The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
August 06, 2014

First Lady Michelle Obama's Open Letter on Seventeen.com

The following open letter by First Lady Michelle Obama appeared this morning on Seventeen.com. http://www.seventeen.com/college/advice/michelle-obama-africa-leaders-summit-open-letter-education-disparities

Additionally, the symposium for spouses hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama and Mrs. Laura Bush is being livestreamed today at http://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/us-africa-leaders-summit.

Did you know that right now, 62 million girls around the world are not in school, and in some countries, fewer than ten percent of girls complete high school (as compared to 85 percent in the U.S.)?

Did you know that when girls are educated, they go on to earn higher wages, get married later, and have healthier children who are more likely to attend school themselves?

So you might be wondering: why on earth are so many girls worldwide not in school? 

There are many answers to this question.  Sometimes, families simply can’t afford to send their daughters to school (some countries don’t have free public education, and families have to pay school fees); or girls live in rural areas, far from schools, and have no means of transportation; or girls can’t afford to buy sanitary pads, so they’re unable to attend school during their periods, and they wind up falling behind and dropping out.

But often, the problem isn’t just about resources, it’s also about attitudes and beliefs.

In some places, girls are viewed as less worthy of an education than boys, so when a family has limited funds, they’ll educate their sons instead of their daughters.  In some parts of the world, girls are forced to get married young – sometimes before they even reach puberty – to men who might be three or four times their age, and instead of attending school, they wind up having children at a young age.

And often, even when girls do have the chance to attend school, they do so at great risk.  For example, in some countries, there are terrorist organizations who view educated girls as a serious threat and do everything in their power to keep girls from going to school.

We saw this in Pakistan when Taliban terrorists boarded a school bus and shot a 15 year-old girl named Malala Yousafzai because she had spoken out for girls’ education.  We saw it in Nigeria when men from a terrorist organization called Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 girls from their school dormitory in the middle of the night. 

These girls were well aware of the risks they were taking – they had been receiving threats for months – but they insisted on showing up for school because they were determined to pursue their dreams and make their families and communities proud. 

Knowing the heartbreaking challenges so many girls in the world are facing, think about all the girls you know who don’t take their education seriously – girls who skip class, or don’t do their homework, or even drop out because they don’t see the point of school.

To any girl – or any young person – who might be thinking this way, I have a simple message: you can do better – for yourself, your family and your country.

I know that your school might not be as good as it should be, or you might be facing challenges in your family that make it hard for you to focus in class.  But if girls across the globe can walk hours each day from their villages to attend school, or work two or three jobs to pay their school fees, or even risk their lives to attend school, then I know you can overcome any obstacles you face.

Maybe that means talking to a teacher or a counselor to get some help, or committing yourself to concrete goals each week, like showing up on time for class and getting your homework done each night.

Whatever you do, I urge you to take your education seriously, because no matter what you want to do with your life, I guarantee that you will need a high school diploma and some higher education, like a two-year or four-year college degree or a professional certificate.

And as you get yourself on track for higher education, I hope you’ll work to give girls around the world opportunities to attend school too.  Get involved with an organization that focuses on girls’ education; form a club at your school to raise money and awareness; use social media to educate everyone you know about this issue.

So many girls around the world would give anything to get the kind of education that so many girls take for granted in the U.S.  And I hope you will show just a fraction of their courage and determination in getting your own education and helping them get theirs.

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
August 05, 2014

Readout of Vice President Biden’s Meeting with President Moncef Marzouki of Tunisia

This afternoon, Vice President Biden met with President Moncef Marzouki of Tunisia. The Vice President thanked the President for Tunisia’s assistance in relocating U.S. personnel from Libya and offered his condolences for Tunisian soldiers who died fighting terrorists on July 16th. The Vice President underscored the United States’ commitment to deepening security cooperation with Tunisia and supporting Tunisia as it conducts parliamentary and presidential elections in the coming months. Vice President Biden and President Marzouki agreed on the importance of a successful democratic transition in Tunisia, which would set an important precedent for the entire region.

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
August 05, 2014

Readout of Vice President Biden’s Meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria

Vice President Biden welcomed President Goodluck Jonathan of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the White House today on the margins of the historic U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. Vice President Biden and President Jonathan agreed that Nigeria and the United States would work together to urgently contain the outbreak of the Ebola virus. The Vice President welcomed the Government of Nigeria’s work to improve its business climate, which continues to attract U.S. investors. The President and Vice President agreed on the importance of deepening trade and investment, and the critical role that access to electricity—including through the advancement of Power Africa—plays in supporting that goal. Lastly, the President and Vice President discussed Nigeria’s efforts to counter Boko Haram. The Vice President reiterated U.S. partnership in defeating the terrorist threat and the need to pursue holistic approaches that respect and protect human rights. The Vice President also underscored the importance of supporting Nigeria’s effort to improve the socioeconomic and security conditions in northern Nigeria.

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
August 05, 2014

Readout of Vice President Biden's Meeting with President Jacob Zuma of South Africa

Vice President Biden met with President Jacob Zuma of South Africa today, on the sidelines of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. The Vice President and the President spoke about the significance of the Summit and the importance of U.S. engagement with African countries. In support of economic growth, the two spoke about the need to increase U.S. trade and investment opportunities in South Africa, and about the Administration’s commitment to work with Congress on the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The two also discussed African peacekeeping capabilities, including support for an African rapid response mechanism, to help address peace and security needs on the continent. Additionally, the two exchanged views on the Gaza crisis and Syria.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 05, 2014

Expected Attendees at Tonight’s U.S.–Africa Leaders Summit Dinner

Below is a list of expected attendees at tonight’s White House Dinner on the occasion of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. Additional details about the Summit Dinner are available HERE.

THE PRESIDENT and MRS. OBAMA

His Excellency Mohamed Abdulaziz, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, State of Libya

His Excellency Jean-Paul Adam, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Seychelles

His Excellency Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

Ms. Uzo Aduba, Actress, New York, NY
            Ms. Nonyem Aduba

Ms. Mimi Alemayehou, Washington, DC
            Mr. Papa Ndiaye

Her Excellency Amina Ali, Ambassador of the African Union Mission

His Excellency Abdalla Alteni, Prime Minister of the State of Libya

His Excellency Martin Andjaba, Ambassador of the Republic of Namibia

The Honorable Dennis Archer, Chairman and CEO, Dennis W. Archer PLLC, Detroit, MI
            Mr. Dennis Archer, Jr.

