United States Department of State (Washington, DC)
3 October 2007
Washington, DC — Africa stands as a "foreign policy priority" of the Bush administration, Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi E. Frazer told the United States Congress October 2.
In testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, Frazer said the United States is working to promote conflict resolution; humanitarian assistance; strengthening of transparent, democratic African governments; greater economic growth and a strengthening of counterterrorism efforts.
"All of these elements are part of the picture when we consider the Horn of Africa subregion and Ethiopia in particular," she told the lawmakers in her prepared testimony. Frazer's testimony updated the lawmakers on the latest conditions in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa subregion.
Frazer said the United States government has provided more than $200 million to support humanitarian programs throughout Ethiopia in fiscal year 2007.
Turning to Eritrea, Frazer told the lawmakers the United States continues to have "grave concerns" about human rights issues in that country, including the level of democracy, rule of law, freedom of the press and religious freedoms.
"Fourteen years after independence, national elections have yet to be held, and the constitution has never been implemented," she said. "Several thousand prisoners of conscience are being detained without charge indefinitely and without the ability to communicate with friends and relatives. The government has severely restricted civil liberties, and arbitrary arrest, detention (including two Eritrean employees of the U.S. Embassy detained since 2001), and torture are serious problems. Security forces detain and arrest parents and spouses of individuals who have evaded national service or fled the country, despite the lack of a legal basis for such action."
On Somalia, Frazer cautioned that the current situation there "poses a threat to regional stability." She added, however, that the United States has provided more than $89 million in fiscal year 2007 to respond to that nation's emergency humanitarian needs.
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