Related issues

A Somali girl waits to receive food rations in a camp in Kenya. Small children are among those most severely affected by this crisis.

• Foreign Policy
• Food Security & Global Hunger
• Naval Piracy
• Resources on AGOA and U.S.-Africa Trade (America.gov)

News

12 February 2013 State’s Carson Calls for Global Effort to Help DRC  The international community has a “moral imperative” to act more effectively to break the cycle of death and suffering in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson.

08 February 2013  Eastern African, U.S. Officials Discuss Security Threats   Increased regional cooperation is crucial for addressing the irregular security threats facing Eastern Africa, senior officials from the United States and Uganda told participants at the launch of a workshop titled “Improving Regional Responses to Transnational and Irregular Threats in Eastern Africa.”

25 January 2013 U.S. Designates M23 Leaders for Fomenting Conflict in DRC  The United States has designated two senior leaders of the Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23) militant group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as persons contributing to the ongoing conflict in the country.

22 January 2013 State Dept. on Failure to Implement Sudan–South Sudan Agreements   The African Union and United Nations must stand firm and demand that the parties urgently uphold their commitments to avert this threat to regional peace and stability.

17 January 2013 U.S. Supports French and ECOWAS Intervention in Mali   The United States supports military action by France and the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to take back northern Mali from armed Islamist rebels.  The official said French forces have gone in at the request of the Malian government and ECOWAS and in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2085.

14 January 2013 Regional Trade Can Power Africa's Growth  Expanded regional agricultural trade has the potential to power Africa’s economic growth and food security, says a senior official with the U.S. Agency for International Development.  Through its three African regional trade hubs, USAID coordinates with African-led bodies such as the African Union and the Southern African Development Community to facilitate cross-border trade and to attract foreign investment.

08 January 2013 Ambassador Rice at U.N. Security Council on Sudan, South Sudan 

03 January 2013 Clinton, U.K., Norway Foreign Ministers on Sudan, South Sudan

 2012

11 December 2012 The Devastating Crisis in Eastern Congo  Testimony by Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, Johnnie Carson, before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights, Washington, DC.

03 December 2012 Diamond Declaration Incorporates Development Goals   The international body charged with ending the sale of diamonds related to conflict adopted a resolution that incorporates development and small-scale diamond-mining objectives.  Participants in the Kimberley Process meeting at the State Department delayed redefining the term “conflict diamond” until at least 2013, when the body's chairmanship transfers to South Africa, with China as vice chair, said Gillian Milovanovic, who represents the United States as the 2012 chair.

03 December 2012 USAID to Support African Diaspora Development Fund  The U.S. Agency for International Development has agreed to support an African Development Bank fund that helps ​members of the diaspora in the United States promote development in Africa and improve the flow of worker remittances.

28 November 2012 Secretary Clinton's remarks With African Union Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma After Their Meeting 

28 November 2012 State's Carson Pushes for Cease-Fire in DRC  The Obama administration’s top envoy to Africa is working with leaders in the Great Lakes region and with French and German diplomats to push for a cease-fire in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), to be followed by a longer-term resolution of the conflict in the eastern part of the country.

28 November  2012 State Dept. Taken Question: Kimberley Process Goals

27 November 2012 Clinton on Millennium Challenge Corporation's Work   Secretary Clinton's remarks to the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Washington, D.C.

27 November 2012 Kimberley Process Meeting May Redefine "Conflict Diamonds"  Participants in an international group that certifies that rough-cut diamonds are free from conflict are expected to update the definition of “conflict diamond” during the group’s four-day annual meeting in Washington.

24 November 2012 State Dept. on Presidential Elections in Sierra Leone  "We call on the National Electoral Commission, Political Parties Registration Commission, and other stakeholders to address any electoral deficiencies and further strengthen Sierra Leonean democracy".

20 November 2012 Security Situation in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo  The United States is gravely alarmed by the rapid deterioration of the security situation in eastern DRC. We condemn the renewed military campaign by the M23 rebel group, which is an affront to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC and in violation of international law. We call for a ceasefire, and for the M23 to return Goma to DRC authorities and pull back to their July positions.

15 November 2012 State Dept. Statement on New Somalia Cabinet (State.gov)  "The United States welcomes the confirmation of the new Somali Cabinet by the Somalia Federal Parliament on November 13. This overwhelming endorsement by the federal Parliament is historic and marks progress in ushering in a new era of accountable and representative leadership."

13 November 2012 Joint Statement by the United States of America and the United Kingdom on Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Sierra Leone 

08 November 2012 Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Evaluations Show Impact of Investments   The first evaluations of farmer training programs in five countries that received funding from the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation show that the training led to increased production and incomes, the agency says.  

05 November 2012 Under Secretary Sherman Consults with Somali Leaders   Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman became the first senior U.S. official to visit Mogadishu, Somalia, in more than 20 years, reflecting the United States’ commitment to support efforts by Somalia’s leaders to stabilize the Horn of Africa nation after more than 20 years of civil strife and violence.

31 October 2012 U.S. Seeks Updated Definition of Conflict Diamonds  The United States will urge representatives at an international meeting at the State Department on diamond certification to agree to an updated definition for "conflict diamond."

16 October 2012 Rice Welcomes Somalia's Historic Political Transition  After many difficult years, Somalia has had its first peaceful transfer of power in decades, and U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Susan Rice says developments such as its new provisional constitution and a newly elected speaker and president have inspired hope among Somalis “for the first time in many years.”

03 October 2012 State Dept. on Capture of Kismayo in Somalia from al-Shabaab  "The United States welcomes the capture of the strategic port city of Kismayo by African Union Mission in Somalia peacekeepers and Somali forces. Al-Shabaab’s departure from Kismayo demonstrates continued momentum by pro-government forces against this terrorist organization"   

27 September 2012 Signing of Agreements between Sudan and South Sudan Secretary Clinton applauds today's agreements between Sudan and South Sudan on security, oil, financial, nationality, and trade issues.