The Honorable Caroline Atkinson, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics, National Security Council
            Mr. Geoffrey Boyd Lamb

His Excellency Abdallah Baali, Ambassador of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

His Excellency Nassirou Bako Arifari, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration, Francophonie and the Beninese Diaspora, Republic of Benin

His Excellency Oldemiro Marques Baloi, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Republic of Mozambique

Mr. Ajay Banga, President and CEO, Mastercard, Purchase, NY
            Mrs. Ritu Banga

The Honorable Karen Bass, United States Representative (California)
            Ms. Kim Hurley

His Excellency Yipènè Djibril Bassrole, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation, Burkina Faso

His Excellency Kalidu Bayo, Minister of Presidential Affairs, Republic of The Gambia

His Excellency Mohamed Bazoum, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, African Integration and Nigerians Abroad, Republic of Niger

The Honorable Joyce Beatty, United States Representative (Ohio)
            Mr. Otto Beatty Jr.

Reverend David Beckmann, President, Bread for the World, Washington, DC
            Mrs. Janet Williams Beckmann

His Excellency Abdirahman Beileh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Investment, Federal Republic of Somalia

The Honorable Mr. William Bell, Birmingham, AL
            Mrs. Sharon Bell

His Excellency Abdel-Ilah Benkiran, Head of Government of the Kingdom of Morocco
            Mrs. Nabila Benkiran, Spouse of the Head of Government of the Kingdom of Morocco

Mr. Mayank Bhargava, Falls Church, VA
            Ms. Namita Datta

Mr. Hunter Biden, Washington, DC
            Mrs. Kathleen Biden

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Vice President of the United States
            Dr. Jill Biden

His Excellency Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon
            Mrs. Chantal Biya, First Lady of the Republic of Cameroon

The Honorable Tony Blinken, Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor, Office of the National Security Advisor

The Honorable Michael Bloomberg, Owner, Bloomberg, New York, NY
            Ms. Diana Taylor

His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., Vice President of the Republic of Liberia

His Excellency Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of the Gabonese Republic
            Mrs. Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, First Lady of the Gabonese Republic

The Honorable Dr. Arivn Boolell, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Republic of Mauritius

Mr. Joseph Brandt, New York, NY
            Mrs. Carol Brandt

The Honorable Anita Breckenridge, Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff
            Mr. Russell Breckenridge

The Honorable Lonnie Bunch III, Director, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, DC
            Ms. Roslyn Marable-Bunch

The Honorable William Burns, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of State
            Ms. Lisa Ann Carty

The Honorable Sylvia Burwell, Secretary of Health and Human Services
            Mr. Steve Burwell

Ms. Vanessa Bush, Editor in Chief, Essence, New York, NY
            Ms. Tatsha Robertson

Ms. Kathy Calvin, President, UN Foundation, Washington, DC
            Mr. John Calvin

The Honorable Johnnie Carson, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, U.S. Department of State
            Mrs. Anne Carson

The Honorable President Jimmy Carter

The Honorable Dr. George Chaponda MP, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Republic of Malawi

His Excellency George Rebelo Chicoti, Minister of External Relations, Republic of Angola

The Honorable Donna Christensen, Delegate to the United States House of Representatives, United States Virgin Islands
            Mrs. Rabiah George

The Honorable William Lacy Clay, Jr., United States Representative (Missouri)
            Mr. William L. Clay III

Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, Director, National Museum of African Art, Washington, DC
            Mr. James Staton, Jr.

His Excellency Blaise Compaoré, President of Burkina Faso
            Mrs. Chantal Compaoré, First Lady of Burkina Faso

His Excellency Alpha Conde, President of the Republic of Guinea
            Her Excellency Djene Kaba Conde, First Lady of the Republic of Guinea

The Honorable Maria Contreras-Sweet, Administrator, Small Business Administration
            Mr. Raphael Sweet

The Honorable Christopher Coons, United States Senator (Delaware)
            Mrs. Annie Coons

Ms. Helene Cooper, White House Correspondent, The New York Times, Alexandria, VA
            Mr. Jonathan Karp

His Excellency Gabriel Arcanjo Ferreira da Costa, Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe

The Honorable Elijah Cummings, United States Representative (Maryland)
            Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings

Her Excellency Natalia Da Costa Umbelina Neto, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Communities, Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe

Mr. Aliko Dangote, President/Chief Executive, Dangote Industries Ltd., Washington, DC
            Ms. Halima Aliko-Dangote

The Honorable Brian Deese, Deputy Director, Office of Management and Budget
            Mrs. Kara Deese

His Excellency Jorge Carlos de Almeida Fonseca, President of the Republic of Cabo Verde
            Mrs. Lígia Arcângela Lubrino Dias Fonseca, First Lady of the Republic of Cabo Verde

The Honorable Bill de Blasio, Mayor, City of New York, NY
            Ms. Chirlane McCray

Mr. Valentino Deng, Chicago, IL
            Ms. Tiffanie De Bartolo

Ms. Grace Hightower DeNiro, New York, NY
            Mr. Robert DeNiro

His Excellency Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
            Her Excellency Roman Tesfaye, First Lady of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

 

His Excellency Ikililou Dhoinine, President of the Union of the Comoros
            Her Excellency Hadidja Abubakar Ikililou Dhoinine, Spouse of the President of the Union of Comoros

His Excellency Abdoulaye Diop, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration, and International Cooperation, Republic of Mali   

The Honorable Shaun Donovan, Director, Office of Management and Budget
            Ms. Liza Gilbert

His Excellency Daniel Kablan Duncan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire

The Honorable Donna Edwards, United States Representative (Maryland)
            Ms. Selena Singleton

The Honorable Neil Eggleston, Assistant to the President and Counsel
            Ms. Penda Hair

Mr. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Actor, New York, NY
            Ms. Mmoma Ejifor

Mr. Michael Elliott, President and CEO, ONE, Washington, DC
            Ms. Sipho Moyo

Mr. Tony Elumelu, Nigeria
             Mr. Wiebe Boer

The Honorable Eliot Engel, United States Representative (New York)
            Mrs. Patricia Engel

His Excellency Francois Fall, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Guineans Abroad, Republic of Guinea

The Honorable Katie Fallon, Assistant to the President and Director of Legislative Affairs
            Mr. Brian Fallon, Jr.

