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A Somali girl waits to receive food rations in a camp in Kenya. Small children are among those most severely affected by this crisis.

• Foreign Policy
• Food Security & Global Hunger
• Naval Piracy
• Resources on AGOA and U.S.-Africa Trade (America.gov)

News

24 January 2012 Briefing on U.S. Efforts in the Humanitarian Crisis in the Horn of Africa Bruce Wharton, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy for the Bureau of African Affairs; David Robinson, Acting Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees, and Migration; and Nancy Lindborg, Assistant Administrator for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance at USAID On U.S. Efforts in the Humanitarian Crisis in the Horn of Africa.

18 January 2012 Clinton Promotes Democracy in Four-Nation Africa Trip  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton completed a four-nation visit to Africa to promote democracy, good government and economic reforms, and to demonstrate a U.S. commitment to a post-conflict return to peace.

2011

22 December 2011 President Obama on the Horn of Africa Famine Today, on behalf of the U.S. Government and the American people, I am announcing an additional $113 million in emergency relief assistance for the Horn of Africa.

15 December 2011 Clinton Says U.S. Prepared to Assist South Sudan South Sudan’s independence marks the beginning of its challenge to become a state that will offer opportunities to all of its people, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the Obama administration is prepared to help the new nation reach its potential.

12 December 2011 U.S. Military Advisers to Support African Fight Against LRA   U.S. troops serving as advisers in the fight against the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) are beginning to deploy from Uganda to LRA-affected areas to support ongoing regional military efforts to stop the organization’s ability to terrorize civilians in an expansive, remote jungle region and to bring its leaders to justice.

20 November 2011 State Department on Conditions in Horn of Africa  The Famine Early Warning Systems Network and the UN Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit  released the latest analysis of the ongoing drought and famine in Somalia.  Three areas of Somalia have been downgraded from famine to emergency.  Three other areas, including the internally displaced populations in Mogadishu, have improved but remain classified as famine.

14 November 2011 Ambassador DeLaurentis at U.N. on Lord’s Resistance Army  Remarks by Ambassador DeLaurentis, U.S. Ambassador and Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs to the United Nations, at a UN Security Council Meeting on UNOCA and the Lord’s Resistance Army.

01 November 2011 U.S. Response to Humanitarian Crisis in the Horn of Africa   An updated fact sheet from the Department of State.

26 October 2011 U.S. Advisers Sent to Help African Struggle Against LRA  On October 14, President Obama announced an expansion of U.S. support for its central African partners who have been trying to end the LRA’s threat to their populations. Approximately 100 U.S. military advisers are being deployed to assist forces of the four countries that are fighting the LRA and want to bring the LRA's Joseph Kony and his top commanders to justice.   U.S. lawmakers in the House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee met October 25 to hear from senior Obama administration officials about the U.S. deployment and its mission.

18 October 2011 State Department’s Johnnie Carson Travels to Africa   U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson travels to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Niger on 17–26 October.   Carson, who is the assistant secretary of state for African affairs, will be promoting U.S. objectives of democracy and governance, peace and security, and economic development during his three-nation visit.

14 October 2011 U.S. Support to Regional Efforts to Counter the Lord's Resistance Army  For more than two decades, the Lord’s Resistance Army  (LRA) has murdered, raped and kidnapped tens of thousands of innocent men, women and children.  The United States’ comprehensive, multi-year strategy seeks to help mitigate and end the threat posed to civilians and regional stability by the LRA.

12 October 2012  U.S. Helps African Women Multiply Their Business Success  After years of building their own businesses, about 40 African women are taking on a mission to help others do the same. The women are this year’s participants in the African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program. For three weeks, they have been traveling through the United States studying businesses, meeting with trade and finance experts from government and the private sector, and discussing prospects and problems for business in Africa.

06 October 2011 Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia Launches New Website  The State Department announces the launch of the new official website for the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia.  The new website serves as a repository of Contact Group documents and other counter-piracy related materials; a cyber secretariat offering a virtual workspace for Contact Group participants; and a real-time information center for industry, academic researchers, and the general public regarding the Contact Group’s ongoing efforts

04 October 2011 U.S. Delegation on Food Security Travels to Horn of Africa A U.S. delegation will visit Ethiopia and Kenya to discuss key agricultural and food security issues, and to show the United States’ continuing commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to Africans hit hardest by the famine in the Horn of Africa.

03 October 2011 Secretary Clinton : Honoring Participants of African Women's Entrepreneurship Program 

30 September 2011 USAID Fact Sheet: Horn of Africa Drought  

23 September 2011 U.S. Response to Humanitarian Crisis in the Horn of Africa

15 September 2011 USAID Fact Sheet: Horn of Africa Drought 

02 September 2011 Escalating Violence in Blue Nile State of Sudan The United States is deeply concerned about the fighting that broke out September 1 between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the forces of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-North (SPLM/A-N) in Blue Nile State in Sudan, as well as the ongoing troop mobilization on both sides.

01 September 2011 U.S. Pledge to Horn of Africa Hunger Tops $600 Million The U.S. funding commitment to alleviate the massive humanitarian disaster in the Horn of Africa has passed the $600 million mark after a top aid official announced a $23 million increase August 31.

22 August 2011 Food Insecurity in Eastern Africa Continent's Worst in 20 Years  The worst drought in more than half a century in Eastern Africa has brought on the region’s worst food insecurity in 20 years, according to an assessment of conditions in the region released by the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit–Somalia.  U.S. and international estimates find that more than 12 million people in this region are expected to be affected by the widespread food insecurity.

