects,” he said, stressing that “for the first time the international community — first and foremost the United Nations — is directly involved and actively committed”. Political will and a decisive spirit was needed to advance the talks and the final peace agreement must include detailed arrangements for implementation.

For its part, MINUSMA had stepped up efforts to implement ceasefire arrangements during the reporting period — 16 September to 16 December — he said. On 16 December, it convened the first meeting of the expanded Mixed Technical Commission on Security. The parties agreed to hold subsequent meetings on the fifteenth of every month and by 16 January to form the Kidal team of the Timbuktu joint observation and verification team set up to monitor compliance with the ceasefire.

The Secretary-General’s report, he said, pointed to steps taken to strengthen the Mission’s operating capacity and address security conditions in the north. MINUSMA would continue to develop ambitious plans to protect against land mines and improvised explosive devices. Additionally, the Mission was in the process of identifying a new Force Commander to replace Jean Bosco Kazura (Rwanda), who had finished his tour of duty in mid-December.

Following Mr. Ladsous’ briefing, Abdoulaye Diop, Mali’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, African Integration and International Cooperation, told the Council that, despite last week’s deadly attacks in his country, a peace agreement was imminent.

“These are the last hundred paces. We are very close, but we must ensure we cover that last hundred metres and make the sacrifices that we have to make,” Mr. Diop said. Emphasizing that compromises and sacrifices were necessary, he added that an agreement was more than possible, but that all parties would have to continue to work actively towards that end. “If we miss this opportunity at the beginning of 2015, I’m afraid this might spin out of control,” he stated.

Negotiations in Algiers would hopefully result in a peace agreement with armed groups in the north and a restructuring of the country to ensure inclusion of all Malians, he continued. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita had committed to such an agreement, as well as to peace, stability, territorial integrity, social cohesion, justice, inclusion and national reconciliation. However, the secular nature of Mali was “non-negotiable”.

At the same time, constant flare-ups of attacks by armed groups against certain communities clearly showed that they wanted to protect certain areas, he noted. Certain allegations in the Secretary-General’s report needed to be verified. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Heads of State of the “G-5 Sahel” [Group of Five for the Sahel] had committed to Mali’s territorial integrity and its unitary nature. To ensure progress, he called on Security Council members to use their influence to lead those armed groups in question to the negotiation process.

But first, the Libyan crisis needed to be addressed, he stressed. As long as that situation was left unresolved, the Malian crisis would be impossible to resolve. Appealing for the Security Council to establish with the African Union a force to neutralize armed groups, help with national reconciliation and to set up stable, democratic institutions in Libyan, he said he hoped the next African Union meeting in Addis Ababa would see progress in that area.

Turning to the spread of the Ebola virus, he paid tribute to the Secretary-General’s personal commitment to fight the scourge. Despite efforts to end the spread of the virus, the threat remained and Mali continued to promote prevention initiatives.

WASHINGTON – In response to the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s numerous provocations, particularly the recent cyber-attack targeting Sony Pictures Entertainment and the threats against movie theaters and moviegoers, President Obama today signed an Executive Order (E.O.) authorizing the imposition of sanctions against the Government of North Korea and the Workers’ Party of Korea. This step reflects the ongoing commitment of the United States to hold North Korea accountable for its destabilizing, destructive and repressive actions, particularly its efforts to undermine U.S. cyber-security and intimidate U.S. businesses and artists exercising their right of freedom of speech.

Pursuant to the authorities of this new E.O., Treasury today has designated three entities and 10 individuals for being agencies or officials of the North Korean government.

“Today’s actions are driven by our commitment to hold North Korea accountable for its destructive and destabilizing conduct. Even as the FBI continues its investigation into the cyber-attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment, these steps underscore that we will employ a broad set of tools to defend U.S. businesses and citizens, and to respond to attempts to undermine our values or threaten the national security of the United States,” said Secretary of the Treasury Jacob J. Lew. “The actions taken today under the authority of the President’s new Executive Order will further isolate key North Korean entities and disrupt the activities of close to a dozen critical North Korean operatives. We will continue to use this broad and powerful tool to expose the activities of North Korean government officials and entities.”

