Bureau of African Affairs
Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson leads the Bureau of African Affairs, the division of the Department of State that advises the Secretary about sub-Saharan Africa. The Bureau's priority is conflict resolution With U.S. support, since 2002 violent conflicts have ended in Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the North-South element of the Sudan crisis.
The U.S. has provided much of the humanitarian assistance and logistical support and training for African peacekeepers in Darfur and Somalia. At the same time, the U.S. has led by example to confront Africa's worst diseases. The U.S. Government’s fight against AIDS (PEPFAR) is the largest foreign assistance program since the Marshall Plan. The U.S. Government is also confronting malaria and a host of other tropical diseases. In the long term, Africans have established priorities to consolidate democratic gains and sustain broad-based economic growth.
Assistant Secretary Carson Testifies on Drug Trafficking in West Africa(Jun. 23): "In some countries, we can rely on local cooperation to prosecute and expel foreign traffickers, especially if such action displaces outsiders from the trade. However, such cooperation is compromised when the foreign traffickers are able to cultivate complex, symbiotic networks with the local elite." Opening Remarks
Remarks At the Forum for Support of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)Special Envoy Gration (June 23): "Although much progress has been made in the past four and a half years, there’s still much that remains to be done. There’s still many things that remain unfulfilled and unimplemented, and that’s what we’re here to do today. With less than 19 months to go, our work is cut out for us and we have to set a foundation for Sudan for peace, security, and prosperity. But we cannot do it alone." Full Text | Deputy Secretary Steinberg Forum Remarks | (Jun. 24): Forum Follow-Up Panel Discussion | Special Briefing (Jun. 17) Full Text
World Refugee Day 2009Secretary Clinton (June 20): "In the coming months, we will continue our efforts to end urgent refugee crises, such as those in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Chad, the Central African Republic, and Darfur. We are encouraged by the progress being made to resolve long-standing refugee situations in Liberia, South Sudan, Burundi and Bhutan." Full Text
Trafficking in Persons Report, 2009(Jun. 16): "The ninth annual Trafficking in Persons Report sheds light on the faces of modern-day slavery and on new facets of this global problem. The human trafficking phenomenon affects virtually every country, including the United States. In acknowledging America’s own struggle with modern-day slavery and slavery-related practices, we offer partnership. We call on every government to join us in working to build consensus and leverage resources to eliminate all forms of human trafficking." --Secretary Clinton, Full Report | Secretary Remarks
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Djibouti Independence Day
Secretary Clinton (Jun. 27): "On behalf of the United States and the American people, I would like to extend my warm congratulations to the people of Djibouti as they celebrate their thirty-second anniversary of independence." Full Text
Background Briefing on U.S. Assistance to the Somalia Transitional Federal Government
(Jun. 26): A briefing was held by a senior Departent official on U.S. assistance to Somalia. Full Text
Taken Question: Assistant Secretary Carson's Travel
(Jun. 26): Question: Is Assistant Secretary Carson planning to travel to Eritrea in the future? Full Text
Sudan: Convictions for the Deaths of John Granville and Abdelrahman Abbas Rahama
(Jun. 24): "I believe the guilty verdicts handed down today are an important step in bringing justice for John Granville and Abdelrahman Abbas Rahama, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) employees murdered in Sudan in 2008." Full Text
Sudan: U.S. Institutue of Peace Event
(Jun. 24): U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration will participate in a public panel discussion to share outcomes of the June 23 Forum for the Supporters of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. The panel discussion will take place today, June 24, at 3:00 p.m. Notice to the Press
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Watch the Daily Press Briefing and read other releases on Africa.
2008 Human Rights Report
(Feb. 25): The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2008 has been released. Full Report | AFRICA Only
Trafficking in Persons: Interim Assessments
The most recent report has been released on June 16, 2009. 2009 Report | Secretary Remarks
Country Reports on Terrorism, 2007
Annual update of this Congressionally mandated report. Africa Overview | Full Report
International Religious Freedom Report, 2007
Advancing Freedom and Democracy Reports, May 2008 | AFRICA ONLY
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