11 August 2011 Amid Human Disaster, Clinton Sees Greater Food Security  Ahead  Food insecurity and famine in the Horn of Africa create new urgency for developed and developing nations to both rescue people caught in this crisis and make systemic reforms that can reduce the human cost of food shortages in the future. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged action to pursue both objectives in an August 11 speech in Washington.

09 August 2011 U.S. Delegates Mobilize Global Response to Horn of Africa Crisis  Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Biden, has led a U.S. delegation to the Horn of Africa to mobilize a global response to the region’s worst drought in more than 60 years, which the United Nations estimates has left at least 12.4 million people in urgent need of food, water and medical care.

08 August 2011 Obama Approves $105 Million More for Horn of Africa  President Obama has approved an additional $105 million for urgent humanitarian relief efforts across the Horn of Africa, where the United Nations estimates that more than 12.4 million people are in urgent need as a result of the region’s worst drought in more than 60 years.

03 August 2011 Responding to Drought and Famine in the Horn of Africa Testimony by Don Yamamoto, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, before the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs.

02 August 2011 U.S. Reassures Aid Agencies Providing Relief in Somalia Because of the compelling humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa, including southern Somalia, the Obama administration is reassuring nongovernmental organizations and aid groups that they will not risk prosecution if their efforts to aid famine victims violate U.S. sanctions on the terrorist group al-Shabaab.

27 July 2011 Fact Sheet U.S. Response to Humanitarian Crisis in the Horn of Africa More than 11.5 million people—primarily in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia—are in need of emergency assistance in the Horn of Africa. The U.S. is one of the largest donors of humanitarian assistance to the region, providing approximately $459 million this fiscal year to help those in need. 

26 July 2011 AFRICOM Empowering African Development as Well as Security The U.S. military’s Africa Command (AFRICOM) is building the capacity of partner nations to counter extremist threats, respect civilian control and respond more effectively to humanitarian and security needs across the continent, a senior U.S. Defense Department official told members of Congress.

22 July 2011  Al-Shabaab Should Not Block Somali Humanitarian Aid, U.S. Says The United States, the United Nations and other partners in the international community stand ready to help an estimated 3 million or more Somalis who are suffering from famine, but the anti-Western terrorist group al-Shabaab on July 22 tried to deny the existence of food shortages and announced it will resume a ban on assistance from the international community that has been in place since January 2010.

20 July 2011 Famine Declared; Human Need in Horn of Africa Grows More Urgent  Two regions of Somalia are suffering from famine, which is not mere hunger, but a formal declaration that hunger now is so severe that more than 30 percent of children are suffering acute malnutrition, more than two people per 100,000 are dying each day, and that food and other basic necessities have become inaccessible to most people.

19 July 2011 Current Situation in the Horn of Africa   Special Briefing by Johnnie Carson (Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs), Reuben Brigety (Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration), Deputy Administrator of USAID Donald Steinberg, Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance of USAID Nancy Lindborg.

14 July 2011 U.S. Urges Sudan, South Sudan to Fulfill Peace Agreement   President Obama’s top envoy for Sudan urged the governments of Sudan and newly independent South Sudan to "rekindle the spirit of cooperation" to resolve the outstanding issues that stand in the way of their fulfilling the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement. U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan Princeton Lyman also called for an interim agreement by the end of July on the sharing of oil revenues if a final agreement is not reached.

11 July 2011  U.S. Recognizes South Sudan, Pledges Steadfast Partnership   The United States formally recognized the Republic of South Sudan on July 9 and pledged steadfast partnership as the South Sudanese begin building a new country after decades of civil war.   President Obama issued the formal recognition of the world’s newest nation in Washington as independence ceremonies and celebrations were being held in the new country’s capital, Juba, and across South Sudan.
• President Obama on U.S. Recognition of South Sudan’s Independence
• Secretary Clinton on Independence Day for South Sudan 

06 July 2011 Technology Opens Doors for Women, Clinton Says  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is celebrating her department’s TechWomen exchange program, which uses technology to open doors that are otherwise closed to women in the Middle East and North Africa.  TechWomen, funded by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is a public-private partnership that pairs women from top technology companies in California’s Silicon Valley with women emerging as leaders in technical fields across the Middle East and North Africa for a professional mentorship and exchange program.

22 June 2011 Statement from President Obama on Sudan 

13 June 2011 Clinton: African Leaders Must Meet the Aspirations of the Young  The aspirations of Africa’s youth for greater freedoms and economic opportunities cannot be ignored, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, urging African leaders to get in front of the desire for change and meet the needs of the continent’s burgeoning youth population. The secretary spoke to diplomats at the African Union  headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

01 June 2011 Briefing on 2011 AGOA Forum

19 May 2011 U.S. Officials Hopeful for Sudan and Southern Sudan  American officials who recently visited Sudan and Southern Sudan said they saw encouraging signs despite their political and economic challenges.

05 May 2011 U.S. Pledges $8.5 Million for Côte d’Ivoire Humanitarian Response

19 April 2011 The United States and the African Union  "The United States and the African Union (AU) enjoy a strong partnership that continues to develop as we engage in areas of mutual interest spanning a variety of sectors."

11 April 2011 U.S. Urges Calm in Côte d'Ivoire Following Gbagbo's Capture  President Obama says the detention of Côte d’Ivoire’s former president, Laurent Gbagbo, is a victory for “the democratic will of the Ivoirian people,” who now have an opportunity to reclaim their country’s future as a democratic and peaceful state under their elected president, Alassane Ouattara.

