United States Africa Command

Public Affairs Office

4 June 2010

USAFRICOM - related news stories

TOP NEWS RELATED TO U.S. AFRICA COMMAND AND AFRICA

Report: Obama Pledges to Make Presidential Visit to Kenya (Voice of America)

(Kenya) A Kenyan news agency reports that U.S. President Barack Obama has
promised to visit the country, his father's homeland, before he leaves office.

US calls for Rwanda to release professor (Associated Press)

(Rwanda) State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters on Thursday that
the United States is pressing for the release of Peter Erlinder, of St. Paul, Minn., who
was arrested on Friday after being accused of denying the central African country's 1994
genocide.

Region and U.S. to Strengthen Trade Relations (Angola Press)

(Angola) The US ambassador to Angola, Dan Mozena, today announced the
strengthening of trade relations between Angola and the United States, mainly in the
agro-farming.

Think Tank Attacks West as 'Out of Touch' on Africa (AllAfrica.com)

(Pan Africa) An influential British think tank has warned the West that it will lose out
to emerging nations unless it replaces its "humanitarian" approach to Africa with a
more strategic focus on diplomatic and trade relations.

China, AU celebrate completion of main structure of AU's modern conference center

(Xinhua)
(Pan Africa) China and the African Union (AU) on Wednesday celebrated the
successful completion of the main structure of AU's modern Conference Center by a
Chinese company, namely CSCEC, and aided by the Chinese government here in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia.

ICC to investigate Ugandan army (CNN)

(Uganda) Citing increased complaints from Ugandans, mainly from the war-ravaged
northern region, the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) said Thursday
he plans to investigate the country's army over alleged crimes against humanity.
Congo Rights Activist Found Dead (Associated Press)
(Congo) The head of one of Congo's largest human rights groups has been found dead,
and the United Nations' top human rights official said Thursday the victim had suffered
a pattern of intimidation because of his work.

UN News Service Africa Briefs

Full Articles on UN Website
• UN condemns murder of DR Congo human rights defender, urges inquiry
• Experts convene at UN forum to discuss impact of influenza on Africa
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UPCOMING EVENTS OF INTEREST:

WHEN/WHERE: Tuesday, June 8, 1:00 p.m.; Washington, D.C.

WHAT: U.S. Institute of Peace: Rape In War: Motives of Militia in DRC
WHO: Jocelyn Kelly, Gender-Based Violence Research Coordinator, Harvard Humanitarian
Initiative (HHI), Harvard University; Major General Patrick Cammaert, Former Commander of
the Eastern Division, U.N. Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC); Anne-
Marie Goetz, Chief Adviser, Governance Peace and Security, UNIFEM; Kathleen Kuehnast,
Moderator, United States Institute of Peace
Info: http://www.usip.org/events/rape-in-war-motives-militia-in-drc

WHEN/WHERE: Friday, June 11, noon; Washington, D.C.

WHAT: Cato Institute: Sudan After the Elections: Implications for the Future and American
Policy Options
WHO: Sean Brooks, Save Darfur Coalition; Marc Gustafson, Marshall Scholar, Oxford
University; Jon Temin, U.S. Institute for Peace; moderated by Justin Logan, Associate Director
of Foreign Policy Studies, Cato Institute
Info: http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=7192
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FULL ARTICLE TEXT

Report: Obama Pledges to Make Presidential Visit to Kenya (Voice of America)

A Kenyan news agency reports that U.S. President Barack Obama has promised to visit
the country, his father's homeland, before he leaves office.

The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) says Mr. Obama made the pledge in an
exclusive interview on June 1 in Washington.

Mr. Obama has visited Kenya three times before but never since becoming president.

Mr. Obama barely knew his father, who died in a car crash in 1982. However, Kenyans
closely followed Barack Obama's election as president and many consider him one of
their own.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Kenya next week during a three-
nation tour.

The White House has said Mr. Biden will discuss bilateral and regional security issues
with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

KBC quotes President Obama as urging Kenyans to take part in an August referendum
on a new constitution.

He said the new constitution could help establish the rule of law, protect human rights,
and reduce the ethnic violence that erupted after the disputed 2007 elections.

