Dr. Jim Yong Kim Chosen World Bank President

Dr. Jim Yong Kim

Statement by the President

On behalf of the United States, I would like to offer my congratulations to Dr. Jim Yong Kim on his selection as the next President of the World Bank.  I am confident that Dr. Kim will be an inclusive leader who will bring to the Bank a passion for and deep knowledge of development, a commitment to sustained economic growth, and the ability to respond to complex challenges and seize new opportunities. I appreciate the strong support offered to Dr. Kim from leaders around the world.

I am also pleased that this has been an open and transparent process, and would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding qualifications and commitment of the other two candidates.  I look forward to working with Dr. Kim and our partners throughout the world in support of a strong and effective World Bank.

Oval Office Chat Session: Obama and Merkel

Leaders Discuss Eurozone Situation

The President and German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke by phone this morning to discuss the latest developments concerning the financial situation in the eurozone.  

The President thanked the Chancellor for her leadership andwelcomed last night’s agreement in Europe on a new rescue program for Greece to help reduce its debt to sustainable levels.  

The President and Chancellor agreed that the planned EU fiscal pact, recent actions by the European Central Bank and reforms by Spain and Italy have also been positive steps in addressing the eurozone crisis.  

The President and the Chancellor also discussed preparations for the upcoming G-8 Summit and agreed that the emphasis should be on growth and jobs.

EU to Impose Additional Sanctions on Iran

Statement by the President on Today's Iran-Related Sanctions

I applaud today’s actions by our partners in the European Union to impose additional sanctions on Iran in response to the regime’s continuing failure to fulfill its international obligations regarding its nuclear program. These sanctions demonstrate once more the unity of the international community in addressing the serious threat presented by Iran’s nuclear program.  The United States will continue to impose new sanctions to increase the pressure on Iran. On December 31, I signed into law a new set of sanctions targeting Iran’s Central Bank and its oil revenues. Today, the Treasury Department announced new sanctions on Bank Tejerat for its facilitation of proliferation, and we will continue to increase the pressure unless Iran acts to change course and comply with its international obligations.

Details about the sanctions are available here: EU Sanctions

Carney: 'We Applaud the EU's Determination to Pressure These Regimes to End Their Unacceptable Actions'

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney

Statement by the Press Secretary on EU Actions Targeting Iran and Syria

We welcome today’s announcement by the European Union of new economic sanctions and other measures against both Iran and Syria. The United States recently increased our own sanctions on Iran, and today announced additional actions against Syrian officials and entities.

These steps signal once again the resolve of the international community to address the assault on the fundamental rights of the Syrian people by the Assad regime, along with the continued failure of the Iranian regime to meet its international obligations.

We applaud the EU’s determination to pressure these regimes to end their unacceptable actions, as well as its readiness to consider further steps going forward. The United States has coordinated closely with the EU on both Syria and Iran, most recently at the US-EU Summit that President Obama hosted, and today’s actions underscore how the United States and our European allies are committed to working together on these shared challenges.

We look forward to continued coordination with both the European Union and other concerned governments to increase the pressure on both Syria and Iran to ensure that their flagrant violations of international norms comes to an end. As always, we will continue to work with our European allies on behalf of international peace and security, and the universal rights of all human beings.

President Obama Supports EU Economic Plan

Statement by the President on Europe

We welcome the important decisions made last night by the European Union which lay a critical foundation for a comprehensive solution to the Eurozone crisis. We look forward to the full development and rapid implementation of their plan. We will continue to support the EU and our European allies in their efforts to address this crisis as we work together to sustain the global recovery and put our people back to work.

Photo source: The White House

Author: Pete Souza

Permission: Public Domain