05 April 2011 Obama Says Côte d’Ivoire’s Gbagbo Must Give Up Power
 • Statement by President Obama on Situation in Côte d’Ivoire

 01 March 2011 U.S. Senior Sudan Advisors Travel to Bolster North-South and Darfur Peace Processes  Ambassador Princeton Lyman, U.S. Senior Advisor on North-South Negotiations, and Ambassador Dane Smith, U.S. Senior Advisor on Darfur, will travel to the region in early March to support U.S. efforts to promote peace and stability in Sudan.

07 February 2011 U.S. Intends to Recognize Independent South Sudanese State  With the announcement that an overwhelming majority of southern Sudanese have voted to establish an independent state, the Obama administration says it intends to recognize the new country in July and is also beginning the process of withdrawing Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.

26 January 2011 United States Urges Restraint in Egyptian Protests  The United States has urged Egyptian security forces and protesters to refrain from using violence, while offering support for basic freedoms, said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.  “As we monitor the situation in Egypt, we urge all parties to refrain from using violence, and expect the Egyptian authorities to respond to any protests peacefully,” Gibbs said in a prepared statement. “We support the universal rights of the Egyptian people, including the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly.”

24 January 2011 U.S. Supports Tunisia's Political Transition  The Obama administration supports Tunisia's democratic transition following the ouster of former President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali while "recognizing that this is a Tunisian-initiated and Tunisian-led process,' State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said. “We support the transition that is under way. And we hope that this transition will be peaceful,” Crowley told reporters in Washington.

24 January 2011 Tunisian Americans Upbeat over Events in Homeland  Tunisian Americans celebrating the fall of former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali say they are doing what they can - and planning to do more - to bolster the emerging democracy in their homeland.

21 January 2011 Local Business Key to Development in Africa, Analyst Says   The Marshall Plan — the world's most successful aid project — revived post–World War II Europe by fostering entrepreneurs and local businesses. William Duggan, the co-author of The Aid Trap, says this Marshall Plan model could work in Africa, too. Duggan spent more than two decades in development work in Africa as an economist and international development specialist, with the Ford Foundation, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Bank and the U.N. Development Program (UNDP).

19 January 2011 Sudan's Referendum Marks "Historic Milestone" Southern Sudan's referendum on self-determination marks "a historic milestone" for the Sudanese, says Ambassador Princeton Lyman, head of the U.S. State Department's Sudan Negotiation Support Unit. "We have come a long way in a short time. Even just a few months ago, many thought that an on-time, peaceful referendum was impossible — both from a technical and a political standpoint. Yet, it was achieved," Lyman said.

18 January 2011 Conduct of Sudan Referendum Inspiring, Obama Says  President Obama says the peaceful and orderly conduct of Southern Sudan's weeklong referendum on self-determination was "an inspiration to the world." Obama also commended the voters as well as Southern Sudanese institutions and international organizations for their work in overseeing a process that most international observers have declared to be credible.

12 January 2011 U.S. Praises Sudanese Officials for Conduct of Referendum  Regardless of the outcome, the referendum on southern Sudanese self-determination can present new opportunities for the people of both northern and southern Sudan, says U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson.

10 January 2011 Obama Urges Peaceful Sudanese Referendum Vote  President Obama praised the timely start of the referendum on self-determination for southern Sudan and urged all sides to refrain from intimidation, coercion or violence and to allow voters to freely and peaceably express their will.

09 January 2011 - Statement by Secretary Clinton on Southern Sudan Referendum

07 January 2011 United States Imposes Sanctions on Côte d'Ivoire's Gbagbo  The United States has imposed financial sanctions against former Côte d'Ivoire President Laurent Gbagbo, his wife, Simone Gbagbo, and three members of his inner circle, the U.S. Treasury Department said.

06 January 2010 Ambassador Rice at U.N. on Sudan, Côte d'Ivoire

22 October 2010 World Will Pay Higher Price If It Does Not Help Somalia Now    U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson says more countries need to contribute troops and assets to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and other security and humanitarian efforts in the country, saying it “is in no one’s interest” to step back and allow Somalis to simply fight among themselves.

14 October 2010 Maritime Piracy Off Somali Coast a Global Problem   Maritime piracy off the coast of Somalia is not just an African problem but a global challenge of worldwide concern, and the international community must step forward to help.  U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson and Erastus Mwencha, deputy chairperson of the African Union’s Commission, made that point to reporters in a media round table October 13.

06 October 2010 U.S. Looking for New Course in Africa, Clinton Says  U.S. ambassadors in Africa must help the United States chart a new course for sustainable American engagement on the continent, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says. Clinton addressed the ambassadors at the annual African Chiefs of Mission Conference at the State Department in Washington.  “What happens in Africa has a very direct and growing impact on what happens in Europe and what happens in the United States,” Clinton told the ambassadors.

14 September 2010  U.S. Intensifies Diplomacy in Lead Up to Referenda in Sudan Fact sheet outlines U.S. actions in support of Sudan strategy.

24 August 2010 U.S. Condemns Outrageous Attack by al-Shabaab on Somali Hotel  Obama administration officials condemned an attack on a Mogadishu hotel that reportedly left 30 dead, including six parliament members in Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG), and said the United States will continue to partner with countries in the Horn of Africa and elsewhere against terrorism and violent extremists.

