United States Africa Command Public Affairs Office 26 July 2011

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TOP NEWS RELATED TO U.S. AFRICA COMMAND AND AFRICA Top US officer sees Kadhafi end (AFP) (Libya) Top US officer Admiral Michael Mullen on Monday acknowledged NATO was in a "stalemate" in its Libya campaign but still voiced optimism the strategy would lead to the departure of Moamer Kadhafi. Somalia Famine Relief Poses Challenges for International Community (VOA) (Somalia) The United Nations has urged massive action to save millions of people in the drought-stricken Horn of Africa region. One challenge for the international community is logistical getting enough food to areas that need it as soon as possible. National Security Insiders Support Decision to Recognize Libya's Rebels (The Atlantic) (Libya) National Journal's National Security Insiders strongly support the Obama administration's decision to formally recognize Libya's opposition government as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people. Most said they support funneling some of the billions of dollars in frozen regime funds to the rebels for whatever they need in the fight to overthrow Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi-although some cautioned against arming the rebels directly. US envoy to press two Sudans to talk (AFP) (Sudan/South Sudan) A US envoy headed Monday to Sudan and newly independent South Sudan to press the two nations to resolve lingering disputes and end the violence in a flashpoint border region. Liberians in US Observe Country's 164th Independence Anniversary (VOA) Liberia commemorates its 164th independence anniversary Tuesday, July 26. Prosecutors: Piracy includes failed attempts to rob ships at sea under international law (AP) (Somalia) Federal prosecutors say the conviction of five Somali pirates should be upheld because the definition of piracy under international law includes failed attempts.

Measles kill over 1,000 DR Congo children since January: UN (AFP) (DRC) A measles epidemic has killed 1,145 children in the Democratic Republic of Congo since January, the UN's Humanitarian Affairs mission in Kinshasa said Monday. UN News Service Africa Briefs Full Articles on UN Website y Congolese cholera outbreak continues to spread, UN health agency says y UN team calls for end to use of children in conflict in Central African Republic y Aid to Horn of Africa must be linked to boosting long-term food security Ban -----------------------------------------------------------------------UPCOMING EVENTS OF INTEREST: WHEN/WHERE: Tuesday, July 26, 2011, 9:30 a.m.; U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW, Helena Rubinstein Auditorium, Washington, DC. WHAT: The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum; the National Endowment for Democracy; and the Eastern Congo Initiative Conference - "Voices from the Congo: The Road Ahead," a Congolese perspective on the current political and human rights situation and an effort to inform U.S. policy on Congo with ideas and recommendations. WHO: Actor Ben Affleck of the Eastern Congo Initiative delivers welcoming remarks (via video); Scott Campbell of the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights; Abbe Benoit Kinalegu of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission; Catherine Kathungu of the Association des Femmes Juristes pour les Droits de la Femme; Anneke Van Woudenberg of Human Rights Watch; and Gwen Ifill of PBS NewsHour participate in a discussion on "Assessing the Human Rights Situation"; Barrie Freeman of the National Democratic Institute; Dismas Kitenge of Groupe Lotus; Donat M'Baya of Journalistes en Danger; and Colum Lynch of the Washington Post participate in a discussion on "Elections: Challenges and Opportunities"; Senate Assistant Majority Leader Richard Durbin, D-Ill., delivers remarks; Cindy McCain of the Eastern Congo Initiative delivers remarks Info: Andy Hollinger, 202-488-6133, ahollinger@ushmm.org; http://tinyurl.com/congovoices WHEN/WHERE: Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at 2:00 p.m.; Room 2255 Rayburn House Office Building WHAT: House Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing on AFRICOM (U.S. Africa Command): Promoting Partnership for Global Security in Africa.

WHO: Witnesses: Donald Y. Yamamoto, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of African Affairs; Vicki Huddleston, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense; Sharon Cromer, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development. Info: 202-225-5021; web site: http://foreignaffairs.house.gov ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------FULL ARTICLE TEXT Top US officer sees Kadhafi end (AFP) By Unattributed Author June 26, 2011 Top US officer Admiral Michael Mullen on Monday acknowledged NATO was in a "stalemate" in its Libya campaign but still voiced optimism the strategy would lead to the departure of Moamer Kadhafi. Insurgents have been fighting to oust Kadhafi since mid-February, and NATO has been pounding away with air raids, as the Libyan leader continues to hang on. His complex was slammed by NATO warplanes Saturday, when the alliance confirmed seven strikes and said they hit a military command node. "We are, generally, in a stalemate," Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mullen told a press briefing in Washington billed as his last before retirement. Referring to NATO raids, Mullen said NATO has "dramatically attrited (reduced) his forces" and "additional pressure has been brought," even if Kadhafi has not been ousted. "In the long run, I think it's a strategy that will work... (toward) removal of Kadhafi from power," Mullen said. Regime troops had attacked the western desert hamlet of Gualish on Sunday and shelled the region before pulling back under rebel rocket fire as NATO warplanes flew overhead, an AFP correspondent reported. The insurgents recaptured Gualish this month and are planning to use it as a springboard for a western assault on Tripoli. They said their campaign to attack the capital from the east has been slowed by efforts to remove an estimated 45,000 land mines from around the oil town of Brega. Asked if the United States would arm the rebels, Mullen said there has been "no