27 September 2012 U.S. Will Maintain Support for Somalia Through Its Transition

26 September 2012 Clinton Affirms Ongoing U.S. Support for Africa's Sahel Region The secretary spoke about U.S. and international efforts to support the region during the U.N. Secretary-General Meeting on the Sahel held on the margins of the 67th annual U.N. General Assembly in New York.

21 September 2012 Joint statement by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, and United Kingdom Foreign Secretary William Hague   "As the Presidents of Sudan and South Sudan prepare for the September 23 Presidential Summit in Addis Ababa, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway call on both governments to urgently reach final agreement on all outstanding issues, as required by the African Union Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) Roadmap and United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2046 (2012)."

20 September 2012 U.S. Supports Development of Peacekeeping Capacity in Africa   “We strongly believe that the only way to achieve sustainable, long-term stability on the continent is to provide our African partners with the tools needed to bring about that stability themselves,” Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson said in congressional testimony.

10 September 2012 Millennium Challenge Corporation Head on U.S. Development Aid 

22 August 2012 Statement by Amb. Susan E. Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, on the Death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi

20 August 2012 White House on Somalia's New Federal Parliament The United States welcomes today’s convening of Somalia’s New Federal Parliament.

06 August 2012 U.S. Welcomes Pact by Sudan, South Sudan to Share Oil Revenues   The United States welcomes an agreement between Sudan and South Sudan to share the revenues of oil pumped in South Sudan and transported through pipelines and ports in Sudan.

26 July 2012 Commerce Official Highlights Efforts to Promote Trade with Africa  U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco Sánchez highlighted efforts to increase U.S. trade and investment with sub-Saharan Africa in testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on African Affairs.

15 July 2012 MCC Fact Sheet on Threshold Programs   The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) was created by Congress in 2004 and is an independent U.S. foreign aid agency that is helping lead the fight against global poverty.  The MCC Threshold Program is designed to assist countries that are not yet eligible for MCC compacts but have demonstrated a significant commitment to improving policy performance on MCC’s selection criteria for compact grants.

28 June 2012 Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Fact Sheet on Contribution to Aid for Trade  Trade is one of the most significant drivers of economic growth. MCC considers $3.2 billion of its assistance to partner countries—35 percent—as “aid for trade.”  MCC’s primary contribution to “aid for trade” is through transportation infrastructure financing.

27 June 2012 Sudan Won't Solve Economic Crisis by Mistreating Demonstrators  The Sudanese government’s arrest and mistreatment of demonstrators will not solve the country’s economic crisis, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, calling on Omar Bashir’s government to immediately release those it has detained.

25 June 2012 U.S. Supports Hunt for Central African Rebel Group  The U.S. military is just one part of a larger, multinational effort to help four African partner nations bring rebel leader Joseph Kony and senior members of his brutal Lord’s Resistance Army to justice, said Army General Ham, the commander of U.S. Africa Command.

14 June 2012 Clinton Applauds AGOA at 11th Forum Kick-Off  Secretary Clinton opened the 11th U.S.-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Forum, also known as the AGOA Forum, in Washington with remarks applauding the great success of the pivotal economic development program.
 • U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa 

13 June 2012 U.S. Bets on Bright Future for Africa, Clinton Says  Clinton implored the young Africans to become ambassadors for their countries in their meetings and contacts to come, teaching Americans about progressive trends unfolding in Africa: growing opportunities for women and girls, increasing democratization, expanding economic growth and booming activity in information technologies.

07 June 2012 State's Posner on Diamond Trade and Human Rights

31 May 2012 U.S. to Host Meeting on Conflict Diamond Trade   The annual Kimberley Process conference will be held June 4–7 at the State Department in Washington D.C. and will be chaired by U.S. Ambassador Gillian Milovanovic.

23 May 2012 Africa: The Next Frontier for Investors  Economists say Africa will grow by 5.5 percent in 2012, with seven African countries expected to rank among the 10 fastest-growing economies in the world during the next five years, projections that are making the continent an increasingly popular destination for foreign investors.

22 May 2012 U.S. Donates $30 Million for Emergency Food in South Sudan  The U.S. government has announced it will provide emergency relief to help people affected by food scarcity and conflict in South Sudan.  The assistance is in response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in South Sudan, where an estimated 1 million people are severely food-insecure as the result of a cereal deficit, high food prices and intercommunal conflict.

17 May 2012 AGOA Boosts Trade, Supports Shared Growth with Africa  The African Growth and Opportunity Act has boosted exponentially the United States’ trade with sub-Saharan Africa and remains the “centerpiece” of U.S. economic engagement with the region, according to Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson.  While Africa's growth is impressive, he said, it still only accounts for less than 2 percent of global trade.

16 May 2012 African Leaders to Meet with Obama at G8 on Food Security  President Obama will discuss food security with four African leaders at the upcoming Group of Eight (G8) Summit at Camp David, including ways to step up agricultural production across the continent.  The meeting will include talks on agriculture, food self-sufficiency and food security.

09 May 2012 ICTR Judgment Against Perpetrators of Genocide in Rwanda  The United States welcomes the May 8, 2012 International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) appeal decisions in the cases of Gaspard Kanyarukiga, Aloys Ntabakuze, and Ildephonse Hategekimana. The Appeals Chamber of the ICTR affirmed the convictions of these three individuals for genocide and crimes against humanity, among other crimes.

08 May 2012 U.S. Researchers Find New Way to Stop Dangerous African Pest  U.S. researchers have developed a satellite-guided method of tracking and eradicating tsetse fly populations.  The tsetse fly carries Trypanosoma protozoa, which cause a disease commonly known as sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in cattle.

