Obama will be first sitting U.S. president to visit Ethiopia
Source: Washington Post
June 19 at 5:10 PM
President Obama will become the first sitting U.S. president to visit Ethiopia, the White House announced Friday, when he heads there next month.
Obama's trip to Africa's second-most populous nation -- the second stop on a journey that includes a visit to his father's home country of Kenya -- comes amid growing concern that Ethiopia's government has become increasingly repressive when it comes to internal dissent. During elections last month the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front tightened its hold on power, prompting the opposition to accuse the government of running a one-party state.
In a statement Friday, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said the president would travel in late July to Ethiopia for bilateral meetings with both the country's government and the leadership of the African Union, which is headquartered there.
"This visit, which will follow the President’s travel to Kenya, will build on the success of the August 2014 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit by strengthening ties with our African partners and highlighting America’s longstanding commitment to investing in Africa," the statement read. "This will be the first visit of a sitting U.S. President to Ethiopia and to the African Union headquarters, underscoring our efforts to work with the countries and citizens of sub-Saharan Africa to accelerate economic growth, strengthen democratic institutions, and improve security."
Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/06/19/obama-will-be-first-sitting-u-s-president-to-visit-ethiopia/
President Obama speaks during a meeting with Ethiopian President Hailemariam Desalegn to discuss the Ebola epidemic, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, in New York.
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