By Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has awarded a top U.S. honour to King Mohammed VI of Morocco, citing his decision to begin normalization of relations with Israel. The Legion of Merit is a rarely awarded decoration that can only be bestowed by the president, and typically on heads of state or government of other countries.
Continue reading “Trump gives award to Morocco’s king in private ceremony”
By John Campbell | Quartz Africa
These are excerpts from the book “Nigeria and the Nation-State: Rethinking diplomacy with the postcolonial world“, by John Campbell, former US ambassador to Nigeria (2004-2007).
A purpose of this book is to warn Americans and their partners against making the same conceptual mistakes in Africa that they did during wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Vietnam. Africa is complex and its politics are highly local. It does not lend itself to the good-versus-evil analysis that distorted policy in those three wars.
Continue reading “The US needs to update its Nigeria engagement says ex-ambassador, John Campbell”
By John Tanza | Voice of America
The new Sudanese top diplomat in Washington said his country is committed to correcting the mistakes of former rulers of Sudan.
“This [Sudanese] revolution, you know, has come because of certain errors being committed in the past and because the people, the overwhelming majority of the Sudanese people, have realized that the ways of the Islamists were not in the interest of the country,” said Ambassador Nureldin Satti.
Continue reading “Nureldin Satti | Sudan’s New Ambassador Predicts Improved Relations With US”
By Uta Steinwehr | DW
Washington plans to lift sanctions on Sudan in return for compensation for terror victims, making the African country a pawn in the US election campaign. Experts say this approach to sanctions in Africa needs to change.
Continue reading “US sanctions on Africa need overhaul: experts”
By Adesina Wahab | Vanguard
The Nigerian and Canadian Business Network, NCBN, and the cream of diplomatic corps in Canada have poured encomiums on the former Director-General of the Pan Africa relationship at Global Affairs, Ambassador Paula Caldwell St Onge, as she retired from office.
Continue reading “Paula Caldwell St Onge | accolades pour for retiring Director-General of Canada-Africa Affairs”
BY ROBBIE GRAMER | Foreign Policy
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has approved a plan to halt U.S. foreign assistance to Ethiopia as the Trump administration attempts to mediate a dispute with Egypt and Sudan over the East African country’s construction of a massive dam on the Nile River.
Continue reading “U.S. Halts Some Foreign Assistance Funding to Ethiopia Over Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Dispute with Egypt, Sudan”
By Nabeel Biajo | | Voice of America
WASHINGTON – The United States government announced this week it will begin visa restrictions on people believed to be undermining Sudan’s civilian-led government. The order will affect former officials of ousted President Omar Al Bashir’s administration and others, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.
Continue reading “US Announces Visa Restrictions on Sudanese Entities”
By Natalie Liu | Voice of America
The prospects for improved relations between the United States and Sudan took a major step forward with this week’s announcement that the transitional government in Khartoum has named veteran diplomat Noureldin Sati to serve as its ambassador in Washington. The appointment, which reportedly has been approved by the United States, ends more than 20 years of top-level diplomatic estrangement between the two countries.
Continue reading “Sudan appoints its first US ambassador in Over 20 Years”
By Patrick Burgess
Controversial former Bermuda resident Lana Marks has been confirmed as the American ambassador to South Africa by the US Senate almost a year after President Donald Trump appointed her to the post.
Continue reading “MARKS NAMED US AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH AFRICA”
Vice President Mike Pence has described his Nigerian counterpart Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as his ‘friend’ after the pair met at the White House on Wednesday. Prof. Osinbajo who was in the United States on a four-day working visit had a closed door meeting with Mr. Pence.
The nations of Niger and Tunisia were elected to two-year terms on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Friday. They join the 10-nation roster of nonpermanent members to the council, along with incoming nations Estonia, Vietnam and – in a first for the smallest country to ever hold a seat – St. Vincent and the Grenadines representing the Caribbean.
Continue reading “Niger, Tunisia elected to UN Security Council seats”
By Magdalene Teiko Larnyoh
Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Dr Barfuor Adjei-Barwuah, says the government is making some progress in its quest to reverse visa restrictions imposed on the country by the United States government.
Continue reading “Ghanaian government is making headway in efforts to reverse US visa restrictions”
By Abdur Rahman Alfa Shaban
Senior White House advisor and daughter of United States president, Ivanka Trump, concluded her visit to Ethiopia describing the two-day experience as an “incredible trip.” She arrived in the country on Sunday hailing Addis Ababa as the “diplomatic capital of Africa and the continent’s highest city.”
The period of her stay has been packed since arrival through to departure.
In between the period, she savored the acclaimed Ethiopian coffee, signed deals aimed at women empowerment – the reason she embarked on the trip, paid tribute to victims of Boeing 737 MAX accident and met Lucy.
Continue reading “Ivanka Trump concludes visit to Ethiopia”
Somalia’s Prime Minister Hassan Khayre met with President Donald Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton at the White House on Wednesday. Khayre is seen as a key ally in the fight against the al Qaeda affiliated Al-Shabaab
“Pleased to have hosted Somali PM Khayre today. I congratulated him on Somalia’s economic reforms and urged sustained engagement on this front. We discussed ways to deepen the strong US-Somalia partnership on critical issues, including counterterrorism and regional stability,” Bolton wrote on Twitter Wednesday following their meeting.