decision to arm the TNC (Transitional National Council) on the part of the United States." Kadhafi said in an audio message broadcast on state television late Saturday that the unrest was a "colonial plot," without elaborating. The strongman also denied accusations by international rights groups of a brutal suppression of dissent and allegations that his regime had killed thousands of protesters. "They lie to you and say, 'Libya kills its people with bullets, that is why we have come to protect civilians'," Kadhafi said of the UN-mandated NATO air campaign aimed at protecting civilians in Libya. Obama has nominated General Martin Dempsey as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Dempsey is due to succeed Mullen, who is retiring at his term's end September 30. ------------------Somalia Famine Relief Poses Challenges for International Community (VOA) By William Eagle July 25, 2011 The United Nations has urged massive action to save millions of people in the drought-stricken Horn of Africa region. One challenge for the international community is logistical getting enough food to areas that need it as soon as possible. There are fairly good food stores in certain areas that can be brought to the scene immediately, said David Shinn, former U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia and Burkina Faso. Shinn is currently an adjunct professor of International Affairs at the Elliot School of International Affairs at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The problem is over the longer term where more food is going to be required than I think was originally envisaged, he said. It will be necessary to identify and transport to the region significantly larger quantities of food to ensure famine does not extend around the area. More challenging is getting food to areas of Somalia held by the Islamic militant group al-Shabab. According to the United Nations, the group controls more than 80 percent of southern areas where there are 500,000 malnourished children. Al-Shabab has had a rocky rapport with aid agencies. Last year, it kicked out Western aid groups that refused to meet several demands, including a ban on women operating on the ground. Earlier this month, militants said they would

allow groups to return to feed those affected by drought. Then, late last week, the group changed its mind, and denied there is famine in Somalia. Going against policy Another challenge is the U.S. policy that bans any type of material support to the rebels, including taxes imposed on relief agencies. There was a certain willingness by parts of the international community to wink and nod if they felt the conditions by al-Shabab were not that onerous. The U.S. was less willing to do that. It has declared al-Shabab to be a terrorist organization and it has threatened the security of the U.S. So, [the U.S. government] did not want to be in a position of directly or indirectly supporting al-Shabab. It was taking the lead on this issue, said Shinn. Security is also an issue, though Shinn rejects introducing any U.N. or AU troops into the area, a move which could create a bigger problem than the one that already exists there. The answer may lie in part with the rebels. The best solution, said Shinn, is to extract a commitment [from al-Shabab] that there are no conditions. In the interest of keeping Somalis alive, which would seem to be in their interest, too, [the rebels should allow] the international aid agencies and the NGOs to go in to .feed Somalis and be left alone." Shinn said a failure to allow humanitarian relief makes them look bad as if they have no ability to control events in the territory they have seized. He said it would also likely mean more Somali refugees heading for Dadaab and other camps in Kenya and Ethiopia. Political will Oxfam has accused the international community of willful neglect in its response to the famine. The aid and development group says the spreading drought and famine had been anticipated for months, but that donors are $800 million behind in their commitments to fight the drought. But Shinn said the public doesnt understand the logistics involved in moving large quantities of food on short notice through a long supply chain. It is very easy, he said, to sit back and pontificate about whats required and when its required, but its not always easy to do that and these are fairly fastmoving events. Even though this problem has been known for months, I dont think the magnitude was known earlier on and the international community may have been caught off guard.

