The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 02, 2013

Statement by the President on the passing of Former Congressman William H. Gray III

Bill Gray was a trailblazer, proudly representing his beloved Philadelphia in Congress for over a decade as the first African-American to chair the Budget Committee and to serve as the Majority Whip. Bill's extraordinary leadership, on issues from housing to transportation to supporting efforts that ended Apartheid in South Africa, made our communities, our country and our world a more just place. Michelle and I extend our deepest sympathies to Bill's family, especially to his wife Andrea and their three sons

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
July 02, 2013

Op-Ed by Vice President Joe Biden in The Financial Times: Let Croatia lead the Balkans into the EU

The following op-ed by Vice President Joe Biden appeared today in print in The Financial Times.

Let Croatia lead the Balkans into the EU
Every country that binds itself to the union advances the cause of peace
By Vice President Joe Biden

James Joyce wrote that “history is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake”. Twenty years ago, Croatians lived that nightmare, imprisoned by regional hatreds and ravaged by war. Yesterday their country became the 28th member of the EU. Croatia has not merely awakened from its tortured history – it has realised the dream of a Euro-Atlantic future.

Croatia’s success was far from inevitable. In fact, it is a testament to the courage of its citizens and leaders who overcame the temptations of ultranationalism and resentment. Letting go of the past is a daily struggle. And, day by day, Croatians kept faith with an ambitious vision and built the democratic institutions that opened the doors to Nato and now the EU.

This achievement belongs to the Croatian people. But it is also speaks to the transformative power of the European project guiding countries toward the rule of law, open markets, prosperity and peace.

Croatia is further along that journey than some may think. It has been a Nato ally since 2009 and a contributor to security around the world, including Afghanistan. Once other countries sent peacekeepers to Croatia; now Croatia contributes to peacekeeping missions in Kosovo, Haiti and the Western Sahara.

Croatia’s accession to the EU also raises the stakes for neighbours who face a risk of being left behind. Over time, the borders of the EU should unite the countries of southeastern Europe rather than divide them. We hope that one day its citizens will benefit from the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership we are negotiating with the EU.

But first, Croatia’s neighbours must make difficult choices that will pave their own paths into Europe.

It is in the interest of the US, Croatia and the rest of Europe that they succeed. History has no greater monument to the idea that countries need not repeat the conflicts of the past than the EU – and no greater mechanism than integration to ensure they don’t. Every country that binds itself to the EU’s rules and institutions brings us closer to the goal of a Europe whole, free and at peace. Even during difficult economic times, a unified Europe is preferable to the threats of division and instability. That is why Croatia is working to bring the very people it fought less than a generation ago into the European fold.

In recent months, I have met several leaders from the western Balkans. I am confident that, if they make the right choices, every one of Croatia’s neighbours can get there.

Serbia and Kosovo have been locked in a deep and bitter struggle – until now. Through dialogue, co-operation and painful compromise, prime ministers Ivica Dacic and Hashim Thaci have reached a historic agreement to normalise relations. The next steps will not be easy, but these leaders have given their citizens an unprecedented opportunity to build a future defined by respect for rights, shared prosperity and peaceful coexistence.

Montenegro and Albania, too, have hard work left to do, but they are making progress toward European integration, tackling economic and political reforms, fighting corruption and strengthening the rule of law. Montenegro is also on the path to join Albania inside Nato. Macedonia must stay the course of reform, address its interethnic tensions and, with Greece, summon the courage to find a mutually acceptable solution on its name. Unfortunately, there are still some who cling to ethnic grievances, personal rivalries and a zero-sum approach to politics that holds back progress. Four years ago, in Sarajevo, I stood in parliament to tell politicians and officials that the door was open for Bosnia-Herzegovina to become an integral part of Europe, and the US wanted to help them get there. That requires agreement to eliminate constitutional provisions that discriminate against minorities and the decision to register defence properties as state property. Neither has happened, and the people of Bosnia deserve better.

No country can completely leave behind its history or forget its tragedies. And nor should they. But countries can choose to put their futures first and act for the well- being of generations to come. That is what Croatia has done. And the result is that dreams that seemed inconceivable 20 years ago today are wonderfully, irreversibly real.

