Under Sec. Shannon Travels to Africa and the Maghreb

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Department of State
Washington, DC
February 16, 2016

Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon will travel to Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Burkina Faso, and Mali on February 16-25.

Ambassador Shannon will visit Rabat on February 16-17, where he will meet with government officials, young entrepreneurs, and teachers and students in a U.S.-supported English Access Microscholarship Program.

On February 18-19, Ambassador Shannon will travel to Tunis to affirm with government officials the growing strategic partnership between our countries, meet with civil society leaders to discuss their important role in ensuing citizen engagement in political processes, and meet with staff in our Libya External Office.

In Algiers on February 20-22, Ambassador Shannon will meet with a range of government officials to review our countries’ strong cooperation, particularly on counterterrorism. He will also meet with local business leaders and entrepreneurs to discuss opportunities for continued U.S. investment in Algeria, as well as speak with Algerian youth engaged in some of the English language opportunities offered by the U.S. Embassy.

On February 22-23, Ambassador Shannon will travel to Burkina Faso, where he will meet with President Rock Marc Christian Kaboré, Prime Minister Paul Kaba Thieba, as well as the Ministers of Security, Justice, Foreign Affairs, and the head of the National Assembly.

Before returning to Washington, Under Secretary Shannon will travel February 24 to Mali, where he will meet with President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of National Unity, Humanitarian Action, and Reconstruction of the North, the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, and the Minister of National Reconciliation. In both Burkina Faso and Mali, he will discuss key areas of bilateral cooperation in security and development.