USGLC

John R. Bass is the Undersecretary of State for Management.

John Bass served as Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, and Ambassador to the Republic of Georgia. He has served at seven U.S. Missions overseas in Iraq, Syria, and Southwest Asia to mobilize allies and marshal resources to combat terrorism, was the Executive Secretary of the State Department, and served as Vice President Chenery’s Chief of Staff. Most recently, he served as a Senior Advisor at the Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute.

Past statements on development, diplomacy, and U.S. global leadership:

On Development: In launching the second annual “Passage to Prosperity: India-Afghanistan Trade and Investment Show organized by USAID, Bass said, “In the enduring partnership between the United States and Afghanistan, it is becoming increasingly clear that an outward-looking development strategy with exports at its heart is the path to a more resilient Afghanistan.”

On Democracy: In a discussion regarding the National Integration Assistance Project, Bass affirmed, “In terms of a modern democracy, it is necessary to give equal possibilities to the people with different origins and opinions, including in the electoral process.” (source)

 On Elevating Women: At an event to celebrate the USAID-funded Promote Musharikat program, Ambassador Bass said the United States remains committed to supporting the rights and empowerment of women in Afghanistan. “The United States has been committed to your success for many years, and we remain committed. For this country to succeed, Afghan women must have the opportunity to succeed in whatever they choose to do.”

 On Democratic Growth: In a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bass testified, “One issue that confronts all democracies as they look to the future is how they deal with the past.”(source)

On Democratic Freedoms: In a statement by Bass on free expression he asserted, “In democratic societies it is imperative that citizens have the opportunity to express their views, even controversial or unpopular ones.”

On Universal Rights: In conversation with a Turkish newspaper Bass underlined the importance of press freedom in democratic societies stating, “The policy choices and the challenges that are faced in society and from our perspective freedom of the press [and] freedom of expression are universal rights and essential components of healthy, vibrant, democratic societies and I am here today to make sure that all of you know how important those rights are in democratic societies and how strongly we believe that they should be freely exercised in democratic societies.” (source)

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