06 August 2010 Young African Leaders' Forum Begins Era of New U.S. Partnership    On the last day of the President's Forum for Young African Leaders, U.S. officials told delegates hailing from all over sub-Saharan Africa that the Obama administration is going to continue the dialogue that began in Washington August 3 in hopes of creating networks, partnerships and opportunity across the continent.

03 August 2010 President Obama’s Town Hall at Young African Leaders Forum
 • Fact Sheet: The President's Engagement in Africa (White House)

03 August 2010 Secretary Clinton Addresses Ninth African Growth Forum    Africa is a continent on the rise and its story needs to be told: "Africa is open for business and ready to grow," Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told the ninth annual U.S.-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Forum - also known as the AGOA Forum.

02 August 2010 AGOA 2010 Forum Opens with Pledges to Improve Trade   The annual U.S.–Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum — better known as the AGOA Forum — opened August 2 in Washington with U.S. and African officials pledging on the 10th anniversary of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to make the U.S. trade preference program work even better to stimulate economic growth and development on both sides of the Atlantic.

30 July 2010 Obama Hosts Young African Leaders August 3–5  President Obama is convening a first-ever, three-day conference in August with more than 100 young leaders from a cross section of African life to examine how they see Africa’s future over the next half century, and to help craft innovative solutions to regional challenges.
 • The President's Forum with Young African Leaders

30 July 2010 Future of Africa Depends on Youth  As presidential adviser for the Malawi Developmental Advisory Council, Thembi Grace Thadzi advises Malawi’s leader, President Bingu wa Mutharika, on measures that will generate the economic growth needed to attain national food security and alleviate poverty in her homeland.

28 July 2010 Thirty-Four African Businesswomen Attending AGOA Forum   Thirty-four African women entrepreneurs are participating in the 2010 U.S.–Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum — better known as the AGOA Forum — and the African Women’s Entrepreneurship Forum to further enhance the U.S.-Africa trade relationship by expanding their businesses and increasing economic growth in their own countries.

15 July 2010 U.S. Says Attacks in Uganda Are “Real Concern”  When the Somalia-based al-Shabaab terrorist group claimed that it had carried out the July 11 attacks in Uganda, it created a “real concern for us and for Africans,” says the State Department’s counterterrorism coordinator, Daniel Benjamin.

14 July 2010 Obama Offers Redoubled U.S. Support for Africa Against Terror  President Obama said the United States will redouble its cooperation with Uganda and other African Union members against the Somali terror group al-Shabaab to try to ensure that it and similar organizations “are not able to kill Africans with impunity.”

14 July 2010 Interview of President Obama by the South African Broadcasting Corporation

12 July 2010 U.S. Condemns “Cowardly” Bomb Attacks in Uganda Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and other Obama administration officials strongly condemned terror attacks in Uganda July 11 that targeted spectators who had gathered in Kampala at a restaurant and a rugby sports center to watch the final game of the World Cup, hosted by South Africa.

30 June 2010 Quick Embrace of Technology Will Aid Africa’s Development  Hailing the spirit of entrepreneurship across Africa, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale called on all Africans to quickly embrace changing technology and a host of transparent reforms that can aid economic growth across the continent. She pledged continued U.S. support for that effort.

14 June 2010 Fact Sheet: The United States and Africa: Partnering for Progress  The United States has been a strong advocate of the nations of Africa since their independence, and remains determined to support its African partners in achieving the shared long-term goals of democracy, stability, and prosperity.

12 April 2010 Obama Meets with African Leaders in Advance of Nuclear Summit  President Obama met separately with South African President Jacob Zuma and Nigeria’s acting president, Goodluck Jonathan, April 11 on the eve of the Nuclear Security Summit, which both leaders were in Washington to attend. Obama praised South Africa for its historical leadership in promoting nuclear security and nonproliferation and for dismantling its own nuclear program.

22 March 2010 Steady Progress Against Somali Piracy   With the cooperation of the international shipping industry, there has been steady progress in the fight against maritime piracy off the east coast of Africa, a senior U.S. official told reporters March 19.

12 March 2010 For Human Rights Heroine, “No Ordinary Arrest”   They came in the middle of the night asking for Jestina Mukoko. She did not even have time to put on her shoes and glasses before they seized and blindfolded her, taking her to an undisclosed location where the world would not know what happened to her for weeks. Ot is a story that is all too familiar for human rights advocates around the world, but Mukoko would not disappear so easily.

09 March 2010 Gabon's President Meets Clinton, Calls Corruption Africa's Cancer  Gabon’s president, Ali Bongo, intends to use his country’s two-year seat on the United Nations Security Council to highlight democratic reforms and his fight against corruption, which he terms a “cancer” sapping Africa’s strength and potential. “Unfortunately, when it comes to the African body, we have many diseases — and corruption is one of them,” Bongo told America.gov in an interview after meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton March 8 at the State Department.

19 February 2010 International Navies Coordinate to Deter Somali Pirates  An international naval flotilla of vessels from the European Union, NATO, Russia, China, the United States and other nations is patrolling the Gulf of Aden to deter Somali pirates.On an average day, 17 ships offer security in a sea corridor where an estimated 30,000 commercial cargo vessels sail each year.

03 February 2010 United States Congratulates New African Union Chairperson  The United States on February 2 congratulated Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika, president of Malawi, on his election by the African Union General Assembly to serve as chairperson of the African Union (AU), saying it looks forward to continuing the U.S. partnership with the AU to promote peace, prosperity and security for all Africans.

