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.
Remarks with Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
Secretary Clinton (Aug. 13): "Today, Liberia is a model of successful transition from conflict to post-conflict, from lawlessness to democracy, from despair to hope. For the last three years, the people of this country have been working to promote reform, reconstruction, and reconciliation. Liberia has adopted sound fiscal policy and seen strong economic growth. We just had a briefing about that, and it is impressive the way that Liberia has decreased its debt, which was run up, of course, during years of conflict, and has had a high rate of GDP growth over these last years. And the government is inclusive, especially for women, which I take great pleasure in noting." Full Text
Women Are Drivers of Positive Change
Secretary Clinton (Aug. 9): "The determination and entrepreneurial spirit of the women of Victoria Mxenge underscore a basic truth: empowering women is key to global progress and prosperity. This is not just a moral imperative – it is an economic one as well. When women are accorded their rights and afforded equal opportunities in education, health care and gainful employment, they drive social and economic progress. When they are marginalised and mistreated, as is the case in too many places in Africa today, prosperity is impossible." -OP/ED -Visit to Victoria Mxenge Housing Development -8th AGOA Forum Remarks -AGOA Gala Dinner
Briefing on En Route Abuja, Nigeria
Assistant Secretary Carson (Aug. 11): "The U.S. has had a very good relationship with Nigeria over a number of years and appreciates greatly its contribution to returning stability to both Sierra Leone and Liberia. It also – its contribution in providing peacekeepers to a number of peacekeeping operations around Africa. The U.S. wants to strengthen and deepen its relationship with Nigeria." -Full Text
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Secretary Clinton's Visit to Africa
The Secretary took a seven-nation trip to Africa, beginning with the 8th U.S.-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Forum (AGOA) in Nairobi, Kenya. She continued her travel with stops in South Africa, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Liberia, and Cape Verde. She emphasized Africa as a place of opportunity, built on an ethic of responsibility. -More -Travel Diary
Refugees in Rwanda
Rwanda is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa. Over 53,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic Congo compete with native Rwandans for scarce resources, including timber for cooking fires. -Blog
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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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