Maria Otero, with Lodi Gyari, the former Dalai Lama’s Special Envoy, has been named the new special coordinator for Tibetan issues.
U.S. Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs María Otero visits India
U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India
Press Releases 2011
February 8, 2011
Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs María Otero is visiting India February 8-11, traveling to Karnataka and New Delhi. In Karnataka, Under Secretary Otero is visiting the Bylakuppe Tibetan settlements, meeting with local refugee officials and interacting with students, monks and nuns. She will also tour the Namdroling Monastery and visit micro-enterprises. The State Department provides funding for a variety of programs that support refugees worldwide, including those living in India.
In New Delhi, the Under Secretary will meet with senior government officials and members of non-governmental organizations to discuss regional disaster management, coordination at the UN on global issues, and cooperation in interested third countries to strengthen election organizations and management.
Under Secretary Otero departs India for Bhutan on February 11.
As Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs, Maria Otero oversees and coordinates U.S. foreign relations on a variety of global issues, including democracy, refugees, migration, and the environment. She also serves as the Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues.
Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero to Travel to India, Bhutan, and Nepal February 8-14, 2011 Media Note Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC
U.S. State Department
February 7, 2011
Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs María Otero will travel to southern India and New Delhi from February 8 to 11 to discuss bilateral coordination on global issues, visit Tibetan refugee settlements, explore cooperation to strengthen elections organizations in third countries and consult on regional disaster management. She will hold bilateral meetings with senior government officials while in New Delhi.
Following her visit to India, Under Secretary Otero will travel to Bhutan from February 11 to 12 to discuss global issues as well as the protracted situation of the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. She is the most senior Obama Administration official to visit Bhutan and will participate in bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Jigme Thinley and other senior officials. She also will meet with civil society leaders.
In her final stop, Under Secretary Otero will visit Kathmandu, Nepal, February 12 to 14, where she will address the Disaster Risk Reduction Symposium entitled “Be Aware, Be Prepared: Implementing lessons learned from other earthquakes.” The purpose of the event, which is hosted by the Government of Nepal in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy and the United Nations, is to raise awareness among key decision-makers of Nepal’s vulnerability to a catastrophic earthquake; demonstrate the commitment of the Government of Nepal and the international community to disaster risk reduction, and review lessons learned from recent disasters to inform policy and planning in Nepal. She will also hold meetings with senior Nepalese officials and civil society representatives and engage on Tibetan refugee and trafficking in persons issues.
As Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs, Maria Otero oversees the bureaus of Population, Refugees and Migration; Democracy, Human Rights and Labor; Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs; the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons; and the Office of the Science and Technology Advisor. She also serves as the Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues.