Senator Coons’ resolution condemning crimes of Joseph Kony passed by Senate

On Thursday, the full Senate unanimously adopted a resolution sponsored by Senator Coons, the chair of the Subcommittee on African Affairs, condemning the crimes against humanity committed by Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army.

“Joseph Kony and the LRA have terrorized Uganda and its neighbors in central Africa for more than two decades,” Chris said. “I applaud my colleagues for unanimously passing this bipartisan resolution condemning the crimes committed by the LRA and supporting ongoing regional efforts to bring Kony and top LRA commanders to justice once and for all.”

Chris’ resolution, Senate Resolution 402, supports the ongoing international efforts to remove Kony from the battlefield and calls for the U.S. to continue to enhance its mobility, intelligence and logistical support of regional forces protecting civilians and pursuing the LRA.

This bipartisan resolution, which Chris sponsored with Sen.  Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), was co-sponsored by 45 members of the Senate – nearly half the body. Following introduction, hundreds of Americans signed on as “citizen cosponsors” to show their support for efforts to stop Joseph Kony.

In April of this year, Chris chaired an African Affairs Subcommittee hearing on U.S. policy to counter the LRA. In June, he personally visited Uganda, where he thanked President Museveni for the efforts of the Ugandan military to root out the LRA and for the strong partnership between the U.S. and the Ugandan people. He also visited the northern Uganda community of Gulu, where the United States is supporting efforts to rebuild communities affected by the LRA. 

Senator Coons chairs hearing on Joseph Kony

This morning, Senator Coons, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, held a hearing examining U.S. policy to counter the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and its leader, Joseph Kony.

In his opening statement, Chris declared “Joseph Kony epitomizes the worst of mankind and evil in the modern day.”   He showed this chart, demonstrating that in the past four months alone, the LRA has committed 132 attacks despite increased U.S. and regional efforts to kill or capture Kony and his top lieutenants.

Witnesses at today’s hearing included Principal Deputy Secretary of State for African Affairs Donald Yamamoto, Assistant Administrator for Africa at USAID Earl Gast and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs Amanda Dory.

On a second panel of witnesses, two former LRA abductees, Jolly Okot and Jacob Acaye, shared their stories. Chris personally thanked them for attending, noting they both “endured horrific experiences in Uganda, and survived to courageously tell their story.”

The hearing stressed the broad bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate for stopping Kony, and for the recent deployment of 100 U.S. military advisors, which just yesterday, President Obama announced would continue to train regional militaries. 

Chris also took time to show a video he made to respond to the millions of Americans – especially young people – who recently became involved in this issue due to the effective advocacy of NGOs such as Resolve, Invisible Children, and the Enough Project. He is also sponsoring a resolution, with 40 other bipartisan members of the Senate, condemning the LRA and supporting continued U.S. efforts to strengthen the capabilities of regional militaries, increase civilian protection, and provide assistance to populations affected by the LRA. Join Chris as a citizen cosponsor of his resolution here.

Senator Coons leads hearing on entrenched African leaders

As Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, Senator Coons today convened a hearing to examine U.S. policy in response to entrenched African leaders.

In his opening statement, Chris said that African leaders who stay in power for decades, some by manipulating their country’s constitution or governing institutions “challenge U.S. values and objectives, including the promotion of democracy, transparency, and rule of law.  It contributes to corruption, economic stagnation, a lack of accountability, and an inability of the government to effectively represent and respond to the needs of the people.  It threatens to hamper the vast potential of sub-Saharan Africa, and must therefore be addressed and ultimately, reversed.”      

The hearing featured testimony from Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson, USAID Assistant Administrator for Africa Earl Gast and the National Democratic Institute’s Regional Director for Central and West Africa Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh.

In addition, the committee heard testimony from Dr. Mo Ibrahim, an advocate for responsible governance in Africa whose foundation awards an annual cash prize of $5 million to democratically elected African leaders who demonstrate excellence in office and peacefully step down from power. Chris had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Ibrahim prior to the hearing.

Senator Coons meets with young Delawareans about Joseph Kony, LRA

WILMINGTON — Senator Coons met today in his office with a dozen students from several local high schools and the University of Delaware, as well as young advocates from The Resolve and Invisible Children. The group was eager to discuss the pursuit of Joseph Kony and the Lord's Resistance Army, who have terrorized Uganda and much of Central Africa for more than 25 years.

“The attention Kony and the LRA have received in Delaware schools these last few weeks thanks to the work of groups like Resolve, Enough, and Invisible Children, has shown just how important the issue is, especially to our young people,” Senator Coons said. “It’s important they know that the Senate has been working on this issue and strongly backs the U.S. mission in central Africa in support of Kony’s capture. I hope parents and teachers in Delaware who want to learn more about this so that they can engage with their kids will reach out to me or to my office to learn more.”