Targeting the Government of North Korea and the Workers’ Party of Korea

The E.O. signed today escalates financial pressure on the Government of North Korea, including its agencies, instrumentalities, and controlled entities, by authorizing targeted sanctions that would deny designated persons access to the U.S. financial system and prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in transactions or dealings with it.

The E.O. authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to apply sanctions against officials of the Government of North Korea and the Workers’ Party of Korea, and persons determined to be owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, or to have provided material support for the Government of North Korea, Workers’ Party of Korea, or any other person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order.

Designations under the New E.O.

The following three entities are designated under the E.O. signed by the President today for being controlled entities of the Government of North Korea:

· Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB): RGB is North Korea’s primary intelligence organization and is involved, inter alia, in a range of activities to include conventional arms trade proscribed by numerous United Nations Security Council Resolutions. RGB was previously listed in the annex to E.O. 13551 on August 30, 2010. RGB is responsible for collecting strategic, operational, and tactical intelligence for the Ministry of the People’s Armed Forces. Many of North Korea’s major cyber operations run through RGB.

· Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID): KOMID is North Korea’s primary arms dealer and main exporter of goods and equipment related to ballistic missiles and conventional weapons. KOMID, a North Korean state-owned entity, was previously listed in the annex to E.O. 13382 on July 1, 2005 for its role in North Korea’s proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. It was also sanctioned by the United Nations in April 2009. KOMID has offices in multiple countries around the world and facilitates weapons sales for the North Korean government.

· Korea Tangun Trading Corporation is subordinate to the Second Academy of Natural Sciences and is primarily responsible for the procurement of commodities and technologies to support North Korea’s defense research and development programs, including materials that are controlled under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) or the Australia Group. Tangun Trading Corporation was designated by the Department of State pursuant to E.O. 13382 in September 2009 and was designated by the United Nations in 2009. The identifier information for this designated entity is also being updated to include several aliases it uses to operate internationally. The new aliases for Korea Tangun Trading Corporation include Ryung Seng Trading Corporation, Ryungseng Trading Corporation, and Ryungsong Trading Corporation.

The following 10 individuals are designated under the E.O. signed by the President today for their status as officials of the North Korean government:

· Kil Jong Hun and Kim Kwang Yon are officials of the North Korean government and represent the southern African interests of KOMID. Kil Jong Hun is KOMID’s Representative in Namibia and an official of the North Korean government.

· Jang Song Chol is a KOMID representative in Russia and an official of the North Korean government. He is working with individuals in Sudan who are procuring materials from him.

· Yu Kwang Ho is an official of the North Korean government.

· Kim Yong Chol is a KOMID Representative in Iran and an official of the North Korean Government.

· Jang Yong Son is a KOMID Representative in Iran and an official of the North Korean government.

· Kim Kyu is the KOMID External Affairs Officer and an official of the North Korean government.

· Ryu Jin and Kang Ryong are KOMID officials operating in Syria and are officials of the North Korean government.

· Kim Kwang Chun is a Korea Tangun Trading Corporation representative in Shenyang, China and an official of the North Korean government.

DuPont (NYSE: DD) and Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) announced today that they have agreed to settle and dismiss their respective patent infringement lawsuits pending in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. The litigation related to claims by Monsanto that DuPont had infringed certain Monsanto seed chipping patents and claims by DuPont that Monsanto had infringed certain DuPont patents related to seed processing. Terms of the settlement are not being disclosed.

According to Monsanto President and Chief Operating Officer Brett Begemann and DuPont Pioneer President Paul E. Schickler, this agreement enables the companies to concentrate their attention on developing new solutions for farmers.

The dismissal of this litigation follows the announcement from DuPont and Monsanto in March 2013 related to a series of technology licensing agreements, as well as dismissal of lawsuits between the companies that also were pending in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. Upon the dismissal of the current litigation, DuPont and Monsanto have no other litigation against each other.

