WASHINGTON, USA
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has embarked on a six-nation African tour, the State Department announced on Monday. In the trip from July 31 to Aug. 10, the top U.S. envoy will reiterate America’s commitments to strengthening democracy, spurring economic growth, advancing peace and security as well as promoting opportunity and development for all African citizens, the department said.
In July, the White House also set these commitments as four strategic objectives to help sub-Saharan regions. In her first stop in Senegal, Clinton will meet with President Macky Sall and other political leaders, and deliver a speech “applauding the resilience of Senegal’s democratic institutions” and highlighting bilateral partnership, the State Department said.
During her stay in South Sudan, a nation newly founded last year, the secretary will meet with President Salva Kiir Mayardit, reaffirm the U.S. support for the country, and encourage its negotiations with Sudan on issues like security, oil and citizenship.
In Uganda, Clinton is scheduled to meet with President Yoweri Museveni to “encourage strengthening of democratic institutions and human rights,” and to reaffirm the country as a U.S. key partner in promoting regional security and countering the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel group branded by Washington as a terrorist organization. Clinton will also highlight the U.S. support for the fight against HIV/AIDS while in Uganda.
In Kenya, the U.S Secretary of State plans to meet President Mwai Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and other government officials to emphasise her endorsement for transparent, credible and non-violent national elections in 2013, the State Department said. Clinton will meet with signatories to the Roadmap to End the Transition to underscore the U.S. support for the political transition in Somalia.Under the roadmap, Somalia should end the transitional period by Aug. 20 and hold national elections this year.
In her visit to Malawi, Clinton is scehduled to meet with President Joyce Banda and talk about economic cooperation and political reform in the country.In South Africa, she will visit former president Nelson Mandela, who celebrated his 94th birthday a few days ago, and participate in the U.S.- South Africa Strategic Dialogue with a focus on the bilateral partnership and issues of mutual concern and shared challenges in Africa and in the world.
A U.S. business delegation will accompany Clinton, who has set foot on the African continent for several times since taking office in January 2009, according to the State Department. (Xinhua)
