Two top United States officials are visiting Haiti and the Dominican Republic this week. The pair who’s been in Haiti since March 29th, will meet with senior government officials, civil society and the private sector, according to a statement from the State Department.
Counselor Thomas A. Shannon and Special Coordinator for Haiti Thomas C. Adams will travel to the Dominican Republic and Haiti, March 29-31. They will meet with senior government officials, civil society, and the private sector.
On March 29, Counselor Shannon and Special Coordinator Adams will travel to Santo Domingo to meet with President Medina, Foreign Minister Navarro, and representatives of the International Organization for Migration and UN High Commissioner for Refugees. They will discuss preparations for the Summit of the Americas, regional relations, and bilateral issues of interest and importance. While in the Dominican Republic, the Counselor and Special Coordinator will also meet with representatives of civil society to discuss issues of migration and worker rights.
On March 30, Counselor Shannon and Special Coordinator Adams travel to Port-au-Prince to meet with representatives of the Government of Haiti, international organizations, and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) to discuss preparations for upcoming Haitian elections. While in Haiti, the Counselor and Special Coordinator will also meet with representatives of the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. – Source
Thomas C. Adams was named Special Coordinator for Haiti in September 2010 by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Mr. Adams is returning to the Department after retiring in June of 2008 from a 35-year career in the U.S. Government, with much of it focused on managing foreign assistance.
Thomas A. Shannon, Jr., was appointed Counselor of the Department by Secretary Kerry on December 24, 2013. Ambassador Shannon had served briefly as Senior Advisor to the Secretary following his return in September from Brazil, where he served as United States Ambassador for nearly four years. He is a Career Ambassador in the Senior Foreign Service of the United States. Ambassador Shannon is only the seventh Foreign Service Officer to hold the position of Counselor since World War II, and the first in 32 years.