Mr. Obama said that regardless of whether Kenyans vote yes or no, he wants to see
them participate.
--------------------
US calls for Rwanda to release professor (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON – The State Department is calling on the government of Rwanda to

release a jailed U.S. law professor on the grounds of compassion.

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters on Thursday that the United
States is pressing for the release of Peter Erlinder, of St. Paul, Minn., who was arrested
on Friday after being accused of denying the central African country's 1994 genocide.

Erlinder was hospitalized on Wednesday after what Rwandan officials said was an
apparent suicide attempt. However, the 62-year-old Erlinder told consular officials that
he took an oversdose of his prescription medication so that he would be sent from a
squalid jail to the hospital.

That message was conveyed from the consulate in Rwanda to his family, who said
Thursday they understood his actions to be part of an effort to escape a jail cell where
he feared for his safety and was staying with seven or eight other inmates.
--------------------
Region and U.S. to Strengthen Trade Relations (Angola Press)

LUANDA, Angola — The US ambassador to Angola, Dan Mozena, today announced

the strengthening of trade relations between Angola and the United States, mainly in
the agro-farming.

Speaking to Angop, the US diplomat termed the trade relations between the two
countries as "very good", particularly in the oil sector with the volume of business rising
from 10,000 million USdollars in 2008 to 18 million in 2009.
He said that United States are the major investors in Angola stating that steps are being
taken to divert these investments to other businesses, announcing a forthcoming
consultation meeting in Luanda between angolan and american officials to discuss
american investments in the angolan non-oil sector.

He added that the US embassy is doing its best to atract new american investments for
Angola explaining the ongoing business opportunities in the non-oil sector mentioning
a last week video-conference with 140 american investors based in South Africa,
showing the business opportunities in Angola.

Dan Mozena, who ends in July his three year mission in Angola, said to be impressed
by Angola's quick development particularly the rehabilition and building of infra-
structures destroyed during the war.

The US diplomat stated that angolans are building a new Angola with modern
infrastructures that are contributiong for the improvement of living conditions of the
population.
--------------------
Think Tank Attacks West as 'Out of Touch' on Africa (AllAfrica.com)

An influential British think tank has warned the West that it will lose out to emerging
nations unless it replaces its "humanitarian" approach to Africa with a more strategic
focus on diplomatic and trade relations.

In a major report published on Thursday, the London-based Chatham House says the
emerging economies of Asia, Latin America and Africa are finding commercial and
political opportunities in Africa that are being overlooked by the continent's traditional
partners.

Chatham House is the name under which the Royal Institute of International Affairs
operates.

The author of the report, Tom Cargill, Chatham House's Africa programme assistant
director, says countries such as the United Kingdom fail to engage seriously with Africa
diplomatically, and rely too heavily on "aid policies that rarely deliver influence" and
on "historical ties that are fading."

He says the overwhelmingly humanitarian interest of many Western countries and

traditional partners had led to stereotyped perceptions of Africa in terms only of
problems.
"These views are increasingly patronizing, recursive, out of touch, and a deterrent to
serious business interest," Cargill says. "Meanwhile the emerging economic powers of
the G20 see Africa in terms of opportunities – as a place in which to invest, gain market
share and win access to resources."

Consumption Boosts Growth

Cargill says that there have been dramatic improvements and prospects in Africa since
the end of the Cold War, when much of the continent was mired in conflict and
declining growth levels.

"Governance and growth rates have improved to the point where Africa has been the
fastest growing region of the world for some years. Inflation has dropped, fiscal policy
has improved and investment returns have increased," he says.

"Yet while conventional wisdom is that recent growth has been largely driven by higher
commodity prices, there is much evidence that increased consumption has played a
central role, driven by and further driving the emergence in many African countries of a
more assertive middle class with disposable wealth and an appetite for consumer
goods."

Cargill says this is highly significant because it points to a more critical and robust
relationship between governments and taxpaying citizens, helping cement good
governance and pro-growth reforms.

"Africa seems increasingly to be the final frontier for economic globalization; arguably it
has already become the most politically globalized," he says.

Cargill adds that although aid is still crucially important to millions in Africa, business
has flourished in many countries in the past decade as stability has increased.

