Assistant Secretary 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 to 20, 2022.
While in Riyadh, Assistant Secretary Phee and Special Envoy 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.
Following the Friends of Sudan meeting, the Assistant Secretary and Special Envoy will 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.
Finally, in Ethiopia, the Assistant Secretary and Special Envoy will follow up on President Biden’s constructive phone call with Ethiopian Prime Minister Ahmed Abiy on January 10. 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.