Continue reading “Somalia’s Prime Minister, Hassan Khayre, Visits White House”
Secretary Michael R. Pompeo met recently with Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi in Washington, D.C.
They discussed the future of U.S.-DRC relations following the country’s historic transfer of power earlier this year and expressed their common interest in partnering to deliver a better and more prosperous future for the Congolese people.
China president Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, which has spread throughout the world including the African continent challenging the U.S.’s economic dominance, is proof enough of China’s ambitions.
But last week even in Atlanta there were intimations that a more dynamic role for the U.S. would be welcome in Africa if it upped its commitment.
The US Embassy in Nigeria has expressed disappointment in the quality of the 2019 elections in Nigeria.
The US Embassy said in a statement on Thursday that low turnout of voters, voter intimidation, interference by security forces, vote buying and violence reportedly marred the conduct of the elections in some locations.
The US government has earmarked $60 to fund private sector US investments in Africa through a new Presidential Initiative, called “Prosper Africa,” to support U.S. investment across the continent, improve the business climate, and accelerate the growth of Africa’s middle class.
In support of Prosper Africa, President Donald Trump signed into law the BUILD Act, establishing the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, or IDFC.
US Deputy Secretary of State,
John J. Sullivan, disclosed these facts at an investment luncheon in Luanda, Angola as part of his tour of Africa.
By Natalie Liu
Diplomacy always involves delicate balancing acts, but seldom more so than for Algeria’s ambassador to the United States, Madjid Bouguerra.
As ever-larger crowds march through the streets of his homeland demanding an end to the rule of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the veteran diplomat — who has served in Washington since 2015 — finds himself trying to reconcile his role as the president’s envoy with his feelings as a self-declared Algerian patriot.
“I am ambassador of Algeria in the U.S. But most importantly, I am an Algerian citizen and certainly part and parcel of my people. And I wish as an Algerian to see my country succeeding in this transition,” Bouguerra told VOA in an interview, adding that his diplomatic duty dictates that he explain the happenings back home to the host country.
Continue reading “Algerian Envoy Seeks to Explain Unrest at Home to US Authorities”
US Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, has sent the regard of the United States Government to the people of Tunisia on the occasion of their 63rd independence anniversary.
He commended the Tunisian people for their dedication to peaceful dialogue, consensus building, and reform through democratic means.
Pompeo pledged that the United States will continue to support Tunisia’s efforts to strengthen its security and develop its economy.
The top U.S. commander in Africa met with African leaders in Washington D.C. recently to discuss U.S. Africa Command’s role in the new National Defense Strategy and the value of partner capacity.
Marine Corps Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser engaged with 21 defense attachés and the African Union Ambassador to the U.S. in a wide-ranging discussion at the Africa House, addressing various strategies and common challenges on the continent, Africa Command said.
Continue reading “AFRICOM Commander engages with African leaders in Washington”
The complexity of the South African land reform process, including the continuing national dialogue about expropriation, has not travelled well across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States and there is some “misinformation” about what it actually entails.
This is according to John Sullivan, the US deputy secretary of state, who visited the country last week to strengthen bilateral relations with South Africa.
He met representatives from a range of local and US businesses, students that are part of American scholarship programmes, and senior officials from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation during his three-day official visit.
Continue reading “Lots of ‘misinformation’ in US about ‘complex land issue’ in SA”
By Peter Fabricius
Washington says major disagreements between the United States and South Africa on issues such as Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Iran, land reform and trade tariffs will not diminish America’s commitment to helping this country.
US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan said, as he ended a trip to South Africa last week, that relations between the two countries were strong enough to overcome these differences.
And indeed it seems that relations will need to be strong as more differences could be looming, on possible increases in US import tariffs on South African vehicles and over Washington’s request to Pretoria to extradite the former Mozambican finance minister Manuel Chang.
Continue reading “US insists relations with South Africa can survive differences”
By Okilipa Saviour
The new United States of America (USA) Ambassador to Kenya Kyle McCarter has taken sides with Kenyan youth after he remarked that their is need to support them through empowerment programs.
In a post on his official Twitter account, the US envoy who replaced Robert Godec, said empowering the youths will assure the country to its security as they form a critical part of the country’s economy and peace.
“We must empower youth with opportunity to address the security of the nation and ensure a bright future for a prosperous Kenya..,” tweeted McCarter.
Continue reading “New US envoy seeks empoyerment of Kenyan youth”
The United States Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie S. Sullivan, Thursday, inaugurated a shea butter processing facility that would better the economic opportunities for some 600 women who collect and process shea nuts.
The United States Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), supported the construction of the facility and warehouse located in Gizaa-Gunda, in the Northern Region.
Shea is a primary source of livelihood for women in northern Ghana, and is one of the few agricultural crops where women control the revenue.
Continue reading “US Ambassador to Ghana Opens Shea Butter Processing Facility for Women”
Ethiopia is keen on replicating its strong diplomatic and people-to-people ties with the US in the trade and investment frontiers, Ethiopian Ambassador to the US, Fitsum Arega said.
In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald, the ambassador stated that it is the interest of Ethiopia to expand the age-long diplomatic ties as it is a major component in the relationship with the US. Extensive works are underway to forge economic partnership.
He noted that Ethiopia’s diplomatic missions in the US are striving to attract American companies and plan was set to hold discussions with potential stakeholders to scale up the economic cooperation.
Continue reading “Ethiopia keen on boosting economic ties with US: Ambassador Fitsum”
