Tag: American diplomacy in Africa

Africa

U.S. Launches Kefeta, a $60 Million Investment to Lift Up Ethiopia’s Youth
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The United States through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched a new investment of $60 million (3.1 billion Birr) to lift up millions of vulnerable youth across Ethiopia. Over the next five years, the new USAID Kefeta activity—which means ‘to elevate’ in Amharic—will help youth in 18 cities find meaningful jobs and expand their voice in Ethiopia’s civil discourse. This activity will also ensure that youth have better access to essential services—such as banking, family planning, and healthcare.

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Uncategorized

US removes reciprocity visa fees for Nigerians
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By Punch Newspapers

The United States has removed all visa reciprocity fees for Nigerians seeking visas to the US with effect from December 3, the Federal Government has said.

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Diplomacy

Nureldin Satti | Sudan’s New Ambassador Predicts Improved Relations With US
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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.

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Policy

US/Africa policy must have voices of ordinary people from across the continent
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By Naunihal Singh | Africa Report

Regardless of who wins the US elections in November, analysts have argued that a process of updating and revitalising US policy towards Africa is overdue. New data from Afrobarometer’s latest round of public attitude surveys conducted across 18 African countries during 2019/2020 provide several guideposts for US policy makers.

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Opinion

The US election in November will be consequential for Africans
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For democrats in Africa, the next three months will be pivotal in deciding whether the US will be a foe or an ally.

by Patrick Gathara | Al Jazeera

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Diplomacy

US Announces Visa Restrictions on Sudanese Entities
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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.

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Diplomacy

MARKS NAMED US AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH AFRICA
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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.

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Uncategorized

Northern New York native describes his work as U.S. ambassador to Rwanda
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By SUSAN MENDE

A Canton native now serving as the U.S. ambassador to Rwanda described Monday how the small African country has rebounded since a 1994 genocide, during which nearly a million residents were murdered.

Peter H. Vrooman, 53, was joined by his mother Sally Vrooman, Canton, during the luncheon meeting of the Canton Rotary Club at the Best Western University Inn.

“I try to encourage people to visit Rwanda. It’s a very safe country,” Mr. Vrooman said. “It’s a place you can get to; it’s fairly well-served and connected with airports. It’s just a long way to go.”

Read more from source

Diplomacy

Ivanka Trump concludes visit to Ethiopia
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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.

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African Politics, Diplomacy

US Embassy in Nigeria gives verdict on 2019 elections
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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.

Read more from source

Diplomacy

Donald Trump earmarks $60 billion for Africa’s development
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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.

Read the full speech here

Diplomacy

Pompeo salutes Tunisians on National Day
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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.

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Uncategorized

U.S. congress delegation visits Sudan as demonstration against Bashir increases
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A U.S. congress delegation is visiting Sudan to meet with government officials and opposition leaders, ahead of the start of a second phase of dialogue between the two countries.

Sudanese lawmaker Mutwakil Ahmed said in a statement the U.S. delegation, led by Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis, a Republican from Florida, met with Salah Gosh, the head of Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services and other officials on Saturday.

A report by the state-run SUNA news service said Gosh told the delegation about “the positive results of the President Al-Bashir recent decisions to maintain the country’s national security and cohesion.”

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Diplomacy, News

US insists relations with South Africa can survive differences
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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.

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Diplomacy

New US envoy seeks empoyerment of Kenyan youth
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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.

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Diplomacy, News

US Ambassador to Ghana Opens Shea Butter Processing Facility for Women
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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.

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Uncategorized

US Urges better business environment in Africa to attract investors
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The United States has urged African governments to improve their business environments to better attract major American investment. The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Tibor Nagy, made the comments during a four-nation tour of Africa.

The U.S. diplomat says many American businesses want to invest in Africa. But, Tibor Nagy says they first need to first see a more positive investment environment.

“Which means, minimum levels of corruption, fair treatment, honoring contract and quite frankly a good governance environment because that’s what American businesses want,” Nagy said.
Nagy made the comments after meeting Friday with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on the first leg of his four-nation African tour.

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Diplomacy, Policy

A New Africa Strategy: Expanding Economic and Security Ties on the Basis of Mutual Respect
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The Trump Administration’s new Africa Strategy is based on three tenets.

The first is advancing U.S. trade and commercial ties with nations across the region to the benefit of both the United States and Africa.

The second is countering the threat from radical Islamic terrorism and violent conflict. ISIS, al-Qaeda, and their affiliates all operate and recruit on the African continent, plotting attacks against American citizens and targets.

Third, the U.S. will ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars for aid are used efficiently and effectively. The United States will no longer provide indiscriminate assistance across the entire continent without focus or prioritization.

This was revealed by in a new report by Heritage Foundation after a session with John R. Bolton, the U.S. National Security Advisor at a session at the Heritage Foundation in Washington DC.

Read more about the session and the report

Policy

TRUMP MAY BE ABOUT TO UNDERMINE OBAMA’S AFRICA POLICY |
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An opinion piece by Herman J. Cohen former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (1989-1993), U.S. ambassador to Senegal and The Gambia (1977-1980), a National Security Council member (1987-1989) and a 38-year veteran of the Foreign Service.

President Trump likes to overturn his predecessor’s initiatives, but so far the US-Africa relationship has been defined by policy continuity—a rare bipartisan bright spot among domestic and foreign turmoil. Yet there are clouds on the horizon. Public statements by senior American officials, including President Trump himself, foreshadow potentially troubling moves which threaten to undermine decades of mutually beneficial relations.

The first half of President Trump’s term has been good news for Africa. His first Senate-confirmed Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Tibor Nagy, is an expert diplomat and the right man for the job. Work continues apace at President Obama’s two signature programs, Power Africa and Feed the Future; at George W. Bush’s Millennium Challenge Corporation, and at PEPFAR, the hugely successful U.S. initiative to fight HIV/AIDS. Every year, more African nations are taking advantage of unilateral free-trade privileges under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

The military’s U.S. Africa Command continues to provide assistance and advisors to nations fighting Islamist terrorism and other threats to regional stability. These programs are working. But there are a few indications that the Trump administration could pull the rug out from underneath.
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