TIllerson discusses economy, defense with 37 African delegations

WASHINGTON, Nov 22 (KUNA) -- Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held a series of meetings with delegations from 37 African countries, the African Union Commission, and representatives from US and African private sectors last Friday to discuss trade, good governance, and countering violent extremists.
On trade and investment, Tillerson underscored opportunities for expanding commercial ties with Africa and private-sector-led growth to contribute towards economic development on the continent, according to a statement from the State Department Wednesday.
"The Secretary reinforced that governments that uphold core democratic principles and practices to create societies that are safer, healthier, more secure, more prosperous, more likely to lead to economic growth, and more inclined to respect the human rights of their citizens," it said.
Finally, on countering violent extremism, best practices and lessons learned from the respective countries regarding radicalization to violence were discussed.
"African partners also stressed the importance of using comprehensive approaches to counter terrorism and prevent the spread of violent extremism that complement security sector professionalization, with particular focus on addressing the economic, governance, and social vulnerabilities," the statement revealed. (end) ak.ibi