Ms. Mbaye Fatimata, Washington, DC
            Ms. Semhar Araia

The Honorable Chaka Fattah, United States Representative (Pennsylvania)
            Mrs. Renee Chenault-Fattah

The Honorable Russ Feingold, Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, U.S. Department of State
            Ms. Christine Ferdinand

The Honorable Dianne Feinstein, United States Senator (California)
            Mr. Richard Blum

Mr. Jeffrey Fischer, Chairman, ADAS Group, LLC, Bethesda, MD
            Mrs. Nicole Fischer

The Honorable Anthony Foxx, Secretary of Transportation
            The Honorable Susan Kurland, Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, U.S. Department of Transportation

The Honorable William H. Frist, Former Senator (Tennessee)
            Ms. Tracy Roberts

The Honorable Michael Froman, Ambassador, United States Trade Representative
            Ms. Behnaz Kibria

The Honorable Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Kingdom of Swaziland

Mr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Alphonse Fletcher University Professor, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
            Mr. Lawrence Bobo

Dr. Helene Gayle, CEO, CARE, Atlanta, GA
            Mr. Stephen Keith

Mr. Michael Gerson, Op-ed Columnist, The Washington Post, Alexandria, VA
            Mrs. Dawn Gerson

Mr. Daniel Glickman, Senior Fellow, Bipartisan Policy Center, Washington, DC
            Mrs. Rhoda Glickman, Director of Government Relations, Corporation for National and Community Service, Washington, DC

His Excellency Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Republic of Togo

Mr. Jeff Gordon, Charlotte, NC
            Ms. Ingrid Vandebosch

Mr. Peter Grauer, Chairman, Bloomberg, L.P., New York, NY
            Ms. Meridith Webster, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Bloomberg L.P.

The Honorable Al Green, United States Representative (Texas)
            Mr. George Nwanguma

His Excellency Armando Emilio Guebuza, President of the Republic of Mozambique
            Dr. Maria da Luz Dai Guebuza, First Lady of the Republic of Mozambique

His Excellency Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti

Ms. Lulu Haangala, Charlottesville, VA
           Ms. Martine Ekomo-Soignet

Her Excellency Mongi Hamdi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Republic of Tunisia

The Honorable Grant Harris, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs, National Security Council
           Mrs. Jasmine Harris

Ms. Patricia Harris, Chief Executive Officer, Bloomberg Philanthropies, New York, NY
           Mr. Mark Lebow

His Excellency El-Anrif Said Hassane, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Union of the Comoros

Mr. Christopher Helm, James Campbell Matthews Distinguished Professor of Jurisprudence, Albany Law School, Albany, NY
           Ms. Debra Toms-Helm

The Honorable Carrie Hessler-Radelet, Director, Peace Corps
           Mr. Steven Charles Radelet

His Excellency Mohamed Lemine Heycen, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania

The Honorable Heather Higginbottom, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, U.S. Department of State
           Ambassador Daniel Sepulveda

Mr. Paul Hinks, Board Chair, Corporate Council on Africa, Washington, DC
           Ms. Julie Kurtzman

The Honorable Fred Hochberg, Chairman, Export-Import Bank
           Mr. Thomas Healy, Chairman, J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, U.S. Department of State

The Honorable Dana Hyde, CEO, Millennium Challenge Corporation, Cabin John, MD
           Mr. Jonathan Chambers

Dr. Mo Ibrahim, Washington, DC

The Honorable Johnny Isakson, United States Senator (Georgia)
           Mr. Christopher Sullivan

His Excellency Idriss Deby Itno, President of the Republic of Chad
           Ms. Hinda Deby Itno, First Lady of the Republic of Chad

The Honorable Fred Mandir Jachan-Omach, Minister of State for Finance, Republic of Uganda

The Honorable Sheila Jackson-Lee, United States Representative (Texas)
           Dr. Elwyn Lee

Bishop T.D. Jakes, Dallas, TX
           Ms. Regina Renee Freeman-Lewis

His Excellency Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, President of the Republic of The Gambia
           Her Excellency Zineb Jammeh, First Lady of the Republic of The Gambia

The Honorable Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement
           Mr. Ahmad Rashad

The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries, United States Representative (New York)
           Mrs. Kennysandra Jeffries

The Honorable Broderick D. Johnson, Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary

The Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson, United States Representative (Texas)
           The Honorable Rodney Ellis, Senator, Texas State Senate

The Honorable Hank Johnson, United States Representative
           Mr. Arthur Sidney

The Honorable Jeh Johnson, Secretary of Homeland Security

Ms. Lorna Johnson, Beverly Hills, CA
           Mr. Robert Black III

His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

His Excellency Joseph Kabila Kabange, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Mr. Don Kaberuka, President, African Development Bank, Washington, DC

His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda
            Ms. Ange Ingabire Kagame, Daughter of the President of the Republic of Rwanda

The Honorable Harry Kalaba, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Zambia

His Excellency Dr. Samura Kamara, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Sierra Leone

His Excellency Laurent Kavakure, Minister of External Relations and International Cooperation, Republic of Burundi

Mr. Meb Keflezighi, San Diego, CA
           Ms. Yordanos Asgedom

His Excellency Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, President of the Republic of Mali
           Mrs. Keïta Aminata Maiga, First Lady of the Republic of Mali

The Honorable Robin Kelly, United States House of Representative (Illinois)
           Ms. Madeleine Horn

Mr. Muhtar Kent, President and CEO, Coca Cola Company, Atlanta, GA

His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya

The Honorable John Kerry, Secretary of State

Ms. Angelique Kidjo, Brooklyn, NY
           Mr. Jean Hebrail

His Excellency Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania
           Her Excellency Salma Kikwete, First Lady of the United Republic of Tanzania

Dr. Jim Kim, President, World Bank, Washington, DC
           Dr. Younsook Lim

His Excellency Charles Koffi Diby, Senior Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire

Ms. Cina Anoka Lawson, Minister of Post and Digital Economy, Republic of Togo

Mr. Richard Leach, President and CEO, World Food Program USA, Washington, DC
            Mrs. Susanne Leach

The Honorable Barbara Lee, United States Representative (California)
            Mr. Craig Lee