02 February 2010 Sudan Tops Foreign Policy Concerns in Obama YouTube Appearance  While President Obama was delivering his first State of the Union address, thousands of Americans went online and submitted their own questions via the popular video Web site YouTube. People could also vote on the 11,000 questions that were sent in, and on February 1, Obama — who had not seen them in advance — responded to the questions with the highest approval ratings. His responses streamed live from the White House.

14 January 2010 Winning Business Concepts Aim to Boost Local Economies in Africa  Business ventures ranging from biotech seedlings in Ethiopia to a geotechnical lab in Liberia were among 14 winners of matching grants for joint ventures between U.S. entrepreneurs of African descent and partners in sub-Saharan countries. The winners announced January 13 receive grants ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 intended to help them execute their ideas and boost their chances to successfully launch or expand their businesses.

11 January 2010 U.S. Special Envoy Gration Expresses Optimism on Sudan  Despite being “very concerned about rising violence in southern Sudan,” U.S. Special Envoy Scott Gration says he is optimistic about the future for the nation that saw Africa’s longest civil war end five years ago with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

08 January 2010 Diplomats Call for Greater Effort to Implement Sudan Peace Accord   Time is growing short before Sudanese national elections in April and everyone involved must intensify efforts to implement the remaining provisions of a 5-year-old peace agreement to end the violence and suffering of the people of Sudan, three senior foreign ministers said in a joint statement January 8. “High levels of violence and displacement in south Sudan in 2009 and continued violence against civilians, widespread insecurity and humanitarian concerns in Darfur show that much more work is needed to bring the peace and stability the Sudanese people deserve,” said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, and British Foreign Minister David Miliband.

03 December 2009 Sudan Strategy Aimed at Saving Lives, Ensuring Durable Peace  The United States strategy for Sudan has three major goals: saving lives and ensuring a durable peace, implementing a long-standing peace agreement, and preventing Sudan from becoming a terrorist safe haven, a senior U.S. diplomat says. “Failure to accomplish these goals could bring about additional suffering, further regional instability or new safe havens for international terrorists,” Special Envoy Scott Gration said in testimony December 3 to a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee.

23 November 2009 In Botswana, Partnerships Make Progress Against HIV/AIDS  How does Botswana, once seen as one of the most promising developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa, fight back against the ominous threat of AIDS? By establishing partnerships with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, U.S. universities and Merck Company, Botswana is providing better health care for Batswana with HIV/AIDS and is helping to reverse the “brain drain” among medical professionals in that country.

18 November 2009 White House Senior Adviser Gavin Discusses U.S.-Angolan Relations  There are new opportunities ahead in U.S.-Angolan relations. A spirit of partnership exists that is focused on the future rather than the past, and the United States wants to be a responsible partner and capitalize on opportunities that now exist to move the bilateral relationship forward, says President Obama’s senior White House adviser on African affairs, Michelle Gavin.

09 November 2009 African Migrants Invest in Their Home Countries Washington  Investment in their home countries by migrants from Africa is contributing to economic growth on the impoverished continent. This business development has caught the attention of African governments, development agencies and the world’s largest cash-transfer company, Western Union Company, which are working to facilitate such investment.

27 October 2009 U.S. Mission to African Union Shows Commitment to Africa  The United States was the first major non-African country to appoint a full-time ambassador to the African Union (AU), and that shows the importance the people of the United States attach to their partnership with the people of Africa, says the U.S. ambassador to the African Union, Michael Battle.

19 October 2009 Sudan: A Critical Moment, a Comprehensive Approach  Outlines critical lessons learned, U.S. strategic objectives and actions.

19 October 2009 Sudan Policy Aims at Ending Genocide, Implementing Peace Accord  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton unveiled a “comprehensive” U.S. policy for resolving the conflicts in Sudan, focused on ending human rights abuses and genocide in the Darfur region, fully implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and ensuring Sudan does not become a haven for violent extremists.

19 October 2009 Statement of President Barack Obama on Sudan Strategy

08 October 2009 Officials Say Somali Piracy Is Declining  In 2008, Somali pirates captured more than 100 large commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, provoking a massive international response. Today, some 40 warships patrol Somali waters. The patrols and other measures have helped decrease successful hijacking more than 90 percent. Monsoon winds also contributed to the reduction, but U.S. maritime officials warn hijackings may increase now that the regional monsoon season has ended.

09 September 2009 Envoy Gration Seeks Deal for Peace Accord in Sudan  U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan Scott Gration is in Juba, Southern Sudan, to hold talks with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement and President Omar Hassan al-Bashir’s National Congress Party on two sticking points to implementation of a broader 2005 peace accord, the State Department announced. Gration is traveling to Sudan September 9–14 and is visiting Juba, Boma, Darfur and Khartoum. His travel comes as the United States is near announcing a new policy on Sudan, and the troubled Darfur region.

02 September 2009 Reforming African Economies Continue to Reap Benefits  Although total U.S. trade with sub-Saharan Africa (exports plus imports) declined in the first four months of 2009 compared with the same period in 2008, largely as a result of the global economic crisis, many sub-Saharan African countries continue to reap benefits from changes to their economic policies, improved governance and investments in key social sectors undertaken during the past decade.

20 August 2009 Clinton Focus on Food Security in Africa Extends Worldwide  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s focus on food security and development on her recent trip to Africa extends to other parts of the world, such as Latin America and Asia, where the U.S. government continues to provide billions of dollars’ worth of assistance.