Monsanto (NYSE: MON) is committed to bringing a broad range of solutions to help nourish our growing world. We produce seeds for fruits, vegetables and key crops – such as corn, soybeans and cotton – that help farmers have better harvests while using water and other important resources more efficiently. We work to find sustainable solutions for soil health, help farmers use data to improve farming practices and conserve natural resources, and provide crop protection products to minimize damage from pests and disease. Through programs and partnerships, we collaborate with farmers, researchers, nonprofit organizations, universities and others to help tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. To learn more about Monsanto, our commitments and our more than 20,000 dedicated employees, please visit: discover.monsanto.com and monsanto.com. Follow our business on Twitter® at twitter.com/MonsantoCo, on the company blog, Beyond the Rows® at monsantoblog.com or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed.

DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders, we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit www.dupont.com.

Alstom S.A. (Alstom), a French power and transportation company, pleaded guilty today and agreed to pay a $772,290,000 fine to resolve charges related to a widespread scheme involving tens of millions of dollars in bribes in countries around the world, including Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the Bahamas.

Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole, Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson of the District of Connecticut and FBI Executive Assistant Director Robert Anderson Jr. made the announcement.

“Alstom’s corruption scheme was sustained over more than a decade and across several continents,” said Deputy Attorney General Cole. “It was astounding in its breadth, its brazenness and its worldwide consequences. And it is both my expectation – and my intention – that the comprehensive resolution we are announcing today will send an unmistakable message to other companies around the world: that this Department of Justice will be relentless in rooting out and punishing corruption to the fullest extent of the law, no matter how sweeping its scale or how daunting its prosecution.”

“This case is emblematic of how the Department of Justice will investigate and prosecute FCPA cases – and other corporate crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. “We encourage companies to maintain robust compliance programs, to voluntarily disclose and eradicate misconduct when it is detected, and to cooperate in the government’s investigation. But we will not wait for companies to act responsibly. With cooperation or without it, the department will identify criminal activity at corporations and investigate the conduct ourselves, using all of our resources, employing every law enforcement tool, and considering all possible actions, including charges against both corporations and individuals.”

“Today’s historic resolution is an important reminder that our moral and legal mandate to stamp out corruption does not stop at any border, whether city, state or national,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Gustafson. “A significant part of this illicit work was unfortunately carried out from Alstom Power’s offices in Windsor, Connecticut. I am hopeful that this resolution, and in particular the deferred prosecution agreement with Alstom Power, will provide the company an opportunity to reshape its culture and restore its place as a respected corporate citizen.”

“This investigation spanned years and crossed continents, as agents from the FBI Washington and New Haven field offices conducted interviews and collected evidence in every corner of the globe,” said FBI Executive Assistant Director Anderson. “The record dollar amount of the fine is a clear deterrent to companies who would engage in foreign bribery, but an even better deterrent is that we are sending executives who commit these crimes to prison.”

Alstom pleaded guilty to a two-count criminal information filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, charging the company with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) by falsifying its books and records and failing to implement adequate internal controls. Alstom admitted its criminal conduct and agreed to pay a criminal penalty of $772,290,000. U.S. District Judge Janet B. Arterton of the District of Connecticut scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 23, 2015 at 3pm.

In addition, Alstom Network Schweiz AG, formerly Alstom Prom (Alstom Prom), Alstom’s Swiss subsidiary, pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging the company with conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA. Alstom Power Inc. (Alstom Power) and Alstom Grid Inc. (Alstom Grid), two U.S. subsidiaries, both entered into deferred prosecution agreements, admitting that they conspired to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA. Alstom Power is headquartered in Windsor, Connecticut, and Alstom Grid, formerly Alstom T&D, was headquartered in New Jersey.

According to the companies’ admissions, Alstom, Alstom Prom, Alstom Power and Alstom Grid, through various executives and employees, paid bribes to government officials and falsified books and records in connection with power, grid and transportation projects for state-owned entities around the world, including in Indonesia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the Bahamas and Taiwan. In Indonesia, for example, Alstom, Alstom Prom, and Alstom Power paid bribes to government officials – including a high-ranking member of the Indonesian Parliament and high-ranking members of Perusahaan Listrik Negara, the state-owned electricity company in Indonesia – in exchange for assistance in securing several contracts to provide power-related services valued at approximately $375 million. In total, Alstom paid more than $75 million to secure $4 billion in projects around the world, with a profit to the company of approximately $300 million.