27 April 2012 U.S. Urges Sudan, South Sudan to Cease Hostilities, Resume Talks  The United States urges the governments of Sudan and South Sudan to cease attacking each other across their undemarcated border to avert an all-out war and a looming humanitarian disaster.  South Sudan became an independent country in July 2011 after fighting for more than a half-century against the government in Khartoum. But fighting along the border continues.

26 April 2012 U.S. Envoy Rice at U.N. on Darfur, Syria, African Union 

24 April 2012 Countering the Lord'’s Resistance Army (PDF via State.gov)    Testimony for Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, Ambassador Donald Yamamoto, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.

20 April 2012 Major Diplomatic Effort Under Way on Sudan, South Sudan U.S. Special Envoy Princeton Lyman says Sudan and South Sudan are seeking a diplomatic resolution to disputed borders and other issues related to oil production in disputed areas, and a number of major international diplomatic activities are underway to defuse the tense situation.

19 April 2012 Examining the U.S Policy Responses to Entrenched African Leadership (PDF via State Dept.)   Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson.

03 April 2012 White House on Situation in Sudan  The President authorized the use of up to $26 million from the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund to respond to the unexpected and urgent needs resulting from the conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states of Sudan.

02 April 2012 U.S. Sends Aid, Urges End to Sudan–South Sudan Violence President Obama expressed concern about growing tensions between Sudan and South Sudan when speaking April 2 to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir about the clashes in the border region between the two East African nations.

29 March 2012 Humanitarian Assistance to Sahel Region  Secretary Clinton: "In response to current needs, including protection and assistance for refugees, and to prevent a potentially much more serious situation, I am pleased to announce that the United States is providing an additional $120 million in emergency assistance".

28 March 2012 State's Shapiro Cites Progress in Fight Against Somali Pirates  Piracy along the coast of Somalia threatens one of the fundamental foundations of an interconnected global economic system: freedom of navigation on the high seas, Assistant Secretary of State Andrew Shapiro says.  Shapiro emphasized that the only long-term response to piracy is the re-establishment of stability, responsive law enforcement and adequate governance in Somalia.

17 March 2012 State Dept. on ICC Conviction of Congolese Warlord    On March 14 2012, the International Criminal Court (ICC) convicted Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, former commander of the Patriotic Forces for the Liberation of the Congo militia and president of the Union of Congolese Patriots, for his responsibility for the war crimes of enlisting and conscripting children and using them to participate actively in hostilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2002 and 2003.  Congolese authorities referred the situation in the DRC to the ICC in 2004.    As the Court’s first conviction, this ruling is an historic and important step in providing justice and accountability for the Congolese people.

London Conference on Somalia 2012

London Conference on Somalia

The UK FCO's website London Conference on Somalia

23 February 2012 Press Availability on the London Conference on Somalia Remarks by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

23 February 2012 Intervention at the London Conference on Somalia  "Today I am announcing the United States is providing an additional $64 million in humanitarian assistance to the Horn of Africa countries, bringing our emergency assistance since 2011 up to more than 934 million, including more than 211 million for lifesaving programs in Somalia".

22 February 2012 Senior State Department Official Previews Conference on Somalia

21 February 2012 Announcement of Clinton’s Travel to London and North Africa On February 23, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will begin a four-nation trip to London and North Africa.  In London, the Secretary will attend a conference hosted by Prime Minster David Cameron, dedicated to building stability and peace in Somalia.  Heads of state and foreign ministers from over 50 countries as well as representatives of the United Nations and the African Union will attend.  The timing of the conference is significant as it convenes six months prior to the end of Somalia's political transition which is set to take place by August 20, 2012.

News

21 February 2012 Announcement of Clinton’s Travel to London and North Africa  On February 23, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will begin a four-nation trip to London and North Africa.  In London, the Secretary will attend a conference hosted by Prime Minster David Cameron, dedicated to building stability and peace in Somalia.

21 February 2012 Ambassador Rice at U.N. Debate on West Africa and Sahel Region  Transnational organized crime is a scourge everywhere, but West Africa and the Sahel are plagued by a particularly insidious version. Criminal networks corrupt societies that face pressing developmental challenges in a region emerging from years of conflict.

24 January 2012 Briefing on U.S. Efforts in the Humanitarian Crisis in the Horn of Africa Bruce Wharton, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy for the Bureau of African Affairs; David Robinson, Acting Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees, and Migration; and Nancy Lindborg, Assistant Administrator for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance at USAID On U.S. Efforts in the Humanitarian Crisis in the Horn of Africa.

18 January 2012 Clinton Promotes Democracy in Four-Nation Africa Trip  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton completed a four-nation visit to Africa to promote democracy, good government and economic reforms, and to demonstrate a U.S. commitment to a post-conflict return to peace.

2011

22 December 2011 President Obama on the Horn of Africa Famine Today, on behalf of the U.S. Government and the American people, I am announcing an additional $113 million in emergency relief assistance for the Horn of Africa.

15 December 2011 Clinton Says U.S. Prepared to Assist South Sudan South Sudan’s independence marks the beginning of its challenge to become a state that will offer opportunities to all of its people, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the Obama administration is prepared to help the new nation reach its potential.

12 December 2011 U.S. Military Advisers to Support African Fight Against LRA   U.S. troops serving as advisers in the fight against the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) are beginning to deploy from Uganda to LRA-affected areas to support ongoing regional military efforts to stop the organization’s ability to terrorize civilians in an expansive, remote jungle region and to bring its leaders to justice.

20 November 2011 State Department on Conditions in Horn of Africa  The Famine Early Warning Systems Network and the UN Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit  released the latest analysis of the ongoing drought and famine in Somalia.  Three areas of Somalia have been downgraded from famine to emergency.  Three other areas, including the internally displaced populations in Mogadishu, have improved but remain classified as famine.

