DUSHANBE, April 7, 2013, Asia-Plus — Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Mike Hammer is traveling to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan from April 7 to April 15, where he will engage with journalists, government officials, civil society leaders, and students on public affairs issues and U.S. support for democratic institutions, among other topics, and will underscore the U.S. Government’s commitment to the region, the website of the United States Department of State reports.
While in Dushanbe, Assistant Secretary Hammer is reportedly meeting with the Tajik Head of Communications and the MFA Spokesperson to discuss press and internet freedom.
In Uzbekistan, Assistant Secretary Hammer will participate in a conference on government transparency and press freedom with a panel of journalists, ministry spokespeople, and representatives from parliament. He will also host a Facebook chat and an on-the-record discussion with independent journalists.
Born on December 26, 1963, Michael A. Hammer is a United States career diplomat and currently serves as the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.
Mike Hammer was nominated to be Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs by President of the United States Barack Obama on July 8, 2011 and was sworn in on March 30, 2012, after serving as Acting Assistant Secretary since March 2011. Hammer is a career member of the United States Senior Foreign Service. He joined the Foreign Service in 1988 and has served abroad in Bolivia, Norway, Iceland, and Denmark. In Washington, he has served in the State Department’s Operations Center and as Special Assistant to Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Marc Grossman, where Hammer was responsible for Latin American affairs. Immediately prior to his current position, Hammer served as Special Assistant to the President, Senior Director for Press and Communications, and Spokesman at the National Security Council at the White House from 2009 to 2011. He also previously served at the National Security Council as Deputy Spokesman (from 1999-2000) and Director for Andean Affairs (from 2000-2001).