That is both a cause for celebration and a reminder of what is possible. We congratulate Croatia and recommit ourselves to the larger goal of welcoming the entire Balkans into a Europe that is whole, free and at peace.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 02, 2013

Readout of the President's call with President Morsy of Egypt

President Obama called President Morsy on Monday, July 1, to convey his concerns about recent developments in Egypt.  The President told President Morsy that the United States is committed to the democratic process in Egypt and does not support any single party or group.  He stressed that democracy is about more than elections; it is also about ensuring that the voices of all Egyptians are heard and represented by their government, including the many Egyptians demonstrating throughout the country.  President Obama encouraged President Morsy to take steps to show that he is responsive to their concerns, and underscored that the current crisis can only be resolved through a political process. As he has said since the revolution, President Obama reiterated that only Egyptians can make the decisions that will determine their future

President Obama also underscored his deep concern about violence during the demonstrations, especially sexual assaults against female citizens. He reiterated his belief that all Egyptians protesting should express themselves peacefully, and urged President Morsy to make clear to his supporters that all forms of violence are unacceptable. Finally, the President noted that he is committed to the safety of U.S. diplomats and citizens in Egypt and stressed his expectation that the Government of Egypt continue to protect U.S. diplomatic personnel and facilities.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 01, 2013

Readout of President Obama’s Call to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer

Today, President Obama called Governor Jan Brewer to receive an update on the Yarnell Hill fire and express his condolences to the families of the 19 brave firefighters and all whose lives have been impacted by this tragedy.  He also expressed his gratitude to the hundreds of first responders who continue to work around the clock to protect homes and businesses from this deadly blaze. 

The President reinforced his commitment to providing the necessary federal support to the state and local efforts.  The administration will continue to keep in constant contact with the local officials and coordinate with our federal partners including FEMA, Department of Homeland Security, US Forest Service and Department of Interior.

Hundreds of brave men and women are responding to the Yarnell Hill fire, and hundreds more are battling dangerous fires in Arizona and other parts of the Nation.  Additional assets have been deployed to support and assist the ongoing effort including airtankers, engines and helicopters. A National Wildland Fire Type 1 Incident Management Team has also been deployed to assist with the response. FEMA has approved Fire Management Assistance Grants for the Yarnell Hill fire and the President asked the Governor to inform him of any additional resources that could be provided to protect the communities and families across the state.  The President encourages all local residents to follow the instructions of local officials, especially evacuation orders.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 01, 2013

Readout of President Obama’s Call with Australian Prime Minister Rudd and former Prime Minister Gillard

Earlier today from Air Force One, the President called Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia. In his call with Prime Minister Rudd, the President congratulated the Prime Minister on his return to office.  The President also reiterated the enduring strength of the U.S.-Australia alliance and his confidence that the United States and Australia will continue to work together closely on important global and regional issues.  The two leaders also discussed the importance of completing the high standard Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.  In his call with former Prime Minister Gillard, President Obama thanked her for her warm friendship and close partnership in deepening cooperation between the United States and Australia, and he wished her well in her future endeavors.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 01, 2013

FACT SHEET: U.S. Efforts to Combat Wildlife Trafficking

Wildlife trafficking is a multi-billion dollar illicit business that is decimating Africa’s iconic animal populations.  Many species -- most notably elephants and rhinoceroses -- now face the risk of significant decline or even extinction.  Like other forms of illicit trade, wildlife trafficking undermines security across nations.   Well-armed, well-equipped, and well-organized networks of poachers, criminals, and corrupt officials exploit porous borders and weak institutions to profit from trading in illegally taken wildlife.  

The United States is committed to combating wildlife trafficking, related corruption, and money laundering.  With our international partners, we are working to reduce demand, strengthen enforcement, and building capacity to address these challenges bilaterally, regionally, and multilaterally. 

A New Executive Order to Better Coordinate the U.S. Response

Today the President will sign an Executive Order (E.O.) to enhance coordination of U.S. Government efforts to combat wildlife trafficking and assist foreign governments in building the capacity needed to combat wildlife trafficking and related organized crime. 

The E.O. establishes a Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking charged with developing a National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking.  It also establishes an Advisory Council on Wildlife Trafficking comprised of eight individuals with relevant expertise from outside the Government to make recommendations to the Task Force.