On Monday, U.N. agencies pressed for $1.6 billion in aid for East Africa over the next year, with over a fourth of that to be delivered within three months. Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced an additional $28 million in humanitarian aid to Somalis suffering from hunger. That comes on top of $431 million in U.S. emergency assistance to the Horn this year. ----------------National Security Insiders Support Decision to Recognize Libya's Rebels (The Atlantic) By Unattributed Author July 25 2011 National Journal's National Security Insiders strongly support the Obama administration's decision to formally recognize Libya's opposition government as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people. Most said they support funneling some of the billions of dollars in frozen regime funds to the rebels for whatever they need in the fight to overthrow Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi-although some cautioned against arming the rebels directly. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced recently that the U.S. decided to formally recognize Libya's Transitional National Council as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people. Thirty-eight out of 54 respondents (70 percent) said this was the right decision, given the Obama administration's investment in the military operation and significant contact with the rebel government over the course of several months. "Now that the United States has committed to regime change in Libya, it makes little sense not to," one Insider said. "Since the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against Qaddafi for crimes against humanity, he can no longer be considered the legitimate head of state of Libya," another Insider said. "Moreover, the 33member Transitional National Council has a broad base of support and backs political freedoms. Its legitimacy is further enhanced by the absence of competitive anti-Qaddafi resistance group." Or as another Insider said: "We've recognized worse!" Rebel leaders, who say they are in desperate need of supplies such as gasoline, food, and money for salaries to continue their fight against Qaddafi, have been pleading for access to the $34 billion in regime funds the U.S. froze in February. The insurgents have asked the U.S.--and their Western and Arab allies--for medium and heavy artillery to help them turn the tide of the war against Qaddafi. The ragtag group of rebel fighters has also urged the United States to provide military training to help them make key territorial gains before the

Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Now that the Washington has officially recognized the national council, 54 percent of Insiders said that the administration should unfreeze some of the funds for whatever supplies or weapons the rebels may need. "The money belongs to the Libyan people. Frankly speaking, who are we to withhold it or to tell them what they can and cannot do with it?" one Insider said. Another 6 percent said the unfrozen funds should go specifically toward providing weapons, given that the U.S. has already allocated millions of dollars to refugee operations and tens of millions more in nonlethal assistance, such as vehicles, fuel trucks, ambulances, and medical equipment. Others disagreed, with 21 percent arguing that the rebels should only be able to use the Qaddafilinked assets to stay afloat--but that the U.S. should not directly arm the insurgents. "Humanitarian needs can be served without taking sides in the civil war," one Insider said. Nineteen percent said that the U.S. should not unfreeze the Qaddafi-linked assets and cautioned against shifting the goal of the military operation from protecting civilians towards toppling Qaddafi. "Since we are not at 'declared' war with Libya, we don't have the legal basis to forfeit and distribute the money," one said. Several Insiders said that the administration should play a watchdog role for the fledgling rebel authority. "The U.S. should maintain some control over their finances to guard against corruption and inappropriate expenditures until a democratic government is installed," one Insider said. ----------------US envoy to press two Sudans to talk (AFP) By Unattributed Author July 25, 2011 A US envoy headed Monday to Sudan and newly independent South Sudan to press the two nations to resolve lingering disputes and end the violence in a flashpoint border region. Princeton Lyman, the US special envoy on Sudan, will urge leaders in Khartoum and Juba to restart stalled negotiations under a 2005 peace deal including on border security and currency, the State Department said. Lyman "will also press the parties for an immediate end to conflict and unfettered humanitarian access in the Southern Kordofan region of Sudan," the State Department said in a statement.

Fighting has raged in the ethnically divided border state since early June. UN peacekeepers started leaving when South Sudan became independent on July 9 as their mandate under the 2005 agreement expired. The Khartoum government has rejected US and UN appeals to allow a temporary extension of the peacekeepers' mandate, saying that South Kordofan was now an internal matter. Lyman will also visit Ethiopia in a show of support for the country's deployment of troops to Abyei, another troubled area of Sudan. In Addis Ababa, Lyman will also speak with former South African president Thabo Mbeki, who has been mediating on Sudan for the African Union. It marks Lyman's second trip this month to the three countries. During his last visit, he was part of the US delegation in Juba for celebrations of South Sudan's independence. The United States has put a high priority on diplomacy and aid for ethhnically African South Sudan, which broke away from the Arab-dominated north after a two-decade civil war that claimed two million lives. A separate conflict erupted in 2003 in the western region of Darfur. ----------------Liberians in US Observe Country's 164th Independence Anniversary (VOA) By James Butty July 25, 2011 Liberia commemorates its 164th independence anniversary Tuesday, July 26. Meanwhile, Liberians in the United States kicked off the celebrations Saturday with an All Liberian Day cultural extravaganza on the grounds of the Liberian Embassy in Washington. Ambassador William Bull, Liberias ambassador to United States, said the Embassy uses the occasion each year to bring Liberians in the United States together. As you know, the independence anniversary is an important milestone of any country and Liberia is no exception. In our case, we have selected this event over the last 12 or more years as a way of bringing Liberians together and reaching out to [the] local community to let them know that we are here; we want to work with them; we want to foster good people-to-people relationships in addition to our usual diplomatic functions, he said.

