Gleaner’s Williams chosen for US foreign press programme
Published:Friday | September 12, 2025 | 12:11 AM
The Gleaner’s André Williams has been selected from a competitive pool of international media professionals to participate in the upcoming US Foreign Press Tour, organised by the Meridian International Center in partnership with the US Department of State.
The week-long programme runs from September 14 to 20 and spans two cities, beginning in Miami, Florida, and concluding in Kansas City, Missouri. This year’s tour will focus on the theme ‘Countering Transnational Criminal Organizations’.
Williams, a five-time regional journalism awardee across the areas of news, environment, finance, and health, whose candidacy was endorsed by The Gleaner, was chosen after a rigorous vetting and selection process conducted by the US State Department. He was selected from a pool of 50 international applicants.
As part of the programme, Williams will report directly from the United States, covering the issue of transnational crime and engaging in high-level meetings and interviews with US officials.
“It’s really exciting to learn the issues these state agencies have with Jamaicans who travel to the US and who they come in contact with. I’ll also be looking at a comparative analysis of how Jamaica measures up to both larger nations and smaller states on this issue,” Williams said.
The US Foreign Press Center (FPC) designs these press tours around critical US policy issues as well as facets of American society, politics, and culture. The programme caters to resident foreign journalists in the US and selected international journalists from around the world.
Williams will join 11 other journalists representing Peru, Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, El Salvador, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Belize, and Costa Rica. He attended a pre-departure briefing at the US Embassy in Kingston earlier this week.
“They (at the embassy) seem to be very excited that Jamaica was selected. I’m really excited about the tour ... . It’s a step in the right direction from a career perspective. The whole setup is around my primary beat - crime and investigative reporting. I know it will be hard and focused work, but I’m up for the task. I look to make my organisation and family proud,” Williams said.
While the FPC facilitates access to authoritative American sources and institutions, it does not review or influence the editorial output generated by participants. The programme upholds media freedom and the principles of unbiased journalism, requiring participants to maintain the highest ethical standards throughout the tour.
Williams was recently named recipient of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union’s People’s Choice Award for his compelling news reel during the coverage of of Hurricane Beryl last year. With more than a decade of experience, he has established himself as a leading journalist on issues of crime, justice, and public safety in Jamaica.