Alstom and its subsidiaries also attempted to conceal the bribery scheme by retaining consultants purportedly to provide consulting services on behalf of the companies, but who actually served as conduits for corrupt payments to the government officials. Internal Alstom documents refer to some of the consultants in code, including “Mr. Geneva,” “Mr. Paris,” “London,” “Quiet Man” and “Old Friend.”

The plea agreement cites many factors considered by the department in reaching the appropriate resolution, including: Alstom’s failure to voluntarily disclose the misconduct even though it was aware of related misconduct at a U.S. subsidiary that previously resolved corruption charges with the department in connection with a power project in Italy; Alstom’s refusal to fully cooperate with the department’s investigation for several years; the breadth of the companies’ misconduct, which spanned many years, occurred in countries around the globe and in several business lines, and involved sophisticated schemes to bribe high-level government officials; Alstom’s lack of an effective compliance and ethics program at the time of the conduct; and Alstom’s prior criminal misconduct, including conduct that led to resolutions with various other governments and the World Bank.

After the department publicly charged several Alstom executives, however, Alstom began providing thorough cooperation, including assisting the department’s prosecution of other companies and individuals.

To date, the department has announced charges against five individuals, including four corporate executives of Alstom and its subsidiaries, for alleged corrupt conduct involving Alstom. Frederic Pierucci, Alstom’s former vice president of global boiler sales, pleaded guilty on July 29, 2013, to conspiring to violate the FCPA and a charge of violating the FCPA for his role in the Indonesia bribery scheme. David Rothschild, Alstom Power’s former vice president of regional sales, pleaded guilty on Nov. 2, 2012, to conspiracy to violate the FCPA. William Pomponi, Alstom Power’s former vice president of regional sales, pleaded guilty on July 17, 2014, to conspiracy to violate the FCPA. Lawrence Hoskins, Alstom’s former senior vice president for the Asia region, was charged in a second superseding indictment on July 30, 2013, and is pending trial in the District of Connecticut in June 2015. The charges against Hoskins are merely allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The high-ranking member of Indonesian Parliament was also convicted in Indonesia of accepting bribes from Alstom, and is currently serving a three-year term of imprisonment.

In connection with a corrupt scheme in Egypt, Asem Elgawhary, the general manager of an entity working on behalf of the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company, a state-owned electricity company, pleaded guilty on Dec. 4, 2014, in federal court in the District of Maryland to mail fraud, conspiring to launder money, and tax fraud for accepting kickbacks from Alstom and other companies. In his plea agreement, Elgawhary agreed to serve 42 months in prison and forfeit approximately $5.2 million in proceeds.

This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with assistance from the FBI’s Meriden, Connecticut Resident Agency, and the FBI’s Newark and Baltimore Divisions. The department appreciates the significant cooperation provided by its law enforcement colleagues in Indonesia at the Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (Corruption Eradication Commission), the Office of the Attorney General in Switzerland, the Serious Fraud Office in the United Kingdom, as well as authorities in Germany, Italy, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus and Taiwan.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief Daniel S. Kahn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick of the District of Connecticut, together with Assistant U.S. Attorney Zach Intrater of the District of New Jersey on the investigation of Alstom Grid and Assistant U.S. Attorney David I. Salem of the District of Maryland on the investigation of Asem Elgawhary. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance.

Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.

WASHINGTON – In light of the continued conflict in eastern Ukraine and Russia’s continued disregard for its obligations under the Minsk agreements, which fuels the continued conflict, the U.S. Department of the Treasury today imposed sanctions pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13660 on 24 Ukrainian and Russian-backed separatists and the militias or entities they lead or support. The individuals and entities sanctioned today were designated for being responsible for, or complicit in, actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, or for being militias or entities, and/or asserting governmental authority over a part or region of Ukraine without the authorization of the Government of Ukraine.