Mr. Jack Leslie, Washington, DC
            Ms. Caroline Pech

The Honorable Jack Lew, Secretary of the Treasury

The Honorable Elizabeth Littlefield, President, Overseas Private Investment Corporation
            Mr. Matthew Arnold

His Excellency Mario Lopes da Rosa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Communities of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau

Mrs. Paula Madison, Chicago, IL
            Ms. LaFleur Paysour

His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana
            Her Excellency Lordina Dramani Mahama, First Lady of the Republic of Ghana

His Excellency Issoufou Mahamadou, President of the Republic of Niger

His Excellency Ibrahim Roshdy Mahlab, Prime Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt

Mr. Tshepo Mahloele, CEO, Harith General Partners, Washington, DC
            Ms. Thenjiwe Vanda

Mr. Tracy Maitland, President, Advent Capital Management, New York, NY
            Ms. Kimberley Hatchett

Mr. Darius Mans, Washington, DC
            Mr. Stephen Cashin

Her Excellency Faida Maramuke MITIFU, Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Moncef Marzouki, President of the Republic of Tunisia

Mr. Strive Masiyiwa, Founder and Chairman, Global Telecommunications Group, Washington, DC
            Mrs. Tsitsi Masiyiwa

His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan

Bishop Vashti McKenzie, 10th Episcopal District of the AME Church, Dallas, TX
            Mr. Stanley McKenzie

Mr. Doug McMillon, President and CEO, Wal-Mart, Bentonville, AR
            Mrs. Shelley McMillon

The Honorable Gregory W. Meeks, United States Representative (New York)
            Mrs. Simone-Marie Meeks

The Honorable Bernard K. Membe, MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, United Republic of Tanzania

The Honorable Robert Menendez, United States Senate (New Jersey)
            Ms. Alicia Mucci

His Excellency James Alix Michel, President of the Republic of Seychelles

The Honorable Amina Mohamed, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and International Trade, Republic of Kenya

His Excellency Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia
            Mrs. Qamar Ali Omar, Spouse of the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia

His Excellency Agapito Mba Mokuy, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Republic of Equatorial Guinea

His Excellency Serge Mombouli, Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Congo

The Honorable Ernest Moniz, Secretary of Energy
            Ms. Katya Frois-Moniz

The Honorable Gwen Moore, United States Representative (Wisconsin)
            Ms. Brenda L. Moore

Mr. Marc Morial, President, National Urban League, Maplewood, NJ
            Ms. Michelle Miller

Mr. Patrice Motsepe, Washington, DC
            Ms. Precious Moloi-Motsepe

His Excellency Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo, Minister of External Relations, Republic of Cameroon

His Excellency Mahamat Moussafaki. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Chad

His Majesty King Mswati III, Kingdom of Swaziland
            Her Royal Highness Inkhosikati La Mbikiza, Spouse of the King of Swaziland

Ms. Wanja Muguongo, Executive Director, UHAI – East African Sexual Health and Rights Initiative, Washington, DC
            Ms. Lorna Dias

Dr. Denis Mukwege, Washington, DC
            Ms. Madeleine Kaboyi

The Honorable Cecilia Muñoz, Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council
            Mr. Amit A. Pandya

His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda
            Mrs. Janet Musevini, First Lady of the Republic of Uganda

Her Excellency Louise Mushikiwabo, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Republic of Rwanda

His Excellency Arthur Peter Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi
            Her Excellency Gertrude Hendrina Mutharika, First Lady of the Republic of Malawi

Ms. Wangechi Mutu, New York, NY

Dr. James Mwangi, Washington, DC

Mr. Morris Mbetsa Mwero, Notre Dame, IN

His Excellency Augustine Ngafuan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Liberia

His Excellency Emmanuel Issozet Ngondet, Minister For Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Regional Integration, Gabonese Republic

His Excellency Cheikh Niang, Ambassador of the Republic of Senegal

The Honorable Sheila Nix, Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to Dr. Jill Biden
            Mr. James Coughlin

Her Excellency Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Republic of South Africa

His Excellency Pierre Nkurunziza, President of the Republic of Burundi
            Her Excellency Denise Bucumi, First Lady of the Republic of Burundi

The Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton, Delegate to the United States House of Representatives, Washington, DC

Mr. Douglas Oberhelman, CEO, Caterpillar, Peoria, IL
            Mrs. Diane Oberhelman

His Excellency Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea
            Her Excellency Constancia Mangue De Obiang, First Lady of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea

His Excellency Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania
            Mrs. Mariam Mint Ahmed Dit Tekber, Spouse of the President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania

Mrs. Valerie Owens, Kennett Square, PA
            Ms. Missy Owens

The Honorable Jennifer Palmieri, Assistant to the President and Director of Communications

Ms. Yolanda Parker, Founder & President, KMS Software, Los Angeles, CA
            Mr. Kevin Parker

The Honorable Donald Payne, Jr., United States Representative (New Jersey)

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, United States House Democratic Leader (California)
            Mr. Paul Pelosi

Mr. Michael Philipp, Chairman, Reykjavik Geothermal (RG), Amelia Island, FL
            Mr. Mikael Andren

Mr. Macon Phillips III, Coordinator for the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State
            Mrs. Emily Phillips

The Honorable John Podesta, Counselor to the President
            Mrs. Mary Podesta

His Excellency Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba, President of the Republic of Namibia
            Ms. Penehupifo Pohamba, First Lady of the Republic of Namibia

The Honorable Samantha Power, Permanent Representative of the U.S. to the United Nations
            Mr. Cass Sunstein

Mr. John Prendergast, Co-Founder, Enough Project, Washington, DC
            Mrs. Sia Sanneh

The Honorable Penny Pritzker, Secretary of Commerce
            Mr. Stefan Selig

His Excellency Hery Rajaonarimampianina, President of the Republic of Madagascar
            Mrs. Voahangy Rajaonarimampianina, Spouse of the President of the Republic of Madagascar

The Honorable Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, G.C.S.K., F.R.C.P., Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius

The Honorable Charles Rangel, United States Representative (New York)
            Mrs. Alma Rangel

Her Excellency Arisoa Razafitrimo, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Madagascar

The Honorable Ben Rhodes, Assistant to the President, Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications & Speechwriting
            Ms. Ann Norris