14 November 2011 Ambassador DeLaurentis at U.N. on Lord’s Resistance Army  Remarks by Ambassador DeLaurentis, U.S. Ambassador and Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs to the United Nations, at a UN Security Council Meeting on UNOCA and the Lord’s Resistance Army.

01 November 2011 U.S. Response to Humanitarian Crisis in the Horn of Africa   An updated fact sheet from the Department of State.

26 October 2011 U.S. Advisers Sent to Help African Struggle Against LRA  On October 14, President Obama announced an expansion of U.S. support for its central African partners who have been trying to end the LRA’s threat to their populations. Approximately 100 U.S. military advisers are being deployed to assist forces of the four countries that are fighting the LRA and want to bring the LRA's Joseph Kony and his top commanders to justice.   U.S. lawmakers in the House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee met October 25 to hear from senior Obama administration officials about the U.S. deployment and its mission.

18 October 2011 State Department’s Johnnie Carson Travels to Africa   U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson travels to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Niger on 17–26 October.   Carson, who is the assistant secretary of state for African affairs, will be promoting U.S. objectives of democracy and governance, peace and security, and economic development during his three-nation visit.

14 October 2011 U.S. Support to Regional Efforts to Counter the Lord's Resistance Army  For more than two decades, the Lord’s Resistance Army  (LRA) has murdered, raped and kidnapped tens of thousands of innocent men, women and children.  The United States’ comprehensive, multi-year strategy seeks to help mitigate and end the threat posed to civilians and regional stability by the LRA.

12 October 2012  U.S. Helps African Women Multiply Their Business Success  After years of building their own businesses, about 40 African women are taking on a mission to help others do the same. The women are this year’s participants in the African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program. For three weeks, they have been traveling through the United States studying businesses, meeting with trade and finance experts from government and the private sector, and discussing prospects and problems for business in Africa.

06 October 2011 Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia Launches New Website  The State Department announces the launch of the new official website for the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia.  The new website serves as a repository of Contact Group documents and other counter-piracy related materials; a cyber secretariat offering a virtual workspace for Contact Group participants; and a real-time information center for industry, academic researchers, and the general public regarding the Contact Group’s ongoing efforts

04 October 2011 U.S. Delegation on Food Security Travels to Horn of Africa A U.S. delegation will visit Ethiopia and Kenya to discuss key agricultural and food security issues, and to show the United States’ continuing commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to Africans hit hardest by the famine in the Horn of Africa.

03 October 2011 Secretary Clinton : Honoring Participants of African Women's Entrepreneurship Program 

30 September 2011 USAID Fact Sheet: Horn of Africa Drought  

23 September 2011 U.S. Response to Humanitarian Crisis in the Horn of Africa

15 September 2011 USAID Fact Sheet: Horn of Africa Drought 

02 September 2011 Escalating Violence in Blue Nile State of Sudan The United States is deeply concerned about the fighting that broke out September 1 between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the forces of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-North (SPLM/A-N) in Blue Nile State in Sudan, as well as the ongoing troop mobilization on both sides.

01 September 2011 U.S. Pledge to Horn of Africa Hunger Tops $600 Million The U.S. funding commitment to alleviate the massive humanitarian disaster in the Horn of Africa has passed the $600 million mark after a top aid official announced a $23 million increase August 31.

22 August 2011 Food Insecurity in Eastern Africa Continent's Worst in 20 Years  The worst drought in more than half a century in Eastern Africa has brought on the region’s worst food insecurity in 20 years, according to an assessment of conditions in the region released by the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit–Somalia.  U.S. and international estimates find that more than 12 million people in this region are expected to be affected by the widespread food insecurity.

11 August 2011 Amid Human Disaster, Clinton Sees Greater Food Security  Ahead  Food insecurity and famine in the Horn of Africa create new urgency for developed and developing nations to both rescue people caught in this crisis and make systemic reforms that can reduce the human cost of food shortages in the future. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged action to pursue both objectives in an August 11 speech in Washington.

09 August 2011 U.S. Delegates Mobilize Global Response to Horn of Africa Crisis  Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Biden, has led a U.S. delegation to the Horn of Africa to mobilize a global response to the region’s worst drought in more than 60 years, which the United Nations estimates has left at least 12.4 million people in urgent need of food, water and medical care.

08 August 2011 Obama Approves $105 Million More for Horn of Africa  President Obama has approved an additional $105 million for urgent humanitarian relief efforts across the Horn of Africa, where the United Nations estimates that more than 12.4 million people are in urgent need as a result of the region’s worst drought in more than 60 years.

03 August 2011 Responding to Drought and Famine in the Horn of Africa Testimony by Don Yamamoto, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, before the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs.

02 August 2011 U.S. Reassures Aid Agencies Providing Relief in Somalia Because of the compelling humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa, including southern Somalia, the Obama administration is reassuring nongovernmental organizations and aid groups that they will not risk prosecution if their efforts to aid famine victims violate U.S. sanctions on the terrorist group al-Shabaab.

27 July 2011 Fact Sheet U.S. Response to Humanitarian Crisis in the Horn of Africa More than 11.5 million people—primarily in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia—are in need of emergency assistance in the Horn of Africa. The U.S. is one of the largest donors of humanitarian assistance to the region, providing approximately $459 million this fiscal year to help those in need. 

26 July 2011 AFRICOM Empowering African Development as Well as Security The U.S. military’s Africa Command (AFRICOM) is building the capacity of partner nations to counter extremist threats, respect civilian control and respond more effectively to humanitarian and security needs across the continent, a senior U.S. Defense Department official told members of Congress.