To aid in that effort, last week Senator Coons sent a letter, video, and four-page information kit to educators throughout the state. Those resources can be found online here.

“Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army have burned a path of destruction through Uganda and its neighbors in central Africa for the last 25 years,” Senator Coons said. “Joseph Kony represents the worst of mankind, and he and his commanders must be held accountable for their war crimes.”

Senator Coons is chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs.

Honoring International Women’s Day

Since the United Nations General Assembly first invited member states to proclaim March 8 as International Women’s Day in 1977, many countries pause to mark the innumerable contributions women have made in their country and around the world. The UN theme for International Women’s Day 2012 is Empower Women – End Hunger and Poverty.

As chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, Senator Coons knows that in order to increase the quality of life for Africans, women must have a seat at the table and play an integral role in national decisions. This can only occur when countries invest in educating girls and boys equally and provide access to primary health care services.

The scourge of malaria impacts all kinds of people, but the majority of those killed are pregnant women and children under five years old.  Senator Coons is a co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Working Group on Malaria to raise Congressional awareness of U.S. efforts to stem the tide of malaria across the globe. Malaria, an infectious blood disease spread by mosquitoes, is most prevalent in the developing world, with 90 percent of deaths occurring in Africa. In June, the Senate unanimously adopted a resolution sponsored by Chris that supports the goals and ideals of World Malaria Day, and affirmed support for U.S. leadership to combat malaria as a critical component of the President’s Global Health Initiative.

Women play a critical role in agriculture, which forms the foundation of the economy for the rural poor. Worldwide roughly 1.6 billion women rely on farming for their livelihoods, and female farmers produce more than half of the world’s food. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, women account for 75 percent of all the agricultural producers. Due to the lack of information technology and the inability to connect rural enterprises to banks, many women in developing nations face greater obstacles than men when it comes to increasing their productivity and income.

One way women are working together to improve their communities and income is through cooperatives (co-ops) a type of business characterized by democratic ownership where farmers pool their resources for mutual economic benefit. In the war-torn country of Côte d’Ivoire, Marium Gnire partnered with Slow Foods International to organize a women’s farming co-op that would provide quality local food for school meals in her village of N’Ganon, increasing both the women’s income and the health of the community. Co-ops have been immensely successful in improving the lives of women and their families.

International Women’s Day is a time for reflection on the role women have played and continue to play in the betterment of our society and our world.

Click here to learn more about International Women’s Day.

Click here to learn more about Chris’ work on foreign policy. 

Video: Senator Coons questions Secretary Clinton on Africa at a SFRC hearing

U.S. Senator Coons (D-Del.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, attended a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on foreign affairs priorities in the FY2013 budget. During the hearing, Senator Coons questioned Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who was testifying.

Click here to learn more about Chris’ work on foreign relations.  

What We’re Reading: LGBT persecution in Africa

From Agence France Presse: Writing on Sunday, AFP shines a spotlight on the discrimination and violence members of the LGBT community face in certain African countries. As a strong advocate of equality and chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, Senator Coons believes LGBT rights are human rights. He has repeatedly called on African leaders to abandon efforts to criminalize homosexuality.

Until a new anti-homosexuality bill caused a wave of homophobia in Uganda, John and Paul could hold hands in the streets of the capital Kampala and kiss in night clubs.

Then the nightmare started -- people began insulting and then assaulting them, and then they had to run away to Kenya. The couple have been in Nairobi since May of last year.

Like other lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, they came to this urban jungle seeking anonymity, explained the official running a programme that looks after these refugees.

His organisation, which last year alone looked after 67 LGBT cases in Kenya, did not want to be named for fear of endangering its refugees.

President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton have both stressed that fighting discrimination should be at the forefront of American diplomacy, a policy Chris strongly supports.

Click here to read the full article from AFP.

Click here to learn more about Chris’ work to advance civil rights. 

Click here to learn more about Chris’ work on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

What We’re Reading: President Sirleaf’s op-ed on effort to eradicate malaria

The Huffington Post: On Sunday, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia penned an op-ed on the global effort to end the spread of malaria in Africa, which causes nearly 3 million deaths each year. President Sirleaf is one of 41 African presidents that have joined together to work toward ending fatalities from malaria in their home country.  

Just as deadly mosquitoes suck the blood from our children, malaria drains the lifeblood from our economies, and with it, hope and opportunity from our lives. Most adult cases of malaria don't end in death, but they do keep entrepreneurs from their businesses, farmers from their fields, and market traders from their stalls. The disease costs Africa an estimated $12 billion a year in lost productivity.