New Assistance to Support Regional Partners

As the President will announce today in Tanzania, the U.S. Department of State will provide an additional $10 million in regional and bilateral training and technical assistance in Africa to combat wildlife trafficking.  This will include approximately $3 million in bilateral assistance to South Africa, $3 million in bilateral assistance to Kenya, and $4 million in regional assistance throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

This training and technical assistance aims to:

1) Strengthen policies and legislative frameworks;

2) Enhance investigative and law enforcement functions;

3) Support regional cooperation among enforcement agencies; and,

4) Develop capacities to prosecute and adjudicate crimes related to wildlife trafficking.

In addition, USAID will launch a wildlife technology challenge, which will promote the use of innovative technologies like mobile phone applications and wildlife DNA analysis techniques to assist in combating wildlife trafficking.

The State Department, USAID, and the Department of Interior U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) will also assign a USFWS official to our Embassy in Dar es Salaam to support the Government of Tanzania's efforts to develop an overarching wildlife security strategy.  

New U.S. Enforcement and Regulatory Efforts to Combat Wildlife Trafficking

The Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program, which was signed into law on January 2013, enables the Secretary of State to offer rewards up for information leading to the arrest, conviction, or identification of significant members of transnational criminal organizations who operate primarily outside the United States. 

The law also allows for rewards for information that dismantles such organizations or leads to the disruption of their financial mechanisms.  The United States intends to leverage this new authority, as appropriate, to combat the most significant perpetrators of wildlife trafficking.

In addition, the Department of Interior will enhance regulations that directly affect illegal wildlife trafficking of elephants and rhinoceroses.  These regulations pertain to U.S. federal laws including the Endangered Species Act, the African Elephant Conservation Act, and the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act. 

Successes to Date and Building on On-going Activities

These new commitments build on on-going efforts within the U.S. Government, and with foreign governments, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to reduce demand and strengthen enforcement and institutional capabilities.  Representative examples include:

Capacity Building from Asia to Africa

  • USAID supports over $12 million per year in counter-wildlife trafficking activities, including support for anti-poaching activities in Africa and Asia, capacity building, and demand reduction campaigns in Asia. 
  • The State Department and Department of the Interior / USFWS support the International Law Enforcement Academy in Gaborone, Botswana, which has trained 350 law enforcement officers in wildlife crime investigations since 2002.  
  • To specifically address transcontinental trafficking, USAID is funding a three-year program with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC to improve understanding of current trends in wildlife trafficking and identify priority wildlife trafficking issues on behalf of the broader law enforcement and security communities. 
  • The State Department is providing more than $2 million to support investigation, interdiction, and prosecution efforts in East Asia and the Pacific, including park ranger training and special investigative training for wildlife managers at the U.S. International Law Enforcement Academy in Bangkok.  
  • The USFWS is providing an additional $2 million annually to support the Wildlife Without Borders capacity building program, which aids government agencies and non-governmental partners in enhancing wildlife law enforcement training, promoting best practices for community stewardship of wildlife resources, and addressing other critical conservation needs. 
  • The Department of Justice and the USFWS jointly investigate and prosecute wildlife trafficking cases, working alongside international partners, to provide training and state-of-the-art forensic support for investigating and prosecuting wildlife crimes. 

Conservation and Demand Reduction

  • The USFWS provides $10 million annually to enhance and support wildlife conservation throughout Africa and Asia.  The funds support essential wildlife protection activities in 25 African countries, including improving capacity to carry out investigations and prosecutions of wildlife crime; developing effective park law enforcement and management to deter illegal hunting; improving management of key wildlife species and protected areas; and developing community management schemes.  
  • USAID invests $200 million a year in biodiversity conservation, $70 million of which is in Africa.  These investments provide support for community-based approaches to natural resources management in Africa, including community-scouting and ranger programs.  
  • In consumer nations in Asia, USFWS supports government partners in awareness and demand reduction campaigns, which include public outreach to discourage consumption, noting the cost to wildlife of purchased exotic items, and highlighting criminal consequences of consuming illegally trafficked or purchased wildlife products.  