Bull said the theme of the All Liberian Day independence celebration, Liberia Rising, Do Your Part, Get Involved, reflects the general view of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleafs government. We believe very strongly that if we continue along the development path that has been set, as President Sirleaf herself has said, within 10 years, we will not require foreign assistance and by 2030 we could become a middle income country, Bull said. He said the government supports Liberians in the Diaspora to be able to vote in the countrys elections. But, Bull said that would require a constitutional amendment. Absolutely, this is a policy of the government. Unfortunately, we have a constitutional amendment that is required to ensure that the current constitution can be amended which states that, if you declare an allegiance to another country, you automatically lose your citizenship. This needs to be repealed, Bull said. Vivian Clinton of Jessup, Maryland said Independence Day reminds her that she has a country that she loves dearly. We hope that having our 164th independence day, we have more progress, more development being done to our country, Clinton said. Patrick Tuon of Germantown, Maryland described the annual Independence Day gathering on the embassy grounds as the only non-controversial event that brings all Liberians together irrespective of their political views But, as for Liberias August 23rd referendum, Tuon said he is one of those who have called for its boycott. As one of the opinion leaders here [in the United States], we have been talking about events, especially the referendum. We believe the referendum has no national value. We took a decision for this referendum to be defeated or be boycotted because the processes that were supposed to be followed were never followed, Tuon said. ----------------Prosecutors: Piracy includes failed attempts to rob ships at sea under international law (AP) By Unattributed Author July 25, 12:33 PM NORFOLK, Va. Federal prosecutors say the conviction of five Somali pirates

should be upheld because the definition of piracy under international law includes failed attempts. The Somali men were sentenced to life in prison in March for attacking the USS Nicholas off the coast of Africa. At the time of their 2010 conviction, they were the first pirates successfully prosecuted in the United States in nearly 200 years. Defense attorneys contend the men didnt commit piracy under U.S. law because they didnt board or rob the frigate. They have appealed their convictions, and the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on the issue could affect other piracy cases. Documents filed by prosecutors on Friday say an attack on a ship can qualify as piracy even if it isnt successfully robbed. -----------------Measles kill over 1,000 DR Congo children since January: UN (AFP) By Unattributed Author July 25, 2011 KINSHASA A measles epidemic has killed 1,145 children in the Democratic Republic of Congo since January, the UN's Humanitarian Affairs mission in Kinshasa said Monday. The epidemic "has already affected 115,600 children and killed 1,145" between January and June, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement. This prompted the vaccination of 3.1 million children across five provinces, it added. The campaign swung into action on May 10 after the NGO Doctors without Borders deplored "the lack of reactivity" of organisations like the World Health Organisation (WHO) to what it termed an "uncontrollable" epidemic. Vaccination is continuing in two provinces, OCHA said. Measles is extremely contagious and can cause severe diarrhoea, pneumonia and, in extreme cases, blindness and death. It is one of the leading causes of death among young children globally, despite a safe vaccine being available. In 2010, 5,407 cases were reported in DR Congo, leading to 82 deaths, up from 899 cases and 26 deaths the year before.

DR Congo is also battling cholera and polio epidemics that have claimed 250 people since March, and is the country with one of the world's highest child mortality rates -- 148 out of every 1,000 live births. The WHO responded to OCHA criticism by calling for dialogue. "If you have criticism, the best thing is to open dialogue to see what is not going well," its Kinshasa director Ayigan Kossi told AFP.

--------------------UN News Service Africa Briefs Full Articles on UN Website Congolese cholera outbreak continues to spread, UN health agency says 25 July The cholera outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to intensify and has spread to the neighbouring Republic of Congo as well, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) has reported, as international efforts step up to combat the disease. UN team calls for end to use of children in conflict in Central African Republic 25 July The Security Councils Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict has expressed concern over continuing violations of childrens rights in the Central African Republic (CAR) and urged all armed groups in the country to immediately halt the practice. Aid to Horn of Africa must be linked to boosting long-term food security Ban 25 July Emergency delivery of aid to people facing drought-related hunger in the Horn of Africa must be accompanied by longer-term efforts to boost food security in the region, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, calling for an agricultural transformation that improves the livelihoods of rural communities in the region.