But to understand malaria's true impact, consider that the disease can rob individual families in poorer communities of as much as 25 percent of their disposable income. By controlling malaria we eliminate a major obstacle to sustainable economic development and stability in Africa.

Senator Chris Coons, the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, visited Liberia in January as part of the official U.S. delegation attending President Sirleaf’s inauguration ceremony.

Chris has been a leader in raising awareness about malaria prevention in the Senate. Last June, the Senate unanimously adopted a bipartisan resolution honoring World Malaria Day Chris introduced with Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).

Click here to read the entire op-ed in The Huffington Post.

Click here to learn more about Chris’ work on foreign relations.

ICYMI: Senator Coons and Secretary Clinton travel to Africa

From the Associated Press: Over the weekend, Senator Chris Coons traveled to Liberia with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and others as part of the official U.S. delegation to the inauguration of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. The Associated Press ran a story detailing efforts by Liberia and other countries in West Africa to develop into stable, prosperous, democratic nations.

Senator Coons, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, has been a strong advocate for American investment in Africa’s rapidly expanding economy. He believes that working with Africa will not only make the continent more stable and increase global security, it will also create jobs and economic opportunity here in the United States. With China making significant headway in the region, America can’t afford to be left behind.    

Excerpt from the article:

Across town and above the stunted concrete edifices of Liberia's capital stood the nearly as new Chinese Embassy, a reminder of the Asian power's growing commercial and diplomatic clout in Africa. With diamonds and timber, and possibly even offshore oil, Liberia is typical of many African countries waiting for a surge in prosperity and a partner to share in the spoils of its increased development.

"We're missing an important strategic opportunity for the United States," warned Sen. Christopher Coons, D-Del. "China is taking advantage of our absence as a major funder of infrastructure and is advancing their economic and, I think, policy agenda across the continent."

Click here to read the full story on the CBS News site.

Click here to learn more about Chris’ work on foreign policy.

Click here to read Chris’ opening statement from the Senate Foreign Relations African Affairs Subcommittee hearing he chaired, entitled “China’s Role in Africa: Implications for U.S. Policy.”

Opportunity: Africa

Whether your interest is humanitarian or commercial, the opportunities for Delawareans to engage in Africa have never been as plentiful or productive.

Six of the 10 fastest-growing economies in the world are in Africa, making the continent one of the most appealing emerging markets in the world for U.S. businesses. The continent is enormously complex, however, with significant health, justice, and development challenges to be navigated.

Since being named chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs a year ago, I've talked with dozens of Delawareans with connections to Africa, many of whom are looking for assistance engaging in African countries or with U.S. organizations working on the ground in the region. Many of the advocates, entrepreneurs, and faith leaders I've met are not connected with other Delawareans who share their interest and engagement in the very same issues.

I'm hosting the Opportunity: Africa conference in Wilmington on January 18 to give Delawareans a seat at the table, the ability to make new connections with other advocates, and the chance to talk directly with experts on sustainable development, trade, humanitarian assistance, and global health. More information about the conference is below, and you can click here to RSVP.

I hope to see you there!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012 from 3 to 8 p.m.
University of Delaware - Wilmington Campus

Senator Coons' inaugural Opportunity: Africa Conference will give Delawareans a seat at the table with some of the nation's leading voices on sustainable development and trade with Africa. The half-day conference will look at how Delaware's businesses, faith communities, and individuals can engage in Africa mindful of human rights challenges, sustainable development, food security, and global health.

CONFERENCE AGENDA

3:00 p.m.
Welcome from Senator Coons

3:15 p.m.
Opening Keynote:
Sustainable Economic Development and Trade with Africa
Millennium Challenge Corporation Chief Executive Officer Daniel Yohannes

4:00 p.m.
Workshop A:
Economic Opportunity: Introduction to Doing Business in Africa
World Trade Center Delaware, the Delaware Office of International Trade, U.S. Department of Commerce Foreign Commercial Services Office

Workshop B:
Connecting Communities: Opportunities for Diaspora Leaders
U.S. Department of State Global Partnership Initiative

5:30 p.m.
Break

5:45 p.m.
Keynote:
Africa's Future – Moving from Aid to Prosperity
U.S. Agency for International Development Director Dr. Raj Shah

6:30 p.m.
Workshop A:
Human Rights Challenges: War and Reconciliation, Trafficking and Child Labor

Workshop B:
Sustainable Development and Food Security: Preventing the Next Famine

Workshop C:
Global Health and a Healthier Future for Africa

8:00 p.m.
Closing Remarks from Senator Coons