U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Molly Phee meets with Kenya Deputy President William Ruto at the State Department, Washington DC. Mar. 3, 2022 |Courtesy| Twitter|
By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee called on Sudanese military leaders to restore the civilian-led government during her recent visit to Sudan. Phee also made it clear there would be no resumption of U.S. economic assistance until the democratic transition is restored. Ambassador Phee traveled the Northeast African nation last week in support of the Sudanese-led process to resolve the crisis following the October 2021 military takeover. During her four-day visit, Ambassador Phee met with a wide range of Sudanese stakeholders and political actors and urged them to take hold of the opportunity offered by the UN-AU-IGAD-facilitated process to restore the transition to democracy and economic stability, and to advance peace. In a statement released Monday, the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum said that during her meeting with military coup leaders, Phee urged to implement the confidence-building measures and to hold accountable the security agents who killed over 100 protesters and perpetrators of sexual assaults. The U.S. envoy also called for an end to the violence against protestors, including sexual and gender-based violence, suffered by thousands.
“The United States remains committed to a strong partnership with the people of Sudan in support of their aspirations for freedom, peace and justice. The time for constructive dialogue and action to establish a civilian-led transitional framework is now.”
-Statement U.S. Embassy in Khartoum June 13, 2022
This is Third visit Assistant Secretary Phee has made to Sudan
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee meets with Minister of Foreign Affairs Mariam al-Mahdi to show U.S. support for the Sudan civilian-led transitional government in Khartoum Nov. 15, 2021. (twitter.comusembassykrt)
Assistant Secretary of State Phee traveled on her first trip to Sudan in her new position last November to show U.S. support for the civilian-led transitional government in Khartoum. In October, the U.S. Senate confirmed ambassador Phee, a career Foreign Service member, as President Biden’s top diplomat in Africa. Phee was most recently the Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation. Prior to this, Phee served as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan from 2015-2017 under President Obama. And in January 2022, Phee and newly appointed Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa David Satterfield traveled to Sudan to meet with pro-democracy activists, women and youth groups, civil society, military leaders, and political figures. Ambassador Phee has now wrapped up her third trip to Sudan, but peace remains elusive in the troubled African nation.