Building a Coalition of Partnerships

  • The United States is working with the International Consortium to Combat Wildlife Crime and other interested partners to support the creation of a global network of regional and national Wildlife Enforcement Networks to improve communication and strengthen response actions across enforcement agencies globally.  USAID has invested $17 million since 2005 to specifically support improving these regional networks of wildlife enforcement officials, as well as increasing public awareness, reducing demand for wildlife products, and building political will.  The United States is also supporting the creation of new networks in central Africa and the Horn of Africa, among others in Asia and South America.  
  • Additionally, the United States encourages participation by governments, civil society, and the private sector in existing partnerships that combat wildlife crime, such as the Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT). 

Raising the Issue in International Fora

  • The United States successfully co-sponsored a resolution at the 2013 UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice encouraging UN Member States to classify wildlife trafficking as a “serious” crime as defined in the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.  This will facilitate further international cooperation among states that have ratified or acceded to the treaty, and will lead to increased penalties for traffickers. 

Through U.S. advocacy, the 2012 APEC Leaders Declaration included commitments to address both the supply and demand for endangered and protected wildlife, including through capacity building and increased enforcement.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 01, 2013

FACT SHEET: Trade Africa

Today the President will announce the launch of Trade Africa, a new partnership between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa that seeks to increase internal and regional trade within Africa, and expand trade and economic ties between Africa, the United States, and other global markets.

Trade Africa will initially focus on the member states of the East African Community (EAC) -- Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.  The EAC is an economic success story, and represents a market with significant opportunity for U.S. exports and investment.  The five states of the EAC, with a population of more than 130 million people, have increasingly stable and pro-business regulations.  They are home to promising local enterprises that are forming creative partnerships with multinational companies.  And EAC countries are benefiting from the emergence of an educated, globalized middle class.  Intra-EAC trade has doubled in the past five years, and the region’s GDP has risen to more than $80 billion – quadrupling in only 10 years.

In its initial phase, Trade Africa aims to double intra-regional trade in the EAC, increase EAC exports to the United States by 40%, reduce by 15% the average time needed to import or export a container from the ports of Mombasa or Dar es Salaam to land-locked Burundi and Rwanda in the EAC’s interior, and decrease by 30% the average time a truck takes to transit selected borders.

The United States also hopes to expand its collaboration with other regional economic communities in Africa, including in cooperation with other partner nations.  Increasing trade between the United States and Africa will be the focus of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum in Addis Ababa on August 9 - 13.  The Forum will celebrate the progress achieved through AGOA since it was signed into law in 2000, and will help pave the way to AGOA’s renewal by 2015.

Increase U.S.-EAC Trade and Investment

Trade Africa will help mobilize resources to support increased U.S.-EAC trade and investment, building upon the U.S.-EAC Trade and Investment Partnership (TIP) announced in June 2012.  Activities underway include:

  • Exploration of a U.S.-EAC Investment Treaty to contribute to a more attractive investment environment; 
  • Launch of negotiations on a Trade Facilitation Agreement and expansion of the TIP to include regulatory issues that affect the competitiveness of EAC regional and global trade (including with the United States), particularly the development of product standards, and regulatory systems related to food safety and plant and animal health; 
  • Establishment of a new U.S.–EAC Commercial Dialogue to bring the private sector together with policy makers and increase opportunities for trade and investment; 
  • Transformation of the U.S.–Africa Trade Hubs into U.S. Trade and Investment Centers to provide information, advisory services, and risk mitigation and financing to encourage linkages between U.S. and East African investors and exporters; and, 
  • Advancing the “Doing Business in Africa” campaign to encourage U.S. businesses to take advantage of growing trade and investment opportunities and to promote trade missions, reverse trade missions, trade shows, and business-to-business matchmaking in key sectors. 

Support EAC Regional Integration

The United States is also supporting the EAC’s efforts to advance regional integration, through bilateral and regional trade facilitation and a new partnership with TradeMark East Africa, with specific focus on:

  • Reducing barriers at borders, including by moving to single border crossings and implementing customs modernization programs using innovative technologies that allow customs services to communicate with each other; 
  • Supporting the transition to a single EAC customs and revenue sharing authority; and, 
  • Addressing barriers to transit that constrain the region’s competitiveness, including by reducing the number of roadblocks and the amount of time spent and fees paid to move products from the ports to neighboring borders.   