22 July 2011  Al-Shabaab Should Not Block Somali Humanitarian Aid, U.S. Says The United States, the United Nations and other partners in the international community stand ready to help an estimated 3 million or more Somalis who are suffering from famine, but the anti-Western terrorist group al-Shabaab on July 22 tried to deny the existence of food shortages and announced it will resume a ban on assistance from the international community that has been in place since January 2010.

20 July 2011 Famine Declared; Human Need in Horn of Africa Grows More Urgent  Two regions of Somalia are suffering from famine, which is not mere hunger, but a formal declaration that hunger now is so severe that more than 30 percent of children are suffering acute malnutrition, more than two people per 100,000 are dying each day, and that food and other basic necessities have become inaccessible to most people.

19 July 2011 Current Situation in the Horn of Africa   Special Briefing by Johnnie Carson (Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs), Reuben Brigety (Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration), Deputy Administrator of USAID Donald Steinberg, Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance of USAID Nancy Lindborg.

14 July 2011 U.S. Urges Sudan, South Sudan to Fulfill Peace Agreement   President Obama’s top envoy for Sudan urged the governments of Sudan and newly independent South Sudan to "rekindle the spirit of cooperation" to resolve the outstanding issues that stand in the way of their fulfilling the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement. U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan Princeton Lyman also called for an interim agreement by the end of July on the sharing of oil revenues if a final agreement is not reached.

11 July 2011  U.S. Recognizes South Sudan, Pledges Steadfast Partnership   The United States formally recognized the Republic of South Sudan on July 9 and pledged steadfast partnership as the South Sudanese begin building a new country after decades of civil war.   President Obama issued the formal recognition of the world’s newest nation in Washington as independence ceremonies and celebrations were being held in the new country’s capital, Juba, and across South Sudan.
• President Obama on U.S. Recognition of South Sudan’s Independence
• Secretary Clinton on Independence Day for South Sudan 

06 July 2011 Technology Opens Doors for Women, Clinton Says  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is celebrating her department’s TechWomen exchange program, which uses technology to open doors that are otherwise closed to women in the Middle East and North Africa.  TechWomen, funded by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is a public-private partnership that pairs women from top technology companies in California’s Silicon Valley with women emerging as leaders in technical fields across the Middle East and North Africa for a professional mentorship and exchange program.

22 June 2011 Statement from President Obama on Sudan 

19 May 2011 U.S. Officials Hopeful for Sudan and Southern Sudan  American officials who recently visited Sudan and Southern Sudan said they saw encouraging signs despite their political and economic challenges.

05 May 2011 U.S. Pledges $8.5 Million for Côte d’Ivoire Humanitarian Response

19 April 2011 The United States and the African Union  "The United States and the African Union (AU) enjoy a strong partnership that continues to develop as we engage in areas of mutual interest spanning a variety of sectors."

11 April 2011 U.S. Urges Calm in Côte d'Ivoire Following Gbagbo's Capture  President Obama says the detention of Côte d’Ivoire’s former president, Laurent Gbagbo, is a victory for “the democratic will of the Ivoirian people,” who now have an opportunity to reclaim their country’s future as a democratic and peaceful state under their elected president, Alassane Ouattara.

05 April 2011 Obama Says Côte d’Ivoire’s Gbagbo Must Give Up Power
 • Statement by President Obama on Situation in Côte d’Ivoire

 01 March 2011 U.S. Senior Sudan Advisors Travel to Bolster North-South and Darfur Peace Processes  Ambassador Princeton Lyman, U.S. Senior Advisor on North-South Negotiations, and Ambassador Dane Smith, U.S. Senior Advisor on Darfur, will travel to the region in early March to support U.S. efforts to promote peace and stability in Sudan.

07 February 2011 U.S. Intends to Recognize Independent South Sudanese State  With the announcement that an overwhelming majority of southern Sudanese have voted to establish an independent state, the Obama administration says it intends to recognize the new country in July and is also beginning the process of withdrawing Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.

09 January 2011 - Statement by Secretary Clinton on Southern Sudan Referendum

14 July 2010 Interview of President Obama by the South African Broadcasting Corporation

14 June 2010 Fact Sheet: The United States and Africa: Partnering for Progress  The United States has been a strong advocate of the nations of Africa since their independence, and remains determined to support its African partners in achieving the shared long-term goals of democracy, stability, and prosperity.

27 October 2009 U.S. Mission to African Union Shows Commitment to Africa  The United States was the first major non-African country to appoint a full-time ambassador to the African Union (AU), and that shows the importance the people of the United States attach to their partnership with the people of Africa, says the U.S. ambassador to the African Union, Michael Battle.

19 October 2009 Sudan: A Critical Moment, a Comprehensive Approach  Outlines critical lessons learned, U.S. strategic objectives and actions.

19 October 2009 Sudan Policy Aims at Ending Genocide, Implementing Peace Accord  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton unveiled a “comprehensive” U.S. policy for resolving the conflicts in Sudan, focused on ending human rights abuses and genocide in the Darfur region, fully implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and ensuring Sudan does not become a haven for violent extremists.

19 October 2009 Statement of President Barack Obama on Sudan Strategy

08 October 2009 Officials Say Somali Piracy Is Declining  In 2008, Somali pirates captured more than 100 large commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, provoking a massive international response. Today, some 40 warships patrol Somali waters. The patrols and other measures have helped decrease successful hijacking more than 90 percent. Monsoon winds also contributed to the reduction, but U.S. maritime officials warn hijackings may increase now that the regional monsoon season has ended.