This action complements the step taken by President Obama today to issue an E.O. that prohibits new investment in the Crimea region of Ukraine by U.S. persons; the importation of any goods, services, or technology from the Crimea region of Ukraine into the United States; the exportation, reexportation, sale, or supply of any goods, services, or technology from the United States to the Crimea region of Ukraine; and any approval, financing, facilitation, or guarantee by a U.S. person of any such transaction by a foreign person. This new E.O. also authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to impose sanctions on any person determined to be operating in the Crimea region of Ukraine, to be a leader of an entity operating in the Crimea region of Ukraine, or to be owned or controlled by, or to provide material support to any person designated under this E.O. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is simultaneously issuing a general license to authorize the sale of agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical supplies to the Crimea region of Ukraine.

Both of these actions complement recent measures taken by the European Union. Our efforts respond to actions by Russia, and the separatists Russia supports, which destabilize and undermine the territorial integrity of Ukraine. These actions also reflect the ongoing close collaboration between the United States and European Union on our respective sanctions programs. As the President has said, our goal is to promote a diplomatic solution that provides a lasting resolution to the conflict and helps to promote growth and stability in Ukraine and regionally, including in Russia. In this context, the President has continued to call on Russia’s leadership to implement the Minsk agreements and to reach a lasting and comprehensive resolution to the conflict that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“These actions target people who are undermining peace and stability in Ukraine and impose additional costs on Russia for its destabilizing actions,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen. “Alongside our partners in Europe and around the world, we call on Russia to end its occupation and attempted annexation of Crimea, to cease its support to separatists in eastern Ukraine, and to implement the obligations it signed up to under the Minsk agreements. The ball is in Russia’s court; if it implements its commitments and abides by international law, sanctions could be rolled back.”

Vladimir Antyufeyev was appointed “deputy prime minister” of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic in July 2014. He was engaged in separatist “governmental” activities on behalf of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and was responsible for its domestic security and law enforcement. Antyufeyev is being designated because he has acted or purported to act for or on behalf of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and was responsible for or complicit in, or has engaged in, actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Fedor Berezin served as the deputy to Igor Girkin (a.k.a. Igor Strelkov), “defense minister” of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic. Berezin continues to play a leadership role in the separatist region’s armed forces following Girkin’s August 2014 resignation. Berezin is being designated because he is responsible for actions that threaten the territorial integrity of Ukraine, has acted on behalf of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, and is a leader of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic.

Igor Bezler is a former Russian military officer who has actively coordinated subversion activities in Ukrainian territory. Bezler served in the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Armed Forces until 2002 and was then sent to Ukraine. In April, Bezler ordered the arrest and kidnapping of OSCE representatives. Bezler is being designated because he is responsible for or complicit in, or has engaged in, actions or polices that threaten the peace security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.

The Donbass People’s Militia is being designated because of the group’s engagement in actions and policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine. The Donbass People’s Militia is an armed pro-Russian separatist group of rebels fighting Government of Ukraine forces in eastern Ukraine and threatening the stability and security of Ukraine in the Donetsk region. This militia seized control of several government buildings in eastern Ukraine in early April 2014 and under the command of its former leader, Pavel Gubarev, took over the regional government building in Donetsk while Gubarev proclaimed himself the “people’s governor.” Its forces have been involved in organizing “referendums” on Donetsk’s future without the involvement of the Government of Ukraine.

Pavel Gubarev was the self-proclaimed “governor” of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, an entity that was designated pursuant to E.O. 13660 on July 16, 2014. Gubarev has been described as one of the three most prominent leaders of the separatists in southeast Ukraine. In March 2014, Gubarev was detained by Ukraine’s Security Service during a media conference in Donetsk and then moved to a detention center in Kyiv. He is facing charges of separatism, organizing mass disorder, and infringing Ukrainian territorial integrity. Gubarev is being designated because he is responsible for or complicit in, or has engaged in, actions or polices that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine and is a leader of an entity that has, or whose members have, engaged in actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Alexei Karyakin is speaker of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic Council of Ministers. Karyakin signed a memorandum uniting the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics on May 24, 2014. On June 20, 2014 Karyakin addressed a letter to Belarusian President Lukashenka and the national assembly of Belarus requesting that Belarus recognize the independence of the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic. On June 25, 2014 he declared the separatist regions’ intent to seek accession to the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. Karyakin is being designated because he is responsible for actions that threaten the territorial integrity of Ukraine and has asserted governmental authority over a region of Ukraine.