His Excellency Awan Andrew Goul RIAK, Minister in the Office of the President, Republic of South Sudan

The Honorable Susan Rice, Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor
            Mr. Ian Cameron

His Excellency Jose Luis Rocha, Ambassador of the Republic of Cabo Verde

General David Rodriguez, Commander, United States Africa Command
            Mrs. Ginny Rodriguez

Mrs. Virginia Rometty, CEO and President, International Business Machines, Armonk, NY

Mr. Jack Rosen, Chairman, American Jewish Congress, New York, NY
            Mrs. Phyllis Rosen

The Honorable Edward Randall Royce, United States Representative (California)
            Mrs. Marie Royce

Mr. David Rubenstein, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, The Carlyle Group, Washington, DC

The Honorable Bobby Rush, United States Representative (Illinois)
            Mrs. Carolyn Rush

Ms. April Ryan, Washington Bureau Chief, American Urban Radio Networks, Randallstown, MD
            Mr. Gerald Lopes

The Honorable Aggrey Tisa Sabuni, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Republic of South Sudan

His Excellency Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal
            Mrs. Marieme Sall, First Lady of the Republic of Senegal

His Excellency Denis Sassou N’Guesso, President of the Republic of Congo

Mr. Stephen Schwarzman, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Co-Founder, The Blackstone Group, New York, NY
            Mr. Sean Klimczak

The Honorable Dr. Guy Scott, Vice President of the Republic of Zambia
            Dr. Charlotte Harland Scott, Second Lady of the Republic of Zambia

His Excellency Eliachim Sebatane, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Lesotho

The Honorable Peter Selfridge, Chief of Protocol, U.S. Department of State

His Excellency Abdelmalek Sellal, Prime Minister of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
            Mrs. Farida Sellal, Spouse of the Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Algeria

His Excellency Dr. Abubacarr Senghore, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of The Gambia

Her Excellency Tebelelo Seretse, Ambassador of the Republic of Botswana

Ms. Isha Sesay, Anchor, CNN, Atlanta, GA
            Mr. Leif Coorlim

The Honorable Terri Sewell, United States Representative (Alabama)
            Mr. Jesse Wells, Jr.

The Honorable Rajiv J. Shah, Administrator, United States Agency for International Development
            Mrs. Shivam Shah

The Honorable Wendy Sherman, Under Secretary for Political Affairs, U.S. Department of State
            Mr. Bruce Stokes

The Honorable Phandu Tombola Skelemani, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Botswana

The Honorable Chris Smith, United States Representative (New Jersey)
            Mrs. Marie Smith

The Honorable Gayle Smith, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Development and Democracy, National Security Council
            Mr. John Rice-Cameron

Mr. Arne Sorenson, President and CEO, J.W. Marriott International, Bethesda, MD
            Mrs. Ruth Sorenson

The Honorable Margaret Spellings, President of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, Dallas, TX
            Mr. Vance Wilson

Mr. Earl Stafford, CEO, Wentworth Group, McLean, VA
            Mrs. Amanda Stafford

His Excellency Bockari Stevens, Ambassador of the Republic of Sierra Leone

Mr. Ritchie Tabachnick, President, Equipment & Controls Africa, Pittsburgh, PA
            Ms. Laura Tabachnick

His Excellency Mohamed Mostafa Mohamed Tawfik, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt

The Honorable Tina Tchen, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady

Mr. Tewolde Tesfaye, Ethiopia
           Mr. Kagnew Asfaw

Her Excellency Hanna Tetteh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Republic of Ghana

The Right Honorable Dr. Motsoahae Thomas Thabane, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho

The Honorable Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs
            Mr. Lafayette Greenfield

Mr. Sim Tshabalala, Washington, DC

His Excellency José Mário Vaz, President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau
            Her Excellency Rosa Teixeira Goudiaby Vaz, First Lady of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau

His Excellency Manuel Domingos Vicente, Vice President, Republic of Angola

The Honorable Tom Vilsack, Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture
            Mrs. Christie Vilsack

The Honorable David Wade, Chief of Staff to the Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State
           Ms. Elizabeth Alexander

The Honorable Aminu Bashir Wali, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Federal Republic of Nigeria

Mr. DeWayne Wickham, Baltimore, MD
           Ms. Zenita Wickham Hurley

The Honorable Frederica Wilson, United States Representative (Florida)
           Dr. Roslyn Artis

Mr. Phill Wilson, CEO, Black AIDS Institute, Los Angeles, CA
           Mr. Mark Schoofs

His Excellency Boni Yayi, President of the Republic of Benin

Ms. Melike Yetken, Director of African Affairs, National Security Council
           Mr. Jeffrey Krilla

His Excellency Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Djibouti

The Honorable Leocadia Zak, Director, United States Trade and Development Agency
           Mr. Kenneth W Hansen

Mr. Jeffrey Zients, Assistant to the President and Director of the National Economic Council
           Mrs. Mary Zients

Her Excellency Dr. Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission

His Excellency Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, President of the Republic of South Africa
           Mrs. Nompumelelo Primrose Zuma, Spouse of the President of the Republic of South Africa

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 05, 2014

President Obama Signs Iowa Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Iowa and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period of June 26 to July 7, 2014. 

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding in the counties of Audubon, Black Hawk, Butler, Cedar, Des Moines, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Lee, Linn, Mahaska, Muscatine, Poweshiek, Tama, and Washington.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. 

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Michael L. Parker as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. 

FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT:  FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@DHS.GOV

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 05, 2014

FACT SHEET: Powering Africa: Increasing Access to Power in Sub-Saharan Africa

On June 30, 2013, President Obama launched Power Africa, an innovative private sector-led initiative aimed at doubling electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa, where more than 600 million people currently lack access to electricity.  Power Africa set an ambitious initial goal of adding more than 10,000 megawatts (MW) of new, cleaner electricity generation capacity and increasing electricity access by at least 20 million household and business connections. 

Today, the President announced a renewed commitment to this initiative, and pledged a new level of $300 million in assistance per year to expand the reach of Power Africa across the continent in pursuit of a new, aggregate goal of 30,000 MW of additional capacity to Africa and increasing electricity access by at least 60 million household and business connections.  The President also announced $6 billion in new private sector commitments, bringing the total private sector commitments under Power Africa to date to more than $20 billion.  This includes additional commitments under Beyond the Grid, a new sub-initiative, announced at the June 2014 U.S-Africa Energy Ministerial, for fostering private investment in off-grid and small-scale energy solutions that seek to expand access to remote areas across sub-Saharan Africa.