13 August 2009 Liberia Is Model for Post-Conflict Transformation, Clinton Says  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says that after emerging from a 14-year civil war, Liberia is a model to other countries that are transitioning from conflict, praising the country’s reform, reconstruction and reconciliation efforts, as well as the government’s actions against corruption.

12 August 2009 United States Pledges $17 Million to Aid Rape Survivors in DRC  The United States will provide $17 million to help survivors of rape and prevent sexual violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced during an unprecedented visit to the eastern city of Goma. Clinton, the first U.S. secretary of state to visit the war-ravaged eastern Kivu region in the DRC, met individually August 11 with two rape survivors, and then attended a roundtable discussion with medical providers, health care activists and other Congolese now living in camps after fleeing the fighting in the DRC's long-running conflict.

12 August 2009 Clinton Calls for Enhanced Political Reforms in Nigeria  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton encouraged Nigeria to implement needed democratic reforms while also reducing corruption and graft in the most populous nation in Africa. "It is critical for the people of Nigeria, first and foremost, but indeed for the United States that Nigeria succeeds in fulfilling its promise," Clinton said at an August 12 press conference in Abuja that followed a meeting with Nigerian Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe.

11 August 2009 No Excuses for Gender-Based Violence, Clinton Tells DRC  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton condemned the "terrible trend" of sexual and gender-based violence used as a tool of war, and said leaders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and other governments in the region, as well as nonstate entities, need to make a "concerted effort" to prevent and discourage sexual violence.

10 August 2009 United States, Angola Commit to HIV/AIDS Partnership  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is using her seven-nation African tour to emphasize the United States' commitment to combating HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, signing a new AIDS framework with the government of Angola and visiting HIV-positive patients at a U.S.-sponsored clinic in South Africa.

09 August 2009 Targeted U.S. Sanctions on Zimbabwe to Continue, Clinton Says  The Obama administration is continuing to target Zimbabwe's leadership with economic sanctions in an effort to influence their behavior, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says. During an August 8 visit to the Victoria Mxenge Housing Development near Cape Town, South Africa, Clinton said she and President Obama believe "the leadership under President [Robert] Mugabe has turned its back on its own people."

08 August 2009 South Africa Uniquely Positioned to Spur African Economic Growth  South Africa's financial and economic success translates into both a responsibility and an opportunity for the country to help its African neighbors achieve their own development potential, says Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Speaking in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 7 to the International Development Corporation, Clinton said "it isn’t easy to find countries with financial and economic policies that have been as sound as South Africa’s," and the country is "uniquely positioned to advance its own economic trajectory and to propel economic growth on the African continent as a whole."

08 August 2009 Clinton Celebrates Strength of Women in Africa  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, visiting South Africa as part of a seven-nation tour of Africa, used an evening in Pretoria to focus on and celebrate one of the continent’s greatest strengths: its women. Clinton was an honored guest at a gala dinner commemorating South Africa’s National Women’s Day, which is celebrated August 9. The dinner was hosted by South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, who greeted the secretary of state upon her arrival at the Pretoria presidential guest house earlier August 7.

06 August 2009 Clinton Pledges U.S. Support to Somali Transitional Government  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton pledged continued U.S. support for the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and called on Eritrea to halt interference in Somalia. Clinton appeared at a joint press conference at the U.S. Embassy following talks with Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. She said the talks with the TFG leader were "a thorough and productive discussion about the challenges facing his country and the efforts of the international community to support the Transitional Federal Government as it stands up for the people of Somalia and against the threat of violent extremism."

05 August 2009 Clinton Says United States Believes in Africa’s Promise  "We believe in Africa’s promise. We are committed to Africa’s future. We will be partners with Africa’s people," said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Addressing the opening ministerial session of the Eighth African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum, Clinton said the United States and Africa have "shared aspirations for greater economic growth and prosperity across the continent."

05 August 2009 Farming Is Africa’s Lifeline, Clinton Says  For millions of Africans, farming is a lifeline, the only source of income and food. In remarks following a tour of the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) outside Nairobi, Clinton said, "For the global community, agricultural development could help address some of the most urgent challenges we face — chronic hunger, which afflicts nearly 1 billion people worldwide, including one in three Africans, many of whom are children." At KARI, Clinton said, scientists are developing tools to boost the productivity of Africa’s farms, which is "part of a broad strategy to strengthen the entire agricultural sector — to increase incomes, to support rural communities and to drive economic growth."

05 August 2009 President Obama’s Video Message to AGOA Forum  President Obama addresses the African Growth and Opportunity Act Forum in Nairobi, Kenya

04 August 2009 Africans Must Use Trade to Fight Economic Crisis, Kenyan Says  Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, representing the host nation, officially opened the civil-society and private-sector sessions of the Eighth AGOA Forum on August 4 with the traditional Swahili welcome, "Karibu," and called for Africa to trade its way out of the global economic crisis.

04 August 2009 Civil Society, Private Sector Important to AGOA  The role of civil society groups and the private sector in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) forums and the AGOA process is more important than ever, said U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger. Addressing the combined opening session for the civil society and private sector forums at the eighth annual United States-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum, known as the AGOA Forum, Ranneberger said while both groups have always participated in AGOA meetings, "your role now is more timely and important than ever."

04 August 2009 Food Security Is Top Agenda Item on Clinton Africa Trip  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is putting a spotlight on food security and partnerships as she makes her first official visit to sub-Saharan Africa, a region that the international nongovernmental organization (NGO) World Vision says is "riddled with hunger."