Alexander Khryakov was the self-proclaimed “information and mass communications minister” of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and was responsible for directing its pro-separatist propaganda activities. Khryakov is now a member of the council for the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic. Khryakov is being designated because he has acted or purported to act for or on behalf of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, and is responsible for or complicit in, or has engaged in, actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Nikolai Kozitsyn is described as one of the first-hand organizers and coordinators of the separatist actions in Ukraine and is responsible for forming separatist groups on the territory of Ukraine. He also provides separatists with weapons and sends them to Ukraine. Kozitsyn is being designated because he is responsible for or complicit in, or has engaged in, actions or polices that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Konstantin Malofeyev funds separatist activities in eastern Ukraine and is closely linked with Aleksandr Borodai, Igor Girkin (a.k.a. Igot Strelkov), and the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, which have all been previously sanctioned as Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs). Malofeyev is one of the main sources of financing for Russians promoting separatism in Crimea. Malofeyev is being designated because he is responsible for or complicit in, or has engaged in, actions or polices that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine and has materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic.

Malofeyev owns the Marshall Capital Fund, which is a Russian equity investment group. The Marshall Capital Fund is being designated because it is owned or controlled by Malofeyev.

Aleksey Mozgovy is described as the commander of a separatist force in Ukraine’s Luhansk region. He is responsible for training separatists to fight against the Government of Ukraine forces and has called for regions in Ukraine’s southeast to unite in order to achieve their separatist objectives. Mozgovy is being designated because he is responsible for or complicit in, or has engaged in, actions or polices that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine and is a leader of an entity that has, or whose members have, engaged in actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Dmitry Neklyudov was appointed “deputy minister of interior of the so-called Republic of Crimea on May 5, 2014. Neklyudov is being designated because he has asserted governmental authority over a region of Ukraine without the authorization of the Government of Ukraine.

The Novorossiya Party was created to unite all supporters for the establishment of an independent federal state of Novorossiya and to withdraw all southeastern lands in Ukraine from the authority of Kyiv. The Novorossiya Party is being designated because it has engaged in actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Oplot is one of the militias that is attempting to assert control over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine. In April, its members occupied the Donetsk city council building, and the militia pushed for the holding of a “referendum” on the territorial status of the Donetsk Region. Oplot is being designated because it is responsible for or complicit in, or has engaged in, actions or polices that undermine democratic processes or institutions in Ukraine, and actions or polices that threaten the peace security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Igor Plotnitsky, an ex-Soviet army officer, was “elected” head of the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic in unrecognized “elections” that took place on November 2, 2014, which also included ballots from polling stations in Russia. Plotnitsky became the leader of the separatists in Luhansk in February 2014. In April, he became the first commander of the so-called Zarya (Dawn) separatist battalion and in May 2014, he took the position of Defense Minister of the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic. Plotnitsky is being designated because he is responsible for or complicit in, or has engaged in, actions or polices that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine and has asserted governmental authority over a part or region of Ukraine without the authorization of the Government of Ukraine.

Natalia Poklonskaya was appointed as the de facto prosecutor of the so-called Republic of Crimea in May 2014 by Russian President Vladimir Putin. A Ukraine court in Kyiv ordered Poklonskaya’s detention on suspicion of subverting Ukraine’s constitutional system and seizing state power. She is accused of having accepted an illegal offer to head the Crimean prosecutor’s office and has illegally taken office. Poklonskaya is being designated because she has asserted governmental authority over a part or region of Ukraine without the authorization of the Government of Ukraine.