Power Africa: Progress to Date

The U.S. Embassy teams have worked closely with their host governments and private sector partners to facilitate the financial closure of transactions that are expected to generate almost 2,800 megawatts (MW) of electricity, and Power Africa is actively supporting transactions expected to generate an additional 5,000 MW.  Once completed, these transactions will represent 78 percent of Power Africa’s initial 10,000 MW goal. 

Twelve U.S. government agencies, whose combined capabilities form the backbone of Power Africa, are working closely with African governments to prioritize and address key legal, regulatory and policy constraints to investment, and to implement measures that will sustain growth and enable successful governance of a growing power sector throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

Growing Private Sector Commitments in Support of Power Africa

Private sector commitments to date are on track to meet Power Africa’s initial 10,000 MW goal and leading the path towards achieving the goal of doubling access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa through private sector-led investments.

Notable transactions undertaken in the first year of the initiative include the ongoing negotiation of Corbetti Geothermal, the first phase of a potential 1,000 MW geothermal generation project and Ethiopia’s first independent power project; advancing nearly 500 MW of wind projects in Kenya; financial support for a 10 MW mini-hydro and a 5 MW solar project in Tanzania; and supporting power sector-wide privatization efforts in Nigeria.  Additional efforts include the U.S. African Development Foundation’s (USADF) Off-Grid Challenge. 

Leveraging Strategic Partnerships to Maximize Impact

Over the past year, Power Africa has forged strategic partnerships with African governments, multilateral institutions, donors, and the private sector.  These partnerships seek to align resources and capabilities, and coordinate our interventions to maximize our impact and accelerate private sector investment in renewable energy.

  •          Although the goals set out by Power Africa are continent wide, the U.S. government signed memoranda of understanding (MOU) with the initial six focus countries, which reflect the strong commitment of African governments to engage in policy and regulatory reform. 
  •          The World Bank Group will support Power Africa by committing $5 billion in new technical and financial support, including loans and guarantees, for energy projects in the six initial Power Africa focus countries.  This commitment builds on the World Bank's existing $3.3 billion commitment in the six focus countries and its broader commitment to developing the energy sector in sub-Saharan Africa.
  •          The African Development Bank (AfDB) already announced its support to advance Power Africa as an anchor partner, with an initial commitment of $3 billion.  The AfDB has already approved approximately $670 million in support for energy sector operations in the six initial Power Africa countries, and expects to commit an additional $2 billion in support across sub-Saharan Africa over the coming year. 
  •          President Obama welcomed the announcement that the Government of Sweden has committed $1 billion to advance Power Africa, including support for transmission and distribution upgrades, and the development of energy projects in sub-Saharan Africa. 

Power Africa Transaction–based Model at Work

During the U.S.-Africa Business Forum, a number of new Power Africa transactions and energy sector initiatives were highlighted: 

  •          The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy led the African Leaders’ Visit: Energy to Houston, Texas, where African decision makers met with government and industry leaders who highlighted their experience fostering economic growth through strategic investments energy infrastructure development.
  •          The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) approved up to $250 million in financing to support the development, construction, and operation of a 310 MW wind power project near Lake Turkana, Kenya.
  •          OPIC also approved up to $50 million in financing for the Azura-Edo power plant, the first independent power producer in Nigeria in 10 years following recent power sector reforms.  This project is expected to provide up to 459 MW of much-needed power for Nigeria. 
  •          Under the US-Africa Clean Energy Finance Initiative (ACEF), OPIC is supporting the Participatory Microfinance Group for Africa (“PAMIGA”), a network of 15 rural microfinance institutions to expand micro-lending for solar energy and clean water investments for agricultural and household use. 
  •          Under ACEF, USTDA funded a study for Amahoro Energy to develop a new run-of-the-river hydropower plant and capacity upgrades at five existing plants, to create 11.45 MW of new generation capacity in Rwanda.
  •          The USADF announced the selection of three awardees through the Liberia Off-Grid Challenge.  Each awardee will receive a $100,000 grant for Liberia off-grid projects jointly funded by USADF, GE, and USAID.
  •          The Department of Commerce led an Energy Trade Mission including 19 U.S. companies to Ghana and Nigeria in May 2014, which resulted in the signing of $175 million in energy sector deals.
  •       Ex-Im Bank approved a $17 million loan guarantee for BOAD, the West African Development Bank, to support long-term financing for the expansion of the Azito Power project in Cote d’Ivoire which will increase the plant’s installed capacity by 130 MW, from 290 MW to 420 MW, while reducing the carbon intensity per MW. 

Beyond the Grid Initiative

Recognizing that Power Africa cannot achieve energy access goals through the use of large grid extension projects alone, the U.S. government launched Beyond the Grid, a new Power Africa sub-initiative focused exclusively on unlocking investment and growth for off-grid and small-scale energy solutions on the African continent. Beyond the Grid will partner with more than 35 investors and practitioners that have committed to invest more than $1 billion into off-grid and small-scale solutions over the next five years.

Millennium Challenge Corporation Ghana Compact Signing

Secretary Kerry and the President Mahama of Ghana presided over the signing of a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact through which MCC will invest up to $498 million over the next five years to support the turnaround of Ghana’s electricity sector.  This compact represents an example of the catalytic impact of Power Africa interventions, which help create the enabling environment and stimulate private investment in order to meet the current and future needs of households and business while also ensuring inclusive access to power by its citizens, with up to $4 billion in potential commitments already in the pipeline.

U.S.-Africa Clean Energy Finance Initiative 

Secretary Kerry announced a second round of funding for ACEF, an innovative partnership launched two years ago among the State Department, OPIC, and USTDA that provides a small amount of early-stage funding to catalyze much larger private sector investment in clean energy projects in Sub-Saharan Africa.  To date, ACEF has supported more than 25 projects that have the potential to create hundreds of megawatts of new power generation capacity across ten African countries.  The new round of funding will allow this innovative effort to continue to leverage significant clean energy investment in Africa.

Commercial Law Development Program

The Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program, through funding from USAID, is supporting the development of model legal frameworks, including annotated power purchase agreements, which accelerate the negotiation of renewable energy projects.

