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America.gov Selection August 29-September 5, 2011 : Articles of Particular Interest in Africa.

Libya

Clinton’s Travel to Paris for Libya Contact Group’s Meeting STATEMENT BY SPOKESPERSON VICTORIA NULAND Secretary Clinton’s Travel to Paris Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to Paris, France September 1 to participate in a senior-level meeting of the Contact Group on Libya. The Paris meeting will build on the productive Libya Contact Group meeting in Istanbul on August 25 and will provide the international community with an opportunity to further coordinate our financial and political support for the TNC.

State Department Briefing on Libya Contact Group Meeting in Paris BACKGROUND BRIEFING Senior State Department Officials Chief of Mission Residence Paris, France SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO: Okay, guys, we have Senior Official One to talk about the Secretary’s meetings this afternoon with President Sarkozy, with the TNC representatives, Chairman Jalil and Prime Minister Jabril, and about the Secretary’s remarks at the conference.

Clinton Remarks in Paris on Libya Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Press Availability Chief of Mission Residence Paris, France SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, this is my ninth trip to discuss the current crisis in Libya, and each time I have urged that our partners stay focused on the ultimate objective of helping the Libyan people chart their way to a better future. And today, that future is within their reach. All of us are inspired by what is happening in Libya.

World Community Welcomes Libya’s Transitional Council Washington — Leaders of nations and international organizations are welcoming Libya back into the community of nations, while recognizing that Libyan civilians need continued NATO protections until the threat of violence has passed. “Nearly 70 countries so far have recognized the TNC [Transitional National Council], including 18 African nations, the Arab League and now Russia,” said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at a Paris briefing September 1. “It is time for others to follow suit,” she said after a multilateral meeting where leaders sketched the outline of a new Libya, won through a citizen uprising that began six months ago.

Security and Climate Change

Key Points on Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty U.S. Department of State Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance Fact Sheet The Case for the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty: Some Key Points The United States will be more secure by ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which establishes a global legal ban on the explosive testing of nuclear weapons.

eJournal USA: Climate Action Goes Local As a global phenomenon, climate change is an issue that we usually look to the international community to address. Local communities, however, are increasingly taking the lead in developing innovative, grass-roots approaches to mitigating and combating the causes and effects of global warming. According to a study by the United Nations Development Programme, most investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to climate change must take place at the local level. In the United States, local governments and private citizens have been collaborating to curb those emissions, without waiting for solutions at the national or international level.

Nigeria and Somalia

Ambassador Rice on Attack on U.N. Offices in Nigeria USUN PRESS RELEASE August 26, 2011 Statement by Ambassador Susan E. Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, on the Attack on the United Nations Offices in Abuja, Nigeria, August 26, 2011 The United States strongly condemns the heinous attack against innocents at the United Nations offices in Abuja, Nigeria this morning. The offices house the UN’s humanitarian and development agencies, and the victims were ordinary people carrying out extraordinary work. To those who benefit directly from their dedication and generosity, they are heroes.

State’s Yamamoto: The Untapped Power of Somali Diaspora The Untapped Power of the Somali Diaspora Posted by Donald Y. Yamamoto August 26, 2011 Donald Y. Yamamoto serves as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. With famine spreading across the Horn of Africa, the Somali-American diaspora isn’t just watching the images fan across the television, they’re organizing themselves into action. More than 100,000 Somali-Americans reside in the United States and their deep communal ties to relatives in Somalia are the foundation of their giving.

Sudan and South Sudan

Announcement of Amb. Yates’ Appointment to Khartoum, Sudan U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson STATEMENT BY VICTORIA NULAND, SPOKESPERSON Announcement of Ambassador Mary C. Yates’ Appointment as Interim Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan The U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that Mary C. Yates will serve as interim Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, beginning on September 1, 2011. Ambassador Yates most recently served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs on the White House National Security Staff.

State Department on Cessation of Southern Kordofan Bombings U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson STATEMENT BY VICTORIA NULAND, SPOKESPERSON U.S. Calls for Cessation of Southern Kordofan Bombings The United States remains deeply concerned about reports of continued bombings of civilian areas in Southern Kordofan by the Sudanese Air Force, despite the Government of Sudan’s announcement of a unilateral two-week ceasefire last week. The United States urges the Government of Sudan to adhere to its commitment and to immediately cease aerial bombings, particularly of civilian areas.

Statement on Escalating Violence in Blue Nile State of Sudan U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson STATEMENT BY VICTORIA NULAND, Spokesperson 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. We call on both parties to cease hostilities and for the SAF to end aerial bombings. We also call on both parties to protect civilians and engage in dialogue to prevent further escalation of violence.

Islam in America, Labor Day, and MLK

	Eid al-Fitr in America Muslims across the United States are preparing to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of Ramadan.

President Obama’s Message on Occasion of Eid al-Fitr THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary Statement by the President on the Occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr Michelle and I would like to send Eid greetings to Muslim communities in the United States and around the world. Ramadan has been a time for families and communities to share the happiness of coming together in intense devotion, reflection, and service. Millions all over the world have been inspired to honor their faith by reaching out to those less fortunate.

Mosques of America: Austin, Texas The Nueces Mosque in Austin, Texas, knows how to make new friends. Perhaps socializing comes easily because the mosque’s members are mostly students from the University of Texas and Austin Community College.

	Labor Day: Celebrating America’s Workers Labor Day is celebrated by Americans each year on the first Monday of September to honor the contributions of workers in the United States. A U.S. federal holiday since 1894, Labor Day also marks the unofficial end of summer.

A Strike Helps Shape History Many people know that Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, but they might not know why he was there. The civil rights leader was supporting a strike by 1,300 sanitation workers, mostly African-American men, who were protesting difficult working conditions, poverty-level wages and the refusal of the city to recognize their union.

Youth

	Looking at America with Fresh Eyes (Photo Gallery) Each year scholars, students and teachers from around the world attend Study of the United States institutes. They travel to universities throughout the United States for short, intensive seminars in women’s leadership, new media, American politics, history and many other subjects.