US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's top "digital diplomat," Alec Ross is visiting Pakistan to share his experiences on the use of technology and fostering innovation with members of the Pakistani government including Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar.
Acting US Embassy Spokesperson Matt Boland Friday told Business Recorder that Ross arrived on a three-day visit to Pakistan on Thursday on the invitation by Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss areas of common interest at the intersection of technology and foreign policy.
During his visit, Ross will also meet with young Pakistani educators, innovators, business leaders and entrepreneurs to discuss the role of innovation in Pakistan's future. "I am very pleased to be able to visit and exchange views with a diverse group of Pakistanis, all of whom share a commitment to a peaceful and prosperous future," the US Secretary of State's top "Digital Diplomat was quoted by the embassy's statement issued here on Friday.
"Pakistan produces great engineers and entrepreneurs. Every time I travel to Silicon Valley, I meet someone from Pakistan. This can be a key to Pakistan's future," he said. At the State Department, Ross is tasked with maximising the potential of technology and innovation in service of America's diplomatic goals. Before joining the State Department, Ross served in President Barack Obama's successful 2008 election campaign, where he served as the Convenor of Obama's America's Technology, Media & Telecommunications Policy Committee. In 2000, Ross helped to found the non-profit organisation 'One Economy' and grew it from modest origins in a basement into a global organisation serving millions of low-income people, with programs on four continents.
Among recent recognitions, Alec was named one of the Top 100 Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy Magazine, one of Huffington Posts' 10 Game Changers in Politics, one of Newsweek's 10 Navigators on its 100 Digital Power Index, a Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Award honouree, a "game changer" as one of Politicos 50 To Watch and the 2010 Middle East/North Africa Technology Person of the Year by the Union of Arab ICT organisations.
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