04 August 2009 Company Launches Fiber-Optic Cable for Southern, Eastern Africa  Southern and Eastern Africa are better connected to the rest of the world by a new underwater fiber-optic communications cable that runs off the eastern and southern coasts of Africa. With the new cable, installed by the SEACOM company, communications costs in Africa have a better chance of falling into line with the lower prices paid in other regions of the world, said SEACOM President Brian Herlihy. He spoke at the combined opening of the civil-society and private-sector sessions of the Eighth AGOA Forum in Nairobi.

03 August 2009 Clinton Africa Trip Seen Offering Opportunities  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's August 4–14, seven-nation trip to Africa presents a good opportunity to build on development partnerships set out by President Obama during his recent visit to the continent, says former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Walter Kansteiner. Clinton's first official trip to Africa as secretary of state includes an initial stop in Kenya to attend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum followed by visits to South Africa, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Nigeria, Liberia and Cape Verde.

03 August 2009 McDermott: AGOA Forum Promotes Important Economic Interaction  An annual conference such as the Eighth AGOA Forum is important because it allows Americans and Africans to openly discuss trade issues, make improvements and address any problems in their trade relationships. McDermott, whom many often informally call "the father of AGOA," said the fact that top members of President Obama's Cabinet will be attending, such as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, sends a signal of Africa’s importance to the United States.

03 August 2009 U.S. Trade Representative on U.S.-African Growth Partnership  Commentary by U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk.

03 August 2009 Kenyan Businessman Praises Benefits from AGOA  Kenyan-born businessman Mike King'ori has seen the results of closer U.S.-Africa trade ties fostered under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and stands ready to further expand his own business and trade relationship with the United States. King'ori is director of marketing and operations and an owner of K-Net Flowers Ltd., a family business in Kenya that specializes in exporting cut flowers and foliage worldwide.

03 August 2009 Conflicts in Africa Exacerbate Gender-Based Atrocities  When Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton heads for Africa August 4, she will focus a spotlight on the widespread problem of violence against women. Clinton is visiting seven countries in Africa, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where violence against women has been horrific. Accompanying her will be Melanne Verveer, a longtime advocate of women's rights and human rights who is the first U.S. ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues.

31 July 2009 Envoy Hails Clinton's Trip to Africa, Focus on Hunger, AGOA  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's trip to Africa, where she will emphasize the need to provide lasting food security by improving the continent's agricultural sector with American help, brings a welcome message, says Sierra Leone’s ambassador to the United States, Bockari Stevens.

30 July 2009 Clinton Will Meet with Somali Leader During AGOA Forum  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton plans to meet with President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government on the sidelines at the 8th Annual AGOA Forum to show support for his efforts to restore order to the conflict-weary African nation, a senior U.S. diplomat says. Clinton will meet with Sheikh Sharif at the U.S.-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum, known more commonly as the AGOA Forum, in Nairobi, Kenya, August 4–6. The secretary is launching an 11-day, seven-nation trip to Africa to underscore the U.S. commitment to the continent.

30 July 2009 AGOA Spurs African Stock Exchanges  The historic U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has created a positive impact across sub-Saharan Africa, and one such development has been the establishment of private equity stock markets in many African countries. Robert Mathu, executive director of Rwanda's Capital Market Advisory Council, made that point in an interview with America.gov at the headquarters of the Rwanda Capital Market, which runs the country’s stock exchange.

28 July 2009 Clinton Plans Seven-Nation Africa Trip  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will begin a seven-nation trip to Africa on August 5 to highlight the U.S. commitment to sub-Saharan Africa's economic development while also emphasizing Africa as a place of opportunity, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said.

24 July 2009 Eighth AGOA Forum More Important than Ever  U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson and the Kenyan ambassador to the United States, Peter N.R.O. Ogego, formally announced July 23 that the eighth annual U.S.-Sub-Saharan African Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, August 4–6 and could not be taking place at a more opportune time because of the world economic crisis.

23 July 2009 Enhanced U.S. Market Access Critical for Africa  Enhanced market access to the United States — a key feature of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) — remains a "critical component" for Africa’s long-term economic growth and development, says longtime Africa trade facilitator and attorney Anthony Carroll.

14 July 2009 Regional Trade Hubs Help Foster U.S.-Africa Trade  The United States operates four regional trade and competiveness hubs in sub-Saharan Africa. They aim to assist, enhance and broaden the flow of trade between the United States and the region, both inside and outside the terms of the historic African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

14 July 2009 U.S.-Africa Trade Increased 28 Percent in 2008  U.S. trade with sub-Saharan Africa, exports plus imports, increased 28 percent in 2008 and U.S. imports under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) are becoming increasingly diversified, according to a just-released profile of U.S.-Africa trade trends.

01 July 2009 Citizen Involvement Essential to Ghana's Development Successes  Committed to a democratic government that involves civil society, Ghana has become "one of the better-performing developing countries in Africa," said the top U.S. aid official in the country.

30 June 2009 AGOA Forum Seeks to Expand U.S.-Africa Trade and Investment  The eighth African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum, which will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, August 4–6, is the only ministerial event held annually between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa, said the assistant secretary of state for African affairs, Ambassador Johnnie Carson, who said the Obama administration is seeking to strengthen and deepen America’s ties with the region.