Clean Energy Solutions Center

The Department of Energy supported Clean Energy Solutions Center is connecting policymakers in Africa with a global clean energy experts through a web-based platform which aims to help African governments design and adopt policies and programs that support the deployment of clean energy technologies. 

Focus on Regional Initiatives to Support Power Trade and Geothermal Development

Through USAID, Power Africa is deploying Regional Transaction Advisors to address issues that cross national borders, including the development of regional power pools and advancing development of East Africa’s 15,000 MW in geothermal potential. 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 05, 2014

FACT SHEET: The Doing Business in Africa Campaign

Through the Doing Business in Africa (DBIA) Campaign, the U.S. government is strengthening its commercial relationship with the continent of Africa, a diverse region that offers substantial trade and investment opportunities across national and regional markets.  With a 5.4 percent growth rate predicted for 2014, Africa is outpacing global growth.  U.S. goods and services exports to Africa reached a record high of $50.2 billion in 2013, up 40 percent since 2009.  These exports supported 250,000 U.S. jobs. 

New Commitments to Significantly Expand the DBIA Campaign

At today’s U.S.-Africa Business Forum, President Obama announced $7 billion in new financing to promote U.S. exports to and investments in Africa under the DBIA Campaign.  U.S. companies announced new deals in clean energy, aviation, banking, and construction worth more than $14 billion, in addition to $12 billion in new commitments under the President’s Power Africa initiative from private sector partners, the World Bank, and the government of Sweden.  Taken together, these new commitments amount to more than $33 billion, supporting economic growth across Africa and tens of thousands of U.S. jobs.

The DBIA Campaign encourages U.S. commercial engagement in Africa by harnessing the resources of the U.S. government to assist businesses in identifying and seizing opportunities and to engage with members of the African Diaspora in the United States.  The DBIA Campaign, which was launched in November 2012, has four main objectives:

  • Connect American Businesses with African Partners
  • Support Existing and New American Investment in Africa
  • Expand Access for American Businesses to Finance Their Exports to Africa
  • Reduce Barriers to Trade and Investment in Africa

The U.S. government’s newly announced two-year commitments to support the DBIA Campaign are provided below. 

An Executive Order to Create a President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa

Today the President signed an Executive Order (E.O.) to promote broad-based economic growth in the United States and in Africa by encouraging U.S. companies to trade with and invest in Africa. 

The E.O. directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa that will be comprised of not more than 15 members from the private sector, including small business.  The Advisory Council will provide information, analysis, and recommendations to the President, through the Secretary of Commerce, including on developing strategies for creating jobs in the United States and Africa through trade and investment; developing strategies by which the U.S. private sector can identify and take advantage of trade and investment opportunities in Africa; and building lasting commercial partnerships between the U.S. and African private sectors.

New U.S. Government Resources to Support U.S. Exports and Investment in Africa

Interagency Initiatives

  • The Principals of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank), the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) will mobilize private capital for Africa’s infrastructure through a series of at least three outcome-oriented roundtables in Africa that will advance project- and sector-specific investment opportunities and needed regulatory reforms.  These agencies will implement the initiative in coordination with DBIA Campaign agencies, African governments, and the U.S. and African private sectors.
  • The U.S. Department of Commerce and USTDA launched the 20x20 Initiative to support a total of 20 trade and reverse trade missions by 2020, to promote U.S. industry engagement in Africa.  Working with federal, state, and local government partners, these missions will foster U.S. business partnerships with key African stakeholders.
  • The Small Business Administration (SBA) and Ex-Im Bank will collectively support 50 DBIA Campaign-themed activities and outreach sessions over the next two years to facilitate U.S. trade finance, provide counseling and training on their programs, and conduct business development to support U.S. exporters, particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises.

U.S. Export-Import Bank

  • Ex-Im Bank will commit up to $3 billion in financing to support U.S. exports to Africa over the next two years.  This is in addition to Ex-Im Bank’s existing commitments of $5 billion for Power Africa and a planned commitment of $1 billion to support U.S. exports in connection with new and ongoing Angolan infrastructure projects (through the Angolan Ministry of Finance).
  • Ex-Im Bank will commit $563 million in financing to support the sale of General Electric locomotives to Transnet, South Africa’s largest integrated freight transport company. Major components of the locomotives will be manufactured at GE’s facilities in Erie, PA and Grove City, PA supporting an estimated 2,500 American jobs.

Millennium Challenge Corporation

  • MCC will commit up to $2 billion in funding for new compacts in Africa that facilitate private sector-led economic growth and poverty reduction, creating potential opportunities for U.S. companies.  This commitment includes $498 million over the next five years to support the turnaround of Ghana’s electricity sector and stimulate private investment.  This Compact represents an example of the catalytic impact of Power Africa interventions which will help create the enabling environment to catalyze billions of dollars of private investment in Ghana.
  • MCC will also lead its first ever investment mission to Africa to introduce U.S. businesses to the opportunities for investing in and around its Compacts.  In addition, MCC will hold at least eight Procurement Promotion sessions with U.S. companies to promote Compact contracting opportunities and developing five Trade and Investment Prospectuses, one for each new Compact in Africa, that outline the specific business opportunities that are expected to arise from MCC’s investments. 

Overseas Private Investment Corporation

  • OPIC will commit up to $1 billion in financing and insurance support to catalyze private sector investments in Africa.  This is in addition to OPIC’s existing $1.5 billion Power Africa commitment.  OPIC reaffirmed its plan to place personnel on the ground in sub-Saharan Africa to help facilitate increased U.S. trade and investment and will support an investment mission to the region, with a focus on the power sector.
  • OPIC will coordinate approximately a dozen U.S. government meetings on August 6, 2014, for U.S. and African private sector investors and project developers to discuss discrete transactions for financing support consideration to OPIC, as well as other DBIA investment agencies.

U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA)

  • USTDA, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Transportation, hosted two African Leaders Visits in association with the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit.  These reverse trade missions highlighted the United States’ experience fostering economic growth through strategic infrastructure investments in the energy and transportation sectors. 
  • USTDA announced it will partner with the Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company of South Africa to evaluate satellite-based automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast across the African continent, the implementation of which will improve air traffic safety and create over $100 million in U.S. export opportunities.
  • USTDA reaffirmed its plan to have local representation in Nigeria for the first time.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  • USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation will make available up to $1 billion in financing guarantees available for agricultural exports to Africa over the next two years.  USDA also will conduct outreach seminars to Africa in 2015 to promote the use of its credit guarantee program for the export of U.S. agricultural products.