Increase EAC Trade Competitiveness

The United States will also form public-private partnerships with East African and U.S. industries and trade associations to stimulate greater trade in goods under the African Growth and Opportunity Act and, specifically, to:

  • Build the capacity of private sector associations in Africa to provide sustainable business services and promote investment in key growth sectors in Africa, including agriculture, health, clean energy, environment and trade-related infrastructure; 
  • Formalize partnerships between American and African associations to increase trade through collaboration on trade shows and business-to-business matchmaking; 

Work with governments and National Export Associations to develop export strategies and establish export resource centers across the EAC to provide sustainable services for firms looking to export under AGOA.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 01, 2013

Statement by the President on the Wildfire in Arizona

Yesterday, nineteen firefighters were killed in the line of duty while fighting a wildfire outside Yarnell, Arizona. They were heroes -- highly-skilled professionals who, like so many across our country do every day, selflessly put themselves in harm's way to protect the lives and property of fellow citizens they would never meet. In recent days, hundreds of firefighters have battled extremely dangerous blazes across Arizona and the Southwest. The federal government is already assisting, and we will remain in close contact with state and local officials to provide the support they need. But today, Michelle and I join all Americans in sending our thoughts and prayers to the families of these brave firefighters and all whose lives have been upended by this terrible tragedy.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 30, 2013

FACT SHEET: Power Africa

Today the President announced Power Africa, a new initiative to double access to power in sub-Saharan Africa.  More than two-thirds of the population of sub-Saharan Africa is without electricity, and more than 85 percent of those living in rural areas lack access.  Power Africa will build on Africa’s enormous power potential, including new discoveries of vast reserves of oil and gas, and the potential to develop clean geothermal, hydro, wind and solar energy.  It will help countries develop newly-discovered resources responsibly, build out power generation and transmission, and expand the reach of mini-grid and off-grid solutions.

According to the International Energy Agency, sub-Saharan Africa will require more than $300 billion in investment to achieve universal electricity access by 2030.  Only with greater private sector investment can the promise of Power Africa be realized.  With an initial set of six partner countries in its first phase, Power Africa will add more than 10,000 megawatts of cleaner, more efficient electricity generation capacity.  It will increase electricity access by at least 20 million new households and commercial entities with on-grid, mini-grid, and off-grid solutions.  And it will enhance energy resource management capabilities, allowing partner countries to meet their critical energy needs and achieve greater energy security.

Power Africa is Rooted in Partnership

The United States and its partners will work with an initial set of Power Africa partner countries, including Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, and Tanzania.  These countries have set ambitious goals in electric power generation and are making the utility and energy sector reforms to pave the way for investment and growth.  Power Africa will also partner with Uganda and Mozambique on responsible oil and gas resources management.

Power Africa will bring to bear a wide range of U.S. government tools to support investment in Africa’s energy sector.  From policy and regulatory best practices, to pre-feasibility support and capacity building, to long-term financing, insurance, guarantees, credit enhancements and technical assistance Power Africa will provide coordinated support to help African partners expand their generation capacity and access.

The United States will commit more than $7 billion in financial support over the next five years to this effort, including:

  • The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide $285 million in technical assistance, grants and risk mitigation to advance private sector energy transactions and help governments adopt and implement the policy, regulatory, and other reforms necessary to attract private sector investment in the energy and power sectors. 
  • The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) will commit up to $1.5 billion in financing and insurance to energy projects in sub-Saharan Africa.
  • The U.S. Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im) will make available up to $5 billion in support of U.S. exports for the development of power projects across sub-Saharan Africa. 
  • The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) will invest up to $1 billion in African power systems through its country compacts to increase access and the reliability and sustainability of electricity supply through investments in energy infrastructure, policy and regulatory reforms and institutional capacity building.
  • OPIC and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) will provide up to $20 million in project preparation, feasibility and technical assistance grants to develop renewable energy projects.  These efforts will be coordinated through the U.S. - Africa Clean Energy Finance Initiative (US-ACEF) and supported by the recently launched U.S. - Africa Clean Energy Development and Finance Center (CEDFC) in Johannesburg, South Africa.
  • The U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) will launch a $2 million Off-Grid Energy Challenge to provide grants of up to $100,000 to African-owned and operated enterprises to develop or expand the use of proven technologies for off-grid electricity benefitting rural and marginal populations. 
  • In 2014, OPIC and USAID will jointly host an African energy and infrastructure investment conference.  The conference will bring investors, developers, and companies together with U.S. and African government officials to demonstrate the opportunities for investment and the tools and resources available from the U.S. government and other partners to support investment.