Miroslav Rudenko is described as an official of the government of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, and he is also the deputy commander of its defense forces. He rejected Ukrainian President Poroshenko’s unilateral cease-fire offer as a “tactical ploy” and refused to negotiate on the organization of the Ukrainian presidential elections in Donetsk. Rudenko is being designated because he is responsible for actions that threaten the territorial integrity of Ukraine, has acted on behalf of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, and is a leader of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic.

Petr Savchenko was the “minister of taxes and duties” of the so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic and is now a member of its council. Savchenko is being designated because he is responsible for or complicit in, or has engaged in, actions or polices that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Savchenko is the Chief Executive, Principal and Senior Executive of PROFAKTOR, TOV, which specializes in accounting, auditing and bookkeeping in Ukraine. PROFAKTOR, TOV is being designated because it is owned or controlled by, or has acted or purported to act for or on behalf, directly or indirectly, of Savchenko.

Oleh Tsaryov is a leader of the separatist South-East Movement and chairman of the parliament of the union of the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. Tsaryov is additionally a member of the Committee for Public Support for the Inhabitants of Southeast Ukraine, operating under the auspices of the Russian parliament, providing volunteers and military material to separatists in eastern Ukraine. Tsaryov is being designated because he is responsible for actions that threaten the territorial integrity of Ukraine and has asserted governmental authority over a region of Ukraine.

The South-East Movement (Yugo-Vostok Movement) promotes the creation of a separate pro-Russian state in southeast Ukraine and was banned in Ukraine in August 2014. The South-East Movement is being designated because it has engaged in actions which threaten the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for being controlled by Tsaryov.

Alexander Zakharchenko was declared the winner of a recent unrecognized election in the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko denounced the November 2, 2014 “elections” in the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics as an “electoral farce” and stated that they violated the September 5, 2014 Minsk Accord. Prior to claiming the position of prime minister, Zakharchenko was a commander in the insurgency against the government of Ukraine. He is being designated because he is responsible for actions that threaten the territorial integrity of Ukraine, has acted on behalf of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, and is a leader of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic.

The Night Wolves biker group had its members serve in the Crimean self-defense forces as early as February 2014, which supported local Crimeans against the Government of Ukraine. In March 2014, the Night Wolves conducted intimidation and criminal activities within Ukraine and also abducted and subsequently assaulted a Ukrainian Border Guard official. This biker group also participated in the storming of the gas distribution station in Strikolkove and the storming of the Ukrainian Naval Forces Headquarters in Sevastopol. In early-April 2014, the Night Wolves helped smuggle a former senior Ukrainian official out of Ukraine and also helped obtain Russian passports for another larger group of senior Ukrainian officials that they helped get into Russia. The Night Wolves have been closely connected to the Russian special services, have helped to recruit separatist fighters for Donetsk and Luhansk, Ukraine, and were deployed to the cities of Luhansk and Kharkiv. The Night Wolves group is being designated because it is an entity that is responsible for or complicit in, or has engaged in, directly or indirectly, actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Aleksandr Zaldostanov, also known as “the Surgeon,” is the leader of the Night Wolves. Zaldostanov chairs the overall Night Wolves organization, and some of his responsibilities include the punishing of chapter groups and members for disloyalty to the Night Wolves organization. During the late-March storming of the Ukrainian Naval Forces Headquarters in Sevastopol, he coordinated the confiscation of Ukrainian weapons with the Russian forces. Zaldostanov is being designated for being a leader of a group, the Night Wolves, that is engaging in, directly or indirectly, actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.

We are separated by 90 miles of water, but are brought together through shared relationships and the desire to promote a democratic, prosperous, and stable Cuba. President Obama is taking action to cut loose the anchor of failed policies of the past, and to chart a new course in U.S. relations with Cuba that will engage and empower the Cuban people.

A Failed Approach

Decades of U.S. isolation of Cuba have failed to accomplish our objective of empowering Cubans to build an open and democratic country. At times, longstanding U.S. policy towards Cuba has isolated the United States from regional and international partners, constrained our ability to influence outcomes throughout the Western Hemisphere, and impaired the use of the full range of tools available to the United States to promote positive change in Cuba. Though this policy has been rooted in the best of intentions, it has had little effect – today, as in 1961, Cuba is governed by the Castros and the Communist party.

