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 Counterterrorism in Africa
(Nov. 17): "This hearing is very timely. While the security challenges in the Sahel are not new, several attacks in recent months against African and western targets have drawn additional focus to the situation. Key countries in the area, including Algeria, Mali and Mauritania, have intensified efforts to coordinate their activities against AQIM and address the region’s short, medium, and long-term vulnerabilities. At the same time, we have consulted with African and European partners to identify areas where we can more effectively support regional efforts to improve the security environment in the Sahel over the long-term." Full Text
Special Envoy Gration Takes Questions on Sudan(Nov. 10): Special Envoy to Sudan Gration and National Security Council Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs Power discussed current Sudan policy during a live webcast. Watch on YouTube | Full Text | Blog Entry
New Sudan Strategy
The United States’ new strategy focuses on reinvigorating the international support that is critical to building peace and security in Sudan. The strategy is the first comprehensive U.S. policy on Sudan that recognizes the links between the Darfur and implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. -Strategy-Sudan: A Critical Moment, A Comprehensive Approach
-Remarks on Strategy
-Statement by President Obama
-Background Briefing
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U.S. and Angola Hold Strategic Partnership Dialogue Meetings
(Nov. 16): The United States and Angola launched meetings under a new Strategic Partnership Dialogue (SPD) framework on Monday, November 16 at the Department of State in Washington, D.C. Full Text
Special Envoy Gration Travels to Sudan
(Nov. 16): U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration will travel to Sudan from November 16, 2009 to November 23, 2009, where he will visit Khartoum, Abyei (South Sudan), and Jebel Marra (Darfur). Media Note
The United States Welcomes the United Nations’ Creation of Mandela Day
(Nov. 12): The United States joined 192 other United Nations member states this week in enthusiastically supporting by consensus the creation of Mandela International Day, every July 18 starting in 2010. Media Note
Greek Shipowners Discuss Piracy off the Coast of Somalia at U.S. Department of State
(Nov. 12): As the United States and Greece both participate in the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (www.state.gov/t/pm/ppa/piracy/contactgroup/index.htm), officials also discussed the new international trust fund that has been agreed to by the Contact Group. Media Note
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Watch the Daily Press Briefing and read other releases on Africa.
2008 Human Rights Report
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
Advancing Freedom and Democracy Reports, May 2008 | AFRICA ONLY
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