Power Africa will also leverage private sector investments, beginning with more than $9 billion in initial commitments from private sector partners to support the development of more than 8,000 megawatts of new electricity generation in sub-Saharan Africa.   Examples of commitments to-date include:

  • General Electric commits to help bring online 5,000 megawatts of new, affordable energy through provision of its technologies, expertise and capital in Tanzania and Ghana.
  • Heirs Holdings commits to $2.5 billion of investment and financing in energy, generating an additional 2,000 megawatts of electricity capacity over next five years.
  • Symbion Power aims to catalyze $1.8 billion in investment to support 1,500 megawatts of new energy projects in Power Africa countries over the next five years.
  • Aldwych International commits to developing 400 MW of clean, wind power in Kenya and Tanzania – which will represent the first large-scale wind projects in each of these countries, and an associated investment of $1.1 billion.
  • Harith General Partners commits to $70 million in investment for clean, wind energy in Kenya and $500 million across the African power sector via a new fund.
  • Husk Power Systems will seek to complete installation of 200 decentralized biomass-based mini power plants in Tanzania – providing affordable lighting for 60,000 households.
  • The African Finance Corporation intends to invest $250 million in the power sectors of Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria, catalyzing $1 billion in investment in sub-Saharan Africa energy projects.

 

Power Africa Will Help Attract Investment in Africa’s Energy Sector

Power Africa directly addresses constraints to investment in order to accelerate progress.  Instead of taking years or even decades to create an enabling environment for energy sector investment, Power Africa takes a transaction-centered approach that provides incentives to host governments, the private sector, and donors.  These incentives galvanize collaboration, producing near-term results and driving forward systemic reforms that pave the way to future investment.   To achieve these ambitions, Power Africa includes:

  • An interagency Transactions Solutions Team to provide the catalysts needed to bring power and transmission projects to fruition by leveraging financing, insurance, technical assistance, and grant tools from across the U.S. government and our private sector partners.
  • Field-based Transaction Advisors, who have already begun their work in each of the partner countries, to help governments prioritize, coordinate, and expedite the implementation of power projects, while simultaneously building the capacity of existing host government ministries to deliver results. 

 

Power Africa Will Build Capacity for Project Delivery and Energy Sector Reform

Building host-government capacity to develop, approve, finance and ultimately bring power projects on line is critical to the success of the initiative.  To support this need, Power Africa will work with host governments to launch or further develop “delivery units” charged with driving progress on specific projects.  These delivery units will help increase technical skills and accelerate energy sector regulatory, market structure and enabling environment reforms.

In Tanzania for example, Power Africa will support the “Big Results Now!” program, which is establishing new delivery units within government ministries.  In Nigeria, Power Africa will provide staffing support, capacity building and technical assistance to an existing delivery unit.  Establishment of a delivery unit in Ghana will be closely coordinated with the MCC’s Compact slated for signature in 2014.

 

Transparent Natural Resource Management

The recent discoveries of oil and gas in sub-Saharan Africa will play a critical role in defining the region’s prospects for economic growth and stability, as well as contributing to broader near-term global energy security.  Yet existing infrastructure in the region is inadequate to ensure that both on- and off-shore resources provide on-shore benefits and can be accessed to meet the region’s electricity generation needs.

Although many countries have legal and regulatory structures in place governing the use of natural resources, these are often inadequate.  They fail to comply with international standards of good governance, or do not provide for the transparent and responsible financial management of these resources.

Power Africa will work in collaboration with partner countries to ensure the path forward on oil and gas development maximizes the benefits to the people of Africa, while also ensuring that development proceeds in a timely, financially sound, inclusive, transparent and environmentally sustainable manner.

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The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 30, 2013

FACT SHEET: Global Health Investments and Partnership in Africa

The United States is the world’s leading donor in global health.  We are strongly committed to working with partner nations to reach our goal of an AIDS-free generation, to ending preventable child and maternal deaths, and to supporting countries as they work to provide for the health of their own citizens.