09 September 2009 Envoy Gration Seeks Deal for Peace Accord in Sudan  U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan Scott Gration is in Juba, Southern Sudan, to hold talks with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement and President Omar Hassan al-Bashir’s National Congress Party on two sticking points to implementation of a broader 2005 peace accord, the State Department announced. Gration is traveling to Sudan September 9–14 and is visiting Juba, Boma, Darfur and Khartoum. His travel comes as the United States is near announcing a new policy on Sudan, and the troubled Darfur region.

02 September 2009 Reforming African Economies Continue to Reap Benefits  Although total U.S. trade with sub-Saharan Africa (exports plus imports) declined in the first four months of 2009 compared with the same period in 2008, largely as a result of the global economic crisis, many sub-Saharan African countries continue to reap benefits from changes to their economic policies, improved governance and investments in key social sectors undertaken during the past decade.

20 August 2009 Clinton Focus on Food Security in Africa Extends Worldwide  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s focus on food security and development on her recent trip to Africa extends to other parts of the world, such as Latin America and Asia, where the U.S. government continues to provide billions of dollars’ worth of assistance.

13 August 2009 Liberia Is Model for Post-Conflict Transformation, Clinton Says  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says that after emerging from a 14-year civil war, Liberia is a model to other countries that are transitioning from conflict, praising the country’s reform, reconstruction and reconciliation efforts, as well as the government’s actions against corruption.

12 August 2009 United States Pledges $17 Million to Aid Rape Survivors in DRC  The United States will provide $17 million to help survivors of rape and prevent sexual violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced during an unprecedented visit to the eastern city of Goma. Clinton, the first U.S. secretary of state to visit the war-ravaged eastern Kivu region in the DRC, met individually August 11 with two rape survivors, and then attended a roundtable discussion with medical providers, health care activists and other Congolese now living in camps after fleeing the fighting in the DRC's long-running conflict.

12 August 2009 Clinton Calls for Enhanced Political Reforms in Nigeria  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton encouraged Nigeria to implement needed democratic reforms while also reducing corruption and graft in the most populous nation in Africa. "It is critical for the people of Nigeria, first and foremost, but indeed for the United States that Nigeria succeeds in fulfilling its promise," Clinton said at an August 12 press conference in Abuja that followed a meeting with Nigerian Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe.

11 August 2009 No Excuses for Gender-Based Violence, Clinton Tells DRC  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton condemned the "terrible trend" of sexual and gender-based violence used as a tool of war, and said leaders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and other governments in the region, as well as nonstate entities, need to make a "concerted effort" to prevent and discourage sexual violence.

10 August 2009 United States, Angola Commit to HIV/AIDS Partnership  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is using her seven-nation African tour to emphasize the United States' commitment to combating HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, signing a new AIDS framework with the government of Angola and visiting HIV-positive patients at a U.S.-sponsored clinic in South Africa.

09 August 2009 Targeted U.S. Sanctions on Zimbabwe to Continue, Clinton Says  The Obama administration is continuing to target Zimbabwe's leadership with economic sanctions in an effort to influence their behavior, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says. During an August 8 visit to the Victoria Mxenge Housing Development near Cape Town, South Africa, Clinton said she and President Obama believe "the leadership under President [Robert] Mugabe has turned its back on its own people."

08 August 2009 South Africa Uniquely Positioned to Spur African Economic Growth  South Africa's financial and economic success translates into both a responsibility and an opportunity for the country to help its African neighbors achieve their own development potential, says Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Speaking in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 7 to the International Development Corporation, Clinton said "it isn’t easy to find countries with financial and economic policies that have been as sound as South Africa’s," and the country is "uniquely positioned to advance its own economic trajectory and to propel economic growth on the African continent as a whole."

08 August 2009 Clinton Celebrates Strength of Women in Africa  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, visiting South Africa as part of a seven-nation tour of Africa, used an evening in Pretoria to focus on and celebrate one of the continent’s greatest strengths: its women. Clinton was an honored guest at a gala dinner commemorating South Africa’s National Women’s Day, which is celebrated August 9. The dinner was hosted by South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, who greeted the secretary of state upon her arrival at the Pretoria presidential guest house earlier August 7.

06 August 2009 Clinton Pledges U.S. Support to Somali Transitional Government  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton pledged continued U.S. support for the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and called on Eritrea to halt interference in Somalia. Clinton appeared at a joint press conference at the U.S. Embassy following talks with Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. She said the talks with the TFG leader were "a thorough and productive discussion about the challenges facing his country and the efforts of the international community to support the Transitional Federal Government as it stands up for the people of Somalia and against the threat of violent extremism."

05 August 2009 Clinton Says United States Believes in Africa’s Promise  "We believe in Africa’s promise. We are committed to Africa’s future. We will be partners with Africa’s people," said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Addressing the opening ministerial session of the Eighth African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum, Clinton said the United States and Africa have "shared aspirations for greater economic growth and prosperity across the continent."

05 August 2009 Farming Is Africa’s Lifeline, Clinton Says  For millions of Africans, farming is a lifeline, the only source of income and food. In remarks following a tour of the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) outside Nairobi, Clinton said, "For the global community, agricultural development could help address some of the most urgent challenges we face — chronic hunger, which afflicts nearly 1 billion people worldwide, including one in three Africans, many of whom are children." At KARI, Clinton said, scientists are developing tools to boost the productivity of Africa’s farms, which is "part of a broad strategy to strengthen the entire agricultural sector — to increase incomes, to support rural communities and to drive economic growth."

05 August 2009 President Obama’s Video Message to AGOA Forum  President Obama addresses the African Growth and Opportunity Act Forum in Nairobi, Kenya

04 August 2009 Africans Must Use Trade to Fight Economic Crisis, Kenyan Says  Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, representing the host nation, officially opened the civil-society and private-sector sessions of the Eighth AGOA Forum on August 4 with the traditional Swahili welcome, "Karibu," and called for Africa to trade its way out of the global economic crisis.

