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CNNWASHINGTON (CNN) -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is embarking on her biggest international trip yet: Africa. Seven countries in 11 days. Issues as diverse as economic entrepreneurship and gender-based violence. The trip, which was to begin with Clinton's scheduled departure Monday evening, comes just three weeks after President Obama's trip to Accra, Ghana. She will highlight many of the themes he struck.
The State Department notes it is the earliest trip by a secretary of state and a president to Africa of any previous U.S. administration. In an administration that prides itself on a plethora of "priorities," officials say they are putting Africa toward the top of the list. The secretary opens her Africa trip in Nairobi, Kenya, at the U.S.-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum, delivering a speech Wednesday at the forum's ministerial opening ceremony.
In Kenya, she plans to meet with President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, encouraging them to proceed with their intention to rewrite the country's constitution. The East Africa country was hit with a wave of violence two-and-a-half years ago following flawed presidential elections. Also in Kenya, she will meet briefly with Somalia's president, Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed. His country is under intense pressure from Islamist extremist movements affiliated with al Qaeda, al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam.
On her next stop, South Africa, she will meet with the country's new leader, President Jacob Zuma, and the foreign minister. At the top of the agenda for the country, under severe economic pressure, are the crisis in neighboring Zimbabwe and the battle against HIV/AIDS.
Read more:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/03/clinton.africa.trip/
Clinton will visit Kenya, South Africa, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Liberia, and Cape Verde
Good for her! :toast: