U.S. Acting Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs John Bass recently travelled to Chad and Tanzania to discuss with government leaders bilateral and regional cooperation, humanitarian support, and security.
Under Secretary Bass said that in Chad, the U.S. explored the impacts the country is experiencing from surrounding conflicts. These include the civil war in Sudan; instability caused by terrorist organizations in the Sahel; the challenges of Boko Harem in the Lake Chad Basin; as well as the “perennial instability and internal conflicts” from the Central African Republic. He spoke of the generosity of the Chadian Government and people toward refugees:
“[I]t’s quite remarkable how a society which ranks among the poorest in the world nonetheless finds the capacity to welcome so many people in need. And the United States Government has been the leading donor in responding to the humanitarian crisis in Darfur ... and we will continue to partner with a range of countries and donors and the UN family in addressing the immediate consequences of that conflict.”
In Tanzania, Under Secretary Bass met with officials to explore ways to deepen an already strong bilateral relationship. He noted the United States and Tanzania are building on a “pretty remarkable record of success” over two decades in dealing with a variety of challenges:
“In particular, HIV/AIDS, but also in building a much stronger and robust health surveillance network and set of healthcare facilities and health care infrastructure that has enabled the society to dramatically reduce HIV infections rates ... and to also tackle some of the other endemic health challenges, notably the ongoing fight against malaria.”
The United States is looking at additional ways to strengthen the partnership with Tanzania through increased economic growth and development, including by helping Tanzania benefit from the ongoing transition to the green economy and the need for critical minerals and other resources.
Finally, Under Secretary Bass emphasized that the United States is determined to meet African youth “where they are,” which, increasingly, is the digital landscape. To that end, the United States has created new opportunities for young Africans “to tell us what concerns them … what their aspirations are for their own futures.”
As Under Secretary Bass’ trip makes clear, the United States is determined to engage and invest in Africa, because, as President Joe Biden has said: “When Africa succeeds, the United States succeeds ... [and] the whole world succeeds as well.”
