Travel to South Africa, Angola, Gabon, and France, May 2-7, 2022

Summary

• Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman travels to South Africa, Angola, Gabon, and France from May 2 to 7. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee and National Security Council Senior Director for Africa Dana Banks join the Deputy Secretary’s delegation.

• In South Africa, Deputy Secretary Sherman traveled to Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Pretoria from May 2 to 4 and met with Deputy Foreign Minister Alvin Botes and other senior government officials to discuss furthering U.S.-South African cooperation on a range of issues, including global and regional peace and security, trade and investment, sustainable infrastructure, health security, and the climate crisis. She met with business leaders and entrepreneurs to discuss strengthening the important trade and investment relationship between the U.S. and South Africa. The Deputy Secretary also presented the International Women of Courage Award during a discussion with women leaders promoting human rights for marginalized communities.

• Deputy Secretary Sherman then traveled to Luanda, Angola from May 4 to 5 to meet with President João Lourenço, Foreign Minister Tete Antonio, and other senior Angolan officials to discuss our shared interests, including regional security and defense cooperation, economic prosperity, good governance, support for Angola’s COVID-19 vaccination effort, and cooperation on shared maritime law enforcement as well as economic, and climate-related challenges in the Atlantic Basin. She also held discussions with business leaders, and Mandela Washington Fellowship alumni who are working to promote women’s entrepreneurship and youth engagement.

• From May 5 to 6, the Deputy Secretary traveled to Libreville, Gabon, where she met with President Ali Bongo Ondimba, Foreign Minister Michael Moussa-Adamo, and Minister of Defense Félicité Ongouori Ngoubili to engage on our shared priorities including promoting environmental protection, addressing the climate crisis, and furthering security cooperation. The Deputy Secretary also visited Raponda Walker Arboretum to learn about Gabon’s work in forest conservation leadership to combat the climate crisis.

• Finally, on May 7, the Deputy Secretary met in Paris, France, with French MFA Secretary General Francois Delattre, German MFA State Secretary Andreas Michaelis, Italian MFA Secretary General Ettore Sequi, and UK Minister of State for Europe and North America James Cleverly to discuss our ongoing, close coordination to respond to Putin’s brutal, unprovoked war against Ukraine.