Convening
Ambassadors Envision the Next 100 Days for Congress and the Trump Administration with Meridian and POLITICO
POLITICO’s team (L to R): Luiza Savage, Editorial Director; Shane Goldmacher, Chief White House Correspondent; Susan Glasser, Chief International Affairs Columnist; and, Elana Schor, Congressional Reporter. Photo by Stephen Bobb. With April 29 marking the 100 th day of the Trump Administration and the 115 th U.S. Congress, nearly 40 ambassadors and other senior international diplomats joined with private sector leaders at Meridian to gauge what the next 100 days will bring.
A cadre of well-respected POLITICO journalists provided the inside scoop on Congress and the Administration’s approach to foreign affairs thus far and predicted what may be witnessed in the coming months. Part of the Insights @ Meridian series, the program featured four prominent POLITICO voices, including Chief International Affairs Columnist Susan Glasser, Chief White House Correspondent Shane Goldmacher, Congressional Reporter Elana Schor, and POLITICO Live Editorial Director Luiza Savage.
The Administration’s approach to Syria and the U.S. relationship with Russia received considerable attention during the panel portion of the program that was moderated by Ms. Savage. The U.S. and international diplomats in attendance were interested in hearing more about growing tensions with North Korea, the U.S. foreign policy plan for Africa, and how this Administration plans to approach an Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Meridian President and CEO Ambassador Stuart Holliday kicked-off the event with an opening statement and also provided closing remarks. Insights @ Meridian is a medium for the senior diplomatic community based in Washington to exchange views and information on topical, high relevance U.S. policy issues. The series is made possible through the generous support of The Walter and Isabel Cutler Endowment for Global Understanding.
Jozef Polakovic, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Slovak Republic. Photo by Stephen Bobb. Meridian and POLITICO partnered on an April 24, 2017 Insights @ Meridian program to explore “The Next 100 Days: An Inside Look at the Agenda of the Administration and Congress”. Photo by Stephen Bobb. Luiza Savage, Editorial Director, POLITICO Live. Photo by Stephen Bobb. A State Department International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) group from Brazil attended the session.
Their IVLP study tour focused on the ins and outs of Congressional committees. Left to right: Todd Rose, International Visitor Liaison; Angela Silva da Veiga, International Advisor, Brazilian Chamber of Deputies; Gisele Azevedo Rodrigues, Executive Director, Secretariat of Communications, Brazilian Chamber of Deputies; Jorge Luiz Pennafort Palma, International Advisor, Brazilian Chamber of Deputies. Photo by Stephen Bobb.
Meridian President Emeritus Ambassador Walter Cutler poses a question to the panel of POLITICO journalists. Photo by Stephen Bobb. Ambassador of Algeria Madjid Bouguerra shares a laugh with Deputy Chief of Mission of Liberia Jeff Dowans, Sr. Photo by Stephen Bobb. Ambassador Holliday welcomes ambassadors and other senior diplomats to the program. Photo by Stephen Bobb. The Honorable Ken Sombandith, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
Photo by Stephen Bobb. Susan Glasser, Chief International Affairs Columnist, POLITICO. Photo by Stephen Bobb. Meridian’s Executive Vice President Lee Satterfield speaks with Ambassador of Cuba Jose CabañasSusan Glasser, Chief International Affairs Columnist, POLITICO. Photo by Stephen Bobb. Shane Goldmacher, Chief White House Correspondent, POLITICO. Photo by Stephen Bobb. Ms. Oksana Shulyar, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Ukraine.
Photo by Stephen Bobb. Project Sponsor Project summary Ambassadors Envision the Next 100 Days for Congress and the Trump Administration with Meridian and POLITICO | April 2017 Number of Attendees: 58 Regions: Africa , East Asia and Pacific , Europe and Eurasia , Near East and North Africa , South and Central Asia , Western Hemisphere Countries: Albania , Algeria , Brazil , Bulgaria , Canada , Chile , Colombia , Croatia , Cuba , Denmark , Ecuador , Greece , Guatemala , Italy , Jordan , Republic of Kosovo , Laos , Liberia , Luxembourg , Malawi , Montenegro , Morocco , Burma , Nepal , Netherlands , New Zealand , Panama , Paraguay , Portugal , Singapore , Slovakia , Slovenia , South Africa , Spain , Trinidad and Tobago , Tunisia , Ukraine Impact Areas: Foreign Policy Program Areas: Diplomatic Engagement Partners: Private Sector See Program Page .