Since 2008, the United States has tripled the number of people directly supported by the President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) with lifesaving treatment for AIDS.  Our efforts have contributed to a 16% decline in under-five child mortality in 24 priority countries, and we have been a key multilateral partner on strengthening the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization.

We will continue to work with our partners and Allies around the world to deliver global health results and eradicate extreme poverty.  And we will continue to speak out in support of universal rights and fundamental freedoms for all, including LGBT populations, people living with HIV, and women and girls.

Progress towards an AIDS-Free Generation

The United States is committed to turning the tide on HIV/AIDS.  In June 2013, we reached the one millionth baby born HIV-free because of PEPFAR support.  In Fiscal Year 2012 alone, PEPFAR’s investments meant that over 230,000 babies were born HIV-free.  In sub-Saharan Africa, the number of AIDS-related deaths decreased by 32% from 2005 to 2011, and the number of new HIV infections fell by 33% from 2001 to 2011.

During this same period, PEPFAR also supported over one million voluntary medical male circumcisions, and provided HIV testing and counseling for more than 46 million people.  Today, we are announcing an additional $10 million to support South Africa’s ongoing efforts to expand voluntary medical male circumcision services, which reduces men’s risk of becoming infected with HIV by approximately 60%.

We are delivering on the President’s 2011 commitment to support 6 million people on antiretroviral treatment (ART) by the end of 2013, and are working to increase the impact and sustainability of our investments.  The number of people in Africa receiving antiretroviral treatment has increased from less than 1 million in 2005 to 7.1 million in 2012, with nearly 1 million added in the last year alone.   PEPFAR directly supports more than 5.1 million people with lifesaving ART, up from 1.7 million in 2008.

South Africa, for example, is rapidly scaling up access to HIV treatment, with a 20% increase in the number of people receiving therapy from 2011-2012 alone.  Sixteen countries—Botswana, Ghana, Gambia, Gabon, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, São Tomé and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—now ensure that more than three-quarters of pregnant women living with HIV receive antiretroviral medicine to prevent transmission to their child.

Eleven African countries—Botswana, Burundi, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—have reached a critical programmatic “tipping point,” where the annual increase in adults on treatment is bigger than the annual number of new adult infections.

As HIV disproportionately affects specific populations at higher risk for infection, PEPFAR works to support country-led plans that expand high-impact comprehensive programs of HIV prevention, treatment, and care services to those who are often overlooked, including men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, and sex workers. 

Improving Health and Child Survival

A sustained commitment to global health by the United States, other donors, and African countries themselves has driven historic declines in childhood mortality and progress on reducing maternal mortality.  U.S. investments in child survival have contributed to a 16% decline in childhood mortality and a 13% reduction in maternal mortality since 2008 in 24 priority countries receiving U.S. assistance.

The President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) is leading efforts to control malaria in Africa and has helped achieve declines in under-five mortality ranging from 16% to 50% in 12 of the original 15 PMI focus countries.  Eight African countries, including Rwanda and Zanzibar – where PMI works – have achieved 75% reductions in malaria cases.   In 2012, PMI funding and support protected more than 50 million people from malaria with a prevention measure (insecticide-treated bed-nets and/or indoor residual spraying), and distributed more than 43 million courses of artemisinin-based combination therapy and over 13 million rapid diagnostic tests.

The Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) program has delivered over 820 million NTD treatments to over 364 million people in 24 countries, leveraged over $4 billion in donated medicines, and is helping to control and move towards elimination of these debilitating diseases of poverty.  U.S. investments are also effectively fighting infectious diseases like tuberculosis, measles and influenza, and are building the health systems that will enable governments to provide for the health of their own citizens.

The United States is further extending our efforts through multilateral partners like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI).  We are the largest contributor to the Global Fund, which provides lifesaving ART to 4.2 million people with AIDS, tuberculosis treatment to 9.7 million people, and 310 million insecticide-treated nets to protect families from malaria.  In addition, U.S. investments in GAVI are working to introduce new vaccines against the biggest causes of childhood mortality, and have immunized over 370 million children against vaccine-preventable diseases in the world’s poorest countries.

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