"Nearly all governments in Africa now have a greater sense of what they need to do to
stimulate growth and are seeking the tools to do it," Cargill says. "The financial crisis
may have contributed to instability in those countries that have long suffered from it,
but the continent as a whole is set to recover strongly as global growth returns."

Developmental Focus Essential

Cargill says that while a strong diplomacy-led engagement is important, a separate and
strong developmental focus is also critical.

"A purely or overwhelmingly diplomatic approach could bring back the kind of
narrowly exploitative and dismissive approach that characterized the relations of some
countries with Africa in the past, and which did not recognize the potential of strategic
partnerships," Cargill says.

"This is particularly important as more emerging economies become interested in

strengthening their engagement across Africa, since they bring very different
conceptions of what is acceptable business and diplomatic practice."
--------------------
China, AU celebrate completion of main structure of AU's modern conference center
(Xinhua)

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - China and the African Union (AU) on Wednesday
celebrated the successful completion of the main structure of AU's modern Conference
Center by a Chinese company, namely CSCEC, and aided by the Chinese government
here in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The ceremony was attended by Erastus Mwencha, deputy chairperson of the African
Union Commission (AUC), Chinese ambassador to Ethiopia Gu Xiaojie and other senior
officials from the two sides and also from Ethiopian government.

Speaking on the occasion, Song Sudong, chief of the China Technical Team Senior
Engineers, said both the Chinese government and the AUC have attached great
importance to the project development.

"In the course of project construction, the Chinese embassy has provided elaborate
guidance and assistance. The AUC and the Ethiopian government have also extended
close collaboration and cooperation," he said.

"Despite the difficult conditions, our whole team and local employees make collective
efforts and carry forward the spirit of arduous struggles, rise above adversities, finally
achieve this timely completion of the structure of the Office Tower," he added.

Song further said with consistent assistance from the three parties, the company would
strive to deliver the finished project as per the schedule.

"Under the consistent support and assistance from the Chinese government, the AU and
the Ethiopian government, we will make greater efforts and do an even better job, build
the AU Conference Center Project into a high-quality milestone project, and deliver to
the AUC a well-equipped and full-fledged office and conference center in modern
times," said the chief.

The construction project was commenced in June 2009.

Ambassador Gu appreciated all the effort made to complete the main structure of the
Office Tower as per the schedule and congratulated the company and the AU on having
successfully completed the main structure.

Erastus Mwencha, deputy chairperson of the AUC, said the project is a monument and
representation of the cooperation between Africa and China.

The deputy chairperson commended the Chinese government and its people for
unfailing assistance to the African continent.

He also appreciated the hard work, commitment and dedication of the people who are
working on the project.

Mwench expressed firm belief that the Chinese company would deliver the whole
project as per the schedule just as it has done the main structure of the building.

He said the project would serve as an instrument to further bolster the cooperation
between the two parties.

The deputy chairperson also said the work done by the Chinese company through the
assistance of the Chinese government would be a special gift to Africa in general, and to
Addis Ababa in particular.

Fantahun Michael, AU's Technical Team Coordinator for the Project, on his part, said
the AU highly appreciates the project as it is a special gift to the whole African
continent by the Chinese government.

Fantahun said the project is a living testimony for the excellent relationship between
Africa and China.

"AU highly appreciates this gift; a very special gift and this is a monumental gift to
whole continent of Africa and it will symbolize the strong relationship between Africa
and China," he said.

He also commended the commitment of the Chinese government to further enhancing

the long-standing relation between the two parties.

Speaking of the ongoing project, Fantahun said the two sides are working on the project
hand-in-hand in very friendly manner.

He said AU highly appreciated the commitment and hard work displayed by Chinese
whole management and technical staff while working on the project.
It was noted on the occasion that the construction project including both the Office and
the Conference Center would be fully completed in December 2011.
--------------------
ICC to investigate Ugandan army (CNN)

MUNYONYO, Uganda - Citing increased complaints from Ugandans, mainly from the
war-ravaged northern region, the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC)
said Thursday he plans to investigate the country's army over alleged crimes against
humanity.