04 August 2009 Civil Society, Private Sector Important to AGOA  The role of civil society groups and the private sector in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) forums and the AGOA process is more important than ever, said U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger. Addressing the combined opening session for the civil society and private sector forums at the eighth annual United States-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum, known as the AGOA Forum, Ranneberger said while both groups have always participated in AGOA meetings, "your role now is more timely and important than ever."

04 August 2009 Food Security Is Top Agenda Item on Clinton Africa Trip  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is putting a spotlight on food security and partnerships as she makes her first official visit to sub-Saharan Africa, a region that the international nongovernmental organization (NGO) World Vision says is "riddled with hunger."

04 August 2009 Company Launches Fiber-Optic Cable for Southern, Eastern Africa  Southern and Eastern Africa are better connected to the rest of the world by a new underwater fiber-optic communications cable that runs off the eastern and southern coasts of Africa. With the new cable, installed by the SEACOM company, communications costs in Africa have a better chance of falling into line with the lower prices paid in other regions of the world, said SEACOM President Brian Herlihy. He spoke at the combined opening of the civil-society and private-sector sessions of the Eighth AGOA Forum in Nairobi.

03 August 2009 Clinton Africa Trip Seen Offering Opportunities  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's August 4–14, seven-nation trip to Africa presents a good opportunity to build on development partnerships set out by President Obama during his recent visit to the continent, says former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Walter Kansteiner. Clinton's first official trip to Africa as secretary of state includes an initial stop in Kenya to attend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum followed by visits to South Africa, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Nigeria, Liberia and Cape Verde.

03 August 2009 McDermott: AGOA Forum Promotes Important Economic Interaction  An annual conference such as the Eighth AGOA Forum is important because it allows Americans and Africans to openly discuss trade issues, make improvements and address any problems in their trade relationships. McDermott, whom many often informally call "the father of AGOA," said the fact that top members of President Obama's Cabinet will be attending, such as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, sends a signal of Africa’s importance to the United States.

03 August 2009 U.S. Trade Representative on U.S.-African Growth Partnership  Commentary by U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk.

03 August 2009 Kenyan Businessman Praises Benefits from AGOA  Kenyan-born businessman Mike King'ori has seen the results of closer U.S.-Africa trade ties fostered under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and stands ready to further expand his own business and trade relationship with the United States. King'ori is director of marketing and operations and an owner of K-Net Flowers Ltd., a family business in Kenya that specializes in exporting cut flowers and foliage worldwide.

03 August 2009 Conflicts in Africa Exacerbate Gender-Based Atrocities  When Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton heads for Africa August 4, she will focus a spotlight on the widespread problem of violence against women. Clinton is visiting seven countries in Africa, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where violence against women has been horrific. Accompanying her will be Melanne Verveer, a longtime advocate of women's rights and human rights who is the first U.S. ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues.

31 July 2009 Envoy Hails Clinton's Trip to Africa, Focus on Hunger, AGOA  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's trip to Africa, where she will emphasize the need to provide lasting food security by improving the continent's agricultural sector with American help, brings a welcome message, says Sierra Leone’s ambassador to the United States, Bockari Stevens.

30 July 2009 Clinton Will Meet with Somali Leader During AGOA Forum  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton plans to meet with President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government on the sidelines at the 8th Annual AGOA Forum to show support for his efforts to restore order to the conflict-weary African nation, a senior U.S. diplomat says. Clinton will meet with Sheikh Sharif at the U.S.-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum, known more commonly as the AGOA Forum, in Nairobi, Kenya, August 4–6. The secretary is launching an 11-day, seven-nation trip to Africa to underscore the U.S. commitment to the continent.

30 July 2009 AGOA Spurs African Stock Exchanges  The historic U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has created a positive impact across sub-Saharan Africa, and one such development has been the establishment of private equity stock markets in many African countries. Robert Mathu, executive director of Rwanda's Capital Market Advisory Council, made that point in an interview with at the headquarters of the Rwanda Capital Market, which runs the country’s stock exchange.

28 July 2009 Clinton Plans Seven-Nation Africa Trip  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will begin a seven-nation trip to Africa on August 5 to highlight the U.S. commitment to sub-Saharan Africa's economic development while also emphasizing Africa as a place of opportunity, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said.

24 July 2009 Eighth AGOA Forum More Important than Ever  U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson and the Kenyan ambassador to the United States, Peter N.R.O. Ogego, formally announced July 23 that the eighth annual U.S.-Sub-Saharan African Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, August 4–6 and could not be taking place at a more opportune time because of the world economic crisis.

23 July 2009 Enhanced U.S. Market Access Critical for Africa  Enhanced market access to the United States — a key feature of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) — remains a "critical component" for Africa’s long-term economic growth and development, says longtime Africa trade facilitator and attorney Anthony Carroll.

14 July 2009 Regional Trade Hubs Help Foster U.S.-Africa Trade  The United States operates four regional trade and competiveness hubs in sub-Saharan Africa. They aim to assist, enhance and broaden the flow of trade between the United States and the region, both inside and outside the terms of the historic African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

14 July 2009 U.S.-Africa Trade Increased 28 Percent in 2008  U.S. trade with sub-Saharan Africa, exports plus imports, increased 28 percent in 2008 and U.S. imports under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) are becoming increasingly diversified, according to a just-released profile of U.S.-Africa trade trends.

01 July 2009 Citizen Involvement Essential to Ghana's Development Successes  Committed to a democratic government that involves civil society, Ghana has become "one of the better-performing developing countries in Africa," said the top U.S. aid official in the country.

30 June 2009 AGOA Forum Seeks to Expand U.S.-Africa Trade and Investment  The eighth African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum, which will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, August 4–6, is the only ministerial event held annually between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa, said the assistant secretary of state for African affairs, Ambassador Johnnie Carson, who said the Obama administration is seeking to strengthen and deepen America’s ties with the region.

