US officials to visit Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Ethiopia

WASHINGTON, Jan 15 (KUNA) -- US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee and newly appointed Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa David Satterfield will travel to Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Ethiopia from January 17-20, the Department of State announced.
The Department of State said in a statement that in Riyadh, Phee and Satterfield will attend a meeting of "the Friends of Sudan, intended to marshal international support for the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission to Sudan (UNITAMS) in its efforts to facilitate a renewed civilian-led transition to democracy." They will then travel to Khartoum where they will meet with "pro-democracy activists, women and youth groups, civil society, military leaders, and political figures." "Their message will be clear: the United States is committed to freedom, peace and justice for the Sudanese people," the statement stressed.
Finally, in Ethiopia, "they will encourage government officials to seize the current opening for peace by ending the air strikes and other hostilities, negotiating a ceasefire, releasing all political prisoners, restoring sustained humanitarian access and laying the foundation for an inclusive national dialogue." (end) si.rk