U.S. Department of State

  • The U.S. Department of State intends to commit $10 million toward the expansion of the U.S.-Africa Clean Energy Finance Initiative (US-ACEF), which aligns USTDA’s project planning expertise and OPIC’s financing and risk mitigation tools in new ways, to support private sector investment and increase support for U.S. businesses and exports in sub-Saharan Africa’s clean energy sector.
  • The U.S. Department of State will sponsor a medical technology trade mission to sub-Saharan Africa led by a senior State Department official.

U.S. Department of Commerce

  • The U.S. Department of Commerce reiterated its commitment to double its presence in sub-Saharan Africa by opening new offices in Angola, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Mozambique, while expanding its operations in Ghana, and re-establishing a position at the African Development Bank. 
  • The U.S. Department of Commerce will host its next Trade Winds Conference and Mission in Africa in 2015.  The Trade Winds program brings hundreds of U.S. companies to a region to hear about opportunities, meet one-on-one with Africa businesses, and get counseling from U.S. Commercial Service officers.  Past Trade Winds have been held in Asia and Latin America and resulted in over $100 million in deals at each event.
  • The U.S. Department of Commerce launched a One-Stop-Shop website (www.trade.gov/DBIA) to offer American businesses and entrepreneurs a convenient instant access to critical African market information, financing tools available to them, projects to consider, key contacts, and much more.
  • To celebrate the second anniversary of the DBIA Campaign, the U.S. Department of Commerce will host a “Discover Sub-Saharan Africa” conference in Atlanta on November 4-6, 2014.  Its Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) will join the Constituency for Africa in hosting a “Doing Business in Africa” workshop in October to promote business and trade opportunities in Africa and resources for reaching the African marketplace.  MBDA also committed to host a U.S.-Africa Investors Forum on August 6, 2014, in association with the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit.
  • Through its Global City Teams Program, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in partnership with the U.S. private sector, will target at least 25 African metropolitan areas to join their counterparts worldwide in an interactive platform to accelerate smart city and smart grid goals.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

  • USAID will commit to a bond guarantee through its Development Credit Authority that will allow Dakar, Senegal, to issue the first ever non-sovereign backed municipal bond in sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa (with technical assistance support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation).  The guarantee will enable the city to raise $41.8 million on the regional stock exchange.  In addition, USAID guaranteed transactions are expected to mobilize $381 million in new private sector lending to small and medium enterprises across the continent. 
  • USAID will launch the Africa Private Capital Group – a platform in South Africa to mobilize U.S., South African, and international private sector investment in key sectors to development, including agriculture, energy, trade, infrastructure, and health.
  • USAID will upgrade its existing African Trade Hubs into “U.S.-African Trade and Investment Hubs” that will now create new opportunities for U.S. investment in and exports to Africa.  These hubs are located in Accra, Ghana, Nairobi, Kenya, and Gabarone, Botswana, and cover the West Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa regions, respectively. 
  • USAID will roll out its Benchmarking the Business of Agriculture (BBA) project this fall, to assesses the ease of doing business and investing in Africa’s agriculture. The BBA provides businesses worldwide with objective information on a country’s ease of doing business in agriculture.

U.S. Department of Transportation

  • The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that Secretary Anthony Foxx will lead a transportation mission to Africa in early 2015, to discuss opportunities for improving regional connectivity, promoting safety and efficiency, and sharing best practices on increasing investment in transportation infrastructure.
  • The U.S. Department of Transportation launched its Tomorrow’s Transportation Leaders initiative, which will include up to five workshops over the next two years to engage 100 young African transportation professionals on adopting U.S. best practices.  The workshops will address transportation policies and regulatory framework, transportation investment planning, and the efficient management of transportation systems.
  • The U.S. Department of Transportation intends to direct $1 million toward strengthening civil aviation safety through the Safe Skies for Africa program.

U.S. Department of Energy

  • The U.S. Department of Energy will support the “Clean Energy Solutions Center,” a multilateral initiative of the Clean Energy Ministerial to connect policymakers in Africa with clean energy experts and best practice resources.  The Clean Energy Solutions Center is a web-based resource that draws on knowledge from global experts to help governments design and adopt policies and programs that support the deployment of clean energy technologies.  Through the partnership, the Solutions Center will provide expert policy consultations free of charge to Power Africa countries in response to requests received.

Office of the United States Trade Representative

  • On August 5, USTR signed at its headquarters a new Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to provide a coordinated mechanism for engaging on trade and investment issues with the 15 West African countries that are part of ECOWAS.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 05, 2014

Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

Jorge Luis Alonso, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, vice Ronald A. Guzman, retiring.

John Robert Blakey, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, vice James Holderman, retired.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 05, 2014

President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the United States District Courts

WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, President Obama nominated Judge Jorge Luis Alonso and John Robert Blakey to serve on the United States District Courts.

“Throughout their careers, these distinguished individuals have demonstrated a steadfast commitment to public service,” said President Obama. “I am confident they will serve the American people with distinction from the District Court bench.”

Judge Jorge Luis Alonso:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Judge Jorge Luis Alonso has served since 2003 as an Associate Judge for the Cook County Judicial Circuit, a state trial court of general jurisdiction.  Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Alonso served as an Assistant Public Defender in the Office of the Cook County Public Defender from 1991 to 2003, where he represented indigent individuals in both civil and criminal proceedings.  He received his J.D. in 1991 from the George Washington University Law School and his B.A. in 1988 from the University of Miami.

John Robert Blakey:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

John Robert Blakey has served since 2009 as both the Chief of the Special Prosecutions Bureau for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois.  Previously, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney—first in the Southern District of Florida from 2000 to 2004, and subsequently in the Northern District of Illinois from 2004 to 2009.  From 1996 to 2000, Blakey served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.  He worked at Vedder, Price, Kaufman & Kammholz, P.C., from 1995 to 1996 and as a law clerk for Judge William J. Zloch of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida from 1992 to 1994.  Blakey received his J.D. in 1992 from Notre Dame Law School, his C.F.A. in 1989 from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and his B.A. in 1988 from the University of Notre Dame.