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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton disembarks from her Air Force Boeing 757. Although no stranger to South Africa, this is her first visit in her capacity as the Secretary

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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton disembarks from her Air Force Boeing 757. Although no stranger to South Africa, this is her first visit in her capacity as the Secretary

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Visits South Africa

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton visited  South Africa, the second stage of  her seven-nation trip to Africa which began August 5, at the 8th U.S. – Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum (known as the AGOA Forum) in Nairobi, Kenya.

Thie trip highlights the Obama administration’s commitment to making Africa a priority in U.S. foreign policy. This is  the earliest in any U.S. administration that both the President and the Secretary of State have visited Africa.

Her stay in South Africa, which had stop-offs in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town,  included meetings with SA President Zuma, Deputy President Motlanthe, Foreign Minister Nkoana-Mashabane and Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi and other leaders

She visited  Nelson Mandela with whom she had established contact  during previous official visits as First Lady in the '90s.

Economic, business and trade ties were discussed at meetings with business leaders (an IDC/ BUSA event), and she visited US government supported social and health programs, such as a clinic in Cullinan which cares for HIV/AIDS patients and a housing project.

In celebration of National Women's Day (an Aug 9 Public Holiday) which honours the contribution of women in the struggle for freedom and democracy, she attended a dinner event.

About the Secretary, her visit to South Africa and U.S. policy to Africa and South Africa 

Visit to South Africa, August 2009

 Remarks and articles

>> All the Africa travel remarks >>

08/08/09 Clinton Celebrates Strength of Women in Africa (Article)

08/08/09 Women Are Drivers of Positive Change (Op-Ed; City Press)

08/08/09 Remarks During Visit to Victoria Mxenge Housing Development

08/08