30 June 2009 Peace Corps: "Born in America, but Learned to Walk in Ghana"  The Peace Corps, one of President John F. Kennedy’s enduring legacies, was launched in Ghana in 1961. Nearly a half century later, the corps is still going strong in the West African country, with volunteers involved in teaching, health and sanitation training, natural resource management and small business development.

25 June 2009 United States Seeks Expanded Economic Growth in Africa  A central objective of U.S. trade relations with sub-Saharan Africa is to create a platform for expanded African economic growth, says a senior U.S. trade official. "Sub-Saharan Africa's current share of global trade is less than 2 percent, down from 6 percent in 1980," Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Florizelle Liser testified June 24 at a congressional hearing.

25 June 2009 Guinea Worm Eradication Program Gets Results in Ghana  Guinea worm disease, which has crippled millions in Africa and Asia, is nearly vanquished in Ghana, thanks to the efforts of the Carter Center, which has been working with health workers in that country over the last 20 years.

23 June 2009 President Obama’s Visit to Ghana Will Be Historic  President Obama’s July 10–11 visit to Accra, Ghana, will be a "historic occasion," says Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson. He says it recognizes the progress Ghana has made — particularly in the area of democratization — which serves as an example to the rest of Africa.

17 June 2009 Special Envoy Gration Briefs on Recent Trip to Sudan  Provides updates on current status of Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

12 June 2009 United States Seeks to Encourage Democracy, Growth in Zimbabwe  President Obama welcomed Zimbabwe's prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, to the White House, praising the progress made "in very difficult circumstance" since he joined a unity government with political rival President Robert Mugabe.

11 June 2009 Obama's Cairo Speech Resonates with Africans, State's Carson Says  There was widespread interest across sub-Saharan Africa in President Obama's speech June 4 from Cairo to Muslims worldwide because many of the speech themes resonated directly with Africans who look forward to participating in a "new dialogue" with the United States, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson said June 5.

01 June 2009 Pirate Attacks Delay Food Sent to Africans  If pirate assaults on ships carrying emergency food donations escalate, more than 10 million people in Somalia and other countries in East and Central Africa will go hungry. Every time pirates attack these ships, as happened to the U.S.-owned and -flagged container ship Maersk Alabama on April 8 off the coast of Somalia, it raises the prospect of additional delays.

01 June 2009 The Costs of Piracy Are Passed Along  The world's largest container line says piracy is increasing its insurance costs and forcing it to pass those costs along to customers in the form of "piracy surcharges." But for cargo owners and vessel operators alike, the costs of armed, and sometimes deadly, attacks go beyond insurance to time, new expenses and business disruptions.

01 June 2009 International Community Uniting Against Pirates, Official Says  Piracy off the coast of Somalia is felt worldwide, harming trade, slowing regional development and preventing humanitarian aid from reaching the poorest nations of east Africa, according to a State Department official.

22 May 2009 High-Level Engagement with Africa Has Started  "High-level engagement has already started" between the Obama administration and Africa, said Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson Speaking at a gala reception in Washington marking the beginning of "Africa Week," Carson said: "Most of the Obama administration's Africa team is in place, and we are gearing up. We will continue to build on and strengthen the strong bipartisan consensus in Congress and among the people of America that has motivated U.S. policy towards Africa."

21 May 2009 U.S. Conducting High-Level Strategic Review of Somalia Strategy  In Somalia, the U.S. government is determined to support the policy of political reconciliation spearheaded by the beleaguered Transitional Federal Government (TFG), Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson told Congress.

14 May 2009 Independent Electoral Commissions Strengthen Democracy in Africa  Independent electoral commissions help African nations provide a level playing field during elections while building a foundation for the sustainability of democracy on the continent, democracy activists say.

13 May 2009 U.S. Africa Command Seeking Sustained Security Engagement  For African nations, the role of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) will be one of "sustained security engagement" as a more reliable partner across the continent, says Ambassador Mary Yates. Before the creation of a separate military command for Africa, the United States' military and security engagements on the continent had been episodic, said Yates said in a recent Washington Foreign Press Center briefing.

30 April 2009 Senate Committee Reviews U.S.-Africa Relationship  Piracy and maritime security, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ethiopia, corruption, and freedom of the press — all important issues in the U.S.-Africa relationship — were addressed April 29 by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs-designate Johnnie Carson before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

05 March 2009 Sudan's Bashir Should Be Held Accountable, Says Clinton  After an international court issued an arrest warrant for Sudan President Omar al-Bashir for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called for calm and reiterated America’s commitment to peace, justice and security for Africa's largest country.

05 March 2009 Obama Says Sanctions Against Zimbabwean Officials Will Continue  President Obama announced that United States sanctions against Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe and his key supporters will continue, citing an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to U.S. foreign policy.

23 February 2009 America Builds New African Partnerships to Tackle Piracy  The United States and other international partners are helping African governments confront piracy and improve maritime security on two coasts of Africa. While the waters off the coast of Somalia rank number 1 in the world for piracy and armed robbery at sea and the Gulf of Guinea on Africa’s west coast ranks closely behind in the number 2 spot, the two regions have different scenarios and different types of crime.

11 February 2009 United States Cautiously Welcomes Zimbabwean Unity Government  The Obama administration has extended its congratulations to Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai for becoming the country’s prime minister, but says it is waiting to see evidence of true power sharing and effective governance before offering additional development assistance or easing its targeted sanctions against President Robert Mugabe and his key supporters.

29 January 2009 USAID Statement on U.S. Aid for Zimbabwe Cholera Outbreak  U.S. sends $6.8 million in emergency assistance to Zimbabwe.