"I have received complaints from many affected people in Uganda and human rights
activists about (the) Uganda army's alleged atrocities they committed during many
years of insurgency in the north," said Luis Moreno-Ocampo.

Most of the complaints against the Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF), as the army
is known, are from before 2002, and the ICC does not have jurisdiction to investigate
those, he said.

"I follow crimes committed after July 2002, which include crimes against humanity, war
crimes and genocide," he said.

Moreno-Ocampo spoke shortly after meeting former U.N. Undersecretary for Children,
Olara Otunnu, who has accused government of President Yoweri Museveni of various
crimes over the years.

"We are here to manage conflict including violence," Moreno-Ocampo said. "If he
(Otunnu) has information he wants to submit, let him give it to me for as long as it does
not predate 2002."

Moreno-Ocampo said he would assess the information Otunnu submitted to him but
had asked for more specifics about cases of atrocities allegedly committed by the UPDF.

"If we see (a) need to open new investigations, we shall. They are important and I can
investigate if he gives me real information," he told journalists.

Otunnu alleges the Ugandan army committed atrocities in northern Uganda during the
more-than two-decade-long insurgency led by the vicious Lord's Resistance Army,
whose leader Joseph Kony and four of his commanders are indicted by the court.

He argues the UPDF is equally culpable for crimes against humanity and war crimes
like their enemy, the LRA, but Moreno-Ocampo told Otunnu to file a formal case with
ICC.
Moreno-Ocampo advised Otunnu to go to the High Court of Uganda in such instances
where the ICC has no jurisdiction.

"We selected the gravest cases in northern Uganda and it's a fact that thousands of these
were committed by the LRA," Moreno-Ocampo said. "It is clear Joseph Kony committed
most of the crimes in northern Uganda.

"We will respond to any communication sent to us in terms of evidence but on cases not
predating 2002," he explained.

In reaction, Deputy Attorney General Fredrick Ruhindi told a separate press conference,
"If Otunnu has decided to take his matters to the press instead of through official
channels, he is free to do so."
--------------------
Congo Rights Activist Found Dead (Associated Press)

KINSHASA, Congo - The head of one of Congo's largest human rights groups has been
found dead, and the United Nations' top human rights official said Thursday the victim
had suffered a pattern of intimidation because of his work.

The body of Floribert Chebeya Bahizire of Voix des Sans Voix, or Voice of the Voiceless,
was found in his car Wednesday in a suburb of Congo's capital.

''For more than 20 years, Chebeya Bahizire had survived many death threats, arrests,
and ill treatment due to his work as a human rights defender. He believed in the cause
of human rights and was not afraid to pursue it against all odds,'' Navi Pillay, the U.N.
high commissioner for human rights, said Thursday.

Amnesty International called on the government to launch an investigation into

Chebeya's death.

''We are stunned and appalled by the suspicious death of such a prominent and
respected human rights defender,'' said Veronique Aubert, deputy director of the
group's Africa Program. ''Floribert has been arrested and harassed by the authorities in
the past. It seems he may have paid the ultimate price for his valuable work.''

The rights group said Chebeya often complained he was followed and under
surveillance by security forces. The organization said he was last heard from Tuesday
night, when he sent a text to a family member that he had just met with a senior police
official and was headed home. Passers-by later found his body.

Interior Minister Adolphe Lumanu issued a statement Wednesday night ordering

security forces to look into the death and offering condolences to the family.
For the past two decades, Voix des Sans Voix has worked to document human rights
abuses across Congo, focusing on corruption in the military and foreign support for
militias, according to the U.N.

Amnesty and the U.N. said they were concerned about a growing trend of harassment
of human rights activists in Congo.
--------------------
UN News Service Africa Briefs
Full Articles on UN Website

UN condemns murder of DR Congo human rights defender, urges inquiry

3 June – Senior United Nations officials called today for a prompt and rigorous
investigation into the killing of a renowned Congolese human rights defender whose
body has been found on the outskirts of the capital, Kinshasa, one day after he was
summoned to a police station.

Experts convene at UN forum to discuss impact of influenza on Africa

3 June – African health ministers and representatives of international agencies have
gathered today in Marrakesh, Morocco, at a meeting organized by the United Nations
and its partners to discuss the impact of influenza on the continent.