Obama sends high-level delegation to African Union summit

A past African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Photo/FILE 

In Summary

• The White House recently announced that President Obama has invited 47 African heads of State and Government to a landmark US-Africa summit in August.
• The President has, in recent times, paid considerable attention to Africa by seeking to widen US trade, development and security ties with a continent to which he traces part of his ancestry.

By B M J Muriithi
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The US government has sent a high powered delegation to the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

A press statement released by the State Department on Monday said the Deputy Secretary of State, William Burns, will lead a team of at least ten senior government officials to the 22nd continental forum.

“The delegation will meet with a variety of AU and regional officials to discuss how the United States and the AU are working together towards important shared priorities for Africa,” the statement said.

The team includes the Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and National Security Council (NSC) Senior Director for African Affairs, Grant Harris.

This comes barely a week after the White House announced that President Obama has invited 47 African heads of State and Government to a landmark US-Africa summit in August.

(READ: Obama invites Uhuru to US summit)

A notable inclusion in the list is Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is currently awaiting a delayed trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. (READ: Now Uhuru’s case put off indefinitely)

President Obama has, in recent times, paid considerable attention to Africa by seeking to widen US trade, development and security ties with a continent to which he traces part of his ancestry.

During his trip which took him to three African nations last year, Mr Obama pledged to help build "Africa for Africans" and argued that the region's growing economic potential could help it shake off its reputation as simply a recipient of foreign aid.

(READ: Obama’s Kenya pledge as he ends Africa tour)

The United States has on several occasions, expressed its “deep concern over the serious deterioration in the security situation in the Central African Republic as well as the situation in South Sudan”.

Ridding the continent of Al-Qaeda franchises also features on Washington's top priorities. (READ: Al-Qaeda in East Africa)

It will be the first time senior ranking US government officials will be meeting with African leaders since the defeat of a proposed resolution at the UN Security Council. United States abstained from the vote that sought suspension of ICC Kenya cases.

Last Friday, Kenya’s envoy to the United Nations said the African Union would not relent in its quest to have the ICC treaty amended in order to exempt sitting heads of state from prosecution.

(READ: Kenya still pushing to shield heads of state from ICC)

The AU summit is scheduled for January 21-31 with the theme “Transforming Africa’s Agriculture: Harnessing Opportunities for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development.”

The US delegation includes Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Deputy to the US Permanent Representative to the United Nations Rexon Ryu and US Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan Donald Booth.

They will also be accompanied by US Special Envoy for the Great Lakes and the DRC Russell D. Feingold, USAid Associate Administrator Mark Feierstein, USAid Assistant Administrator for Africa Earl Gast, Acting Assistant to the Administrator for Food Security Tjada McKennt, Assistant US Trade Representative for Africa Florizelle Liser, and Special Assistant to the President and NSC Senior Director for African Affairs Grant Harris.