30 June 2009 Peace Corps: "Born in America, but Learned to Walk in Ghana"  The Peace Corps, one of President John F. Kennedy’s enduring legacies, was launched in Ghana in 1961. Nearly a half century later, the corps is still going strong in the West African country, with volunteers involved in teaching, health and sanitation training, natural resource management and small business development.

25 June 2009 United States Seeks Expanded Economic Growth in Africa  A central objective of U.S. trade relations with sub-Saharan Africa is to create a platform for expanded African economic growth, says a senior U.S. trade official. "Sub-Saharan Africa's current share of global trade is less than 2 percent, down from 6 percent in 1980," Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Florizelle Liser testified June 24 at a congressional hearing.

25 June 2009 Guinea Worm Eradication Program Gets Results in Ghana  Guinea worm disease, which has crippled millions in Africa and Asia, is nearly vanquished in Ghana, thanks to the efforts of the Carter Center, which has been working with health workers in that country over the last 20 years.

23 June 2009 President Obama’s Visit to Ghana Will Be Historic  President Obama’s July 10–11 visit to Accra, Ghana, will be a "historic occasion," says Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson. He says it recognizes the progress Ghana has made — particularly in the area of democratization — which serves as an example to the rest of Africa.

17 June 2009 Special Envoy Gration Briefs on Recent Trip to Sudan  Provides updates on current status of Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

12 June 2009 United States Seeks to Encourage Democracy, Growth in Zimbabwe  President Obama welcomed Zimbabwe's prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, to the White House, praising the progress made "in very difficult circumstance" since he joined a unity government with political rival President Robert Mugabe.

11 June 2009 Obama's Cairo Speech Resonates with Africans, State's Carson Says  There was widespread interest across sub-Saharan Africa in President Obama's speech June 4 from Cairo to Muslims worldwide because many of the speech themes resonated directly with Africans who look forward to participating in a "new dialogue" with the United States, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson said June 5.

01 June 2009 Pirate Attacks Delay Food Sent to Africans  If pirate assaults on ships carrying emergency food donations escalate, more than 10 million people in Somalia and other countries in East and Central Africa will go hungry. Every time pirates attack these ships, as happened to the U.S.-owned and -flagged container ship Maersk Alabama on April 8 off the coast of Somalia, it raises the prospect of additional delays.

01 June 2009 The Costs of Piracy Are Passed Along  The world's largest container line says piracy is increasing its insurance costs and forcing it to pass those costs along to customers in the form of "piracy surcharges." But for cargo owners and vessel operators alike, the costs of armed, and sometimes deadly, attacks go beyond insurance to time, new expenses and business disruptions.

01 June 2009 International Community Uniting Against Pirates, Official Says  Piracy off the coast of Somalia is felt worldwide, harming trade, slowing regional development and preventing humanitarian aid from reaching the poorest nations of east Africa, according to a State Department official.

22 May 2009 High-Level Engagement with Africa Has Started  "High-level engagement has already started" between the Obama administration and Africa, said Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson Speaking at a gala reception in Washington marking the beginning of "Africa Week," Carson said: "Most of the Obama administration's Africa team is in place, and we are gearing up. We will continue to build on and strengthen the strong bipartisan consensus in Congress and among the people of America that has motivated U.S. policy towards Africa."

21 May 2009 U.S. Conducting High-Level Strategic Review of Somalia Strategy  In Somalia, the U.S. government is determined to support the policy of political reconciliation spearheaded by the beleaguered Transitional Federal Government (TFG), Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson told Congress.

14 May 2009 Independent Electoral Commissions Strengthen Democracy in Africa  Independent electoral commissions help African nations provide a level playing field during elections while building a foundation for the sustainability of democracy on the continent, democracy activists say.

13 May 2009 U.S. Africa Command Seeking Sustained Security Engagement  For African nations, the role of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) will be one of "sustained security engagement" as a more reliable partner across the continent, says Ambassador Mary Yates. Before the creation of a separate military command for Africa, the United States' military and security engagements on the continent had been episodic, said Yates said in a recent Washington Foreign Press Center briefing.

30 April 2009 Senate Committee Reviews U.S.-Africa Relationship  Piracy and maritime security, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ethiopia, corruption, and freedom of the press — all important issues in the U.S.-Africa relationship — were addressed April 29 by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs-designate Johnnie Carson before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

05 March 2009 Sudan's Bashir Should Be Held Accountable, Says Clinton  After an international court issued an arrest warrant for Sudan President Omar al-Bashir for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called for calm and reiterated America’s commitment to peace, justice and security for Africa's largest country.

05 March 2009 Obama Says Sanctions Against Zimbabwean Officials Will Continue  President Obama announced that United States sanctions against Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe and his key supporters will continue, citing an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to U.S. foreign policy.

23 February 2009 America Builds New African Partnerships to Tackle Piracy  The United States and other international partners are helping African governments confront piracy and improve maritime security on two coasts of Africa. While the waters off the coast of Somalia rank number 1 in the world for piracy and armed robbery at sea and the Gulf of Guinea on Africa’s west coast ranks closely behind in the number 2 spot, the two regions have different scenarios and different types of crime.

11 February 2009 United States Cautiously Welcomes Zimbabwean Unity Government  The Obama administration has extended its congratulations to Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai for becoming the country’s prime minister, but says it is waiting to see evidence of true power sharing and effective governance before offering additional development assistance or easing its targeted sanctions against President Robert Mugabe and his key supporters.

29 January 2009 USAID Statement on U.S. Aid for Zimbabwe Cholera Outbreak  U.S. sends $6.8 million in emergency assistance to Zimbabwe.