Some good reading in here if you want to catch up on the last month in Africa.
Africa: Issue 25 - July 26, 2011
* Crisis in the Horn of Africa
* Meeting of Fourth Libya Contact Group in Turkey
* South Sudan – A Beginning
Humanitarian Crisis in the Horn of Africa
US Response to Crisis in the Horn of Africa
Date: 07/25/2011 Location: Mogadishu, Somalia Description: Mothers from southern Somalia hold their malnourished children at Banadir hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia. Some thousands of people have arrived in Mogadishu seeking aid, and The World Food Program executive director Josette Sheeran said Saturday they can't reach the estimated 2.2 million Somalis in desperate need of aid who are in militant-controlled areas of Somalia. http://www.state.gov/img/11/44931/somalia_east_african_famine_250_1.jpg
Across the eastern Horn of Africa, more than 11 million people are now in need of emergency assistance to survive. Secretary Clinton expressed her concern for the humanitarian emergency after the announcement by the United Nations stating a famine is underway in parts of Somalia. In a statement she said, “The United States -- in close coordination with the international community -- is working to assist more than 11 million people in Djibouti, Ethiopia, KeSouth Sudan – A B eginning Open Government Partnership Smart T raveler iTunes App Keeps Citizens Updated nya, and Somalia, who are in dire need of assistance. To anticipate growing needs, the United States government has worked with our partners over the last year to pre-position food in the region, increase funding for early warning systems, and strengthen nonfood assistance in the feeding, health, water and sanitation sectors. In addition to emergency assistance, this administration’s Feed the Future program is working to break the cycle of hunger once and for all by addressing the root causes of hunger and food insecurity through innovative agricultural advances.”
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson addressed the crisis situation during a special press briefing and explained, “We have seen the recent reports that Al-Shabaab claims that it will finally allow international humanitarian aid into areas under its control. We are consulting with international organizations that have worked in these areas to verify if there has been any real change in Al-Shabaab’s policies that would allow us and others to operate freely and without taxation imposed for humanitarian deliveries. Al-Shabaab’s current policies are wreaking havoc and are not helping Somalis living in the south central part of that country. ” Information on the Crisis in the Horn of Africa» http://www.state.gov/p/af/rt/hornofafrica/index.htm
How You Can Help»
Meeting of Fourth Libya Contact Group in Turkey
Date: 07/15/2011 Location: Istanbul, Turkey Description: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attends the fourth Libya Contact Group Meeting in Istanbul. http://www.state.gov/img/11/44935/turkey_libya_diplomacy_250_1.jpg
ISTANBUL, Turkey, July 15 – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton began her recent travel schedule with her participation in the fourth Libya Contact Group meeting in Turkey. “We heard from the Transitional National Council (TNC) about its plans for setting Libya on a path toward security and progress in the post-Qadhafi era,” Secretary Clinton told reporters at a news conference. “The assurances the TNC offered today reinforce our confidence that it is the appropriate interlocutor for the United States in dealing with Libya’s present and addressing Libya’s future. That is why I announced earlier that until an interim authority is in place, the United States will recognize the TNC as the legitimate governing authority for Libya.”
Additionally in Istanbul, Secretary Clinton also joined in a meeting for the Organization of the Islamic Conference
(OIS) to advance the goal of promoting religious tolerance and freedom of expression across the globe. “No country, including my own, has a monopoly on truth or a secret formula for ethnic and religious harmony. This takes hard work and persistence and patience,” Secretary Clinton affirmed. “But wherever we come from and however we worship, all of us can do more in our own lives, in our positions of leadership, and in our communities, to bridge the divides that separate us.”
Secretary Clinton ended her trip to Istanbul by meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on July 16, 2011. Talks centered on ways to strengthen the U.S.-Turkey alliance. “Our partnership is rooted in a long history and a very long list of mutual interests, but most importantly it is rooted in our common democratic values,” Secretary Clinton remarked. “It is through the lens of this shared democratic tradition that the United States welcomes Turkey’s rise as an economic power, as a leader in the region and beyond, and as a valued ally on the most pressing global challenges.”
Libya Contact Group Full Remarks»
OIS Full Remarks» http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2011/07/168636.htm
Secretary Clinton/Foreign Minister Davutoglu Full Remark» http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2011/07/168665.htm
South Sudan – A Beginning
WASHINGTON, DC, July 14, 2011 — Five days after the July 9 South Sudan Independence celebration, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson addressed the U.S. Institute of Peace. “South Sudan has achieved its independence, but it has not secured its future. First and foremost, Sudan and South Sudan must resolve outstanding issues between them,” he explained. “The recent fighting in Abyei and in the border state of Southern Kordofan has added additional complexities to the unresolved issues…Both the parties must return to the negotiating table. They must work to resolve these issues in the shortest possible timeframe. Allowing these issues to linger without resolution for too long could destabilize the future relationship between Sudan and South Sudan and lead to tensions and potentially renewed conflict.”
US Institute of Peace Speech»
Explanation of Vote To End Peacekeeping Mission in Sudan» http://www.state.gov/p/io/rm/2011/168040.htm
Newest UN Member Blog» http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/site/entry/ambassador_rice_south_sudan_newest_un_member
Amb. Rice Remarks at UN»
No comments:
Post a Comment