We cannot keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. It does not serve America’s interests, or the Cuban people, to try to push Cuba toward collapse. We know from hard-learned experience that it is better to encourage and support reform than to impose policies that will render a country a failed state. We should not allow U.S. sanctions to add to the burden of Cuban citizens we seek to help.

Next Steps, New Course

Since the President took office in 2009, he has taken steps to support the ability of the Cuban people to gain greater control over their own lives and determine their country’s future.

Now, the President is taking the next steps to renew our leadership in the Americas, end our outdated approach on Cuba, and promote more effective change that supports the Cuban people and our national security interests.

Here’s what the President’s new approach will do:

Re-establish diplomatic relations
Our diplomatic relations with Cuba were severed in January of 1961. The President is immediately reopening discussions with Cuba and working to re-establish an embassy in Havana in the next coming months. The U.S. will work with Cuba on matters of mutual concern that advance U.S. national interests, such as migration, counternarcotics, environmental protection, and trafficking in persons, among other issues.

More effectively empower the Cuban people by adjusting regulations
The President is taking steps to improve travel and remittance policies that will further increase people-to-people contact, support civil society in Cuba, and enhance the free flow of information to, from, and among the Cuban people.

Facilitate an expansion of travel to Cuba
With expanded travel, Americans will be able to help support the growth of civil society in Cuba more easily, and provide business training for private Cuban businesses and small farmers. Americans will also be able to provide other support for the growth of Cuba’s nascent private sector.

General licenses will be made available for all authorized travelers in 12 existing categories:

1. Family visits

2. Official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations

3. Journalistic activity

4. Professional research and professional meetings

5. Educational activities

6. Religious activities

7. Public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions

8. Support for the Cuban people

9. Humanitarian projects

10. Activities of private foundations, research, or educational institutions

11. Exportation, importation, or transmission of information or information materials

12. Certain export transactions that may be considered for authorization under existing regulations and guidelines

Authorize expanded sales and exports of certain goods and services from the U.S. to Cuba
The expansion will seek to empower the nascent Cuban private sector and make it easier for Cuban citizens to have access to certain lower-priced goods to improve their living standards and gain greater economic independence from the state.

Authorize American citizens to import additional goods from Cuba
Licensed U.S. travelers to Cuba will be authorized to import $400 worth of goods from Cuba, of which no more than $100 can consist of tobacco products and alcohol combined.

Initiate new efforts to increase Cubans’ access to communications
and their ability to communicate freely
Cuba has an Internet penetration of about five percent – one of the lowest rates in the world. The cost of telecommunications in Cuba is exorbitantly high, while the services offered are extremely limited. Now, telecommunications providers will be allowed to establish the necessary mechanisms, including infrastructure, in Cuba to provide commercial telecommunications and internet services.

Learn more about the steps President Obama is taking to improve U.S. and Cuban relations here.

Human Rights and Civil Society
A critical focus of these actions will include continued strong support for improved human rights conditions and democratic reforms in Cuba. The promotion of democracy supports universal human rights by empowering civil society and a person’s right to speak freely, peacefully assemble, and associate, and by supporting the ability of people to freely determine their future. The U.S. efforts are aimed at promoting the independence of the Cuban people so they do not need to rely on the Cuban state.

The U.S. Congress funds democracy programming in Cuba to provide humanitarian assistance, promote human rights and fundamental freedoms, and support the free flow of information in places where it is restricted and censored. The Administration will continue to implement U.S. programs aimed at promoting positive change in Cuba, and we will encourage reforms in our high level engagement with Cuban officials.

The United States encourages all nations and organizations engaged in diplomatic dialogue with the Cuban government to take every opportunity both publicly and privately to support increased respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba.

Ultimately, it will be the Cuban people who drive economic and political reforms. That is why President Obama took steps to increase the flow of resources and information to ordinary Cuban citizens in 2009, 2011, and today. The Cuban people deserve the support of the United States and of an entire region that has committed to promote and defend democracy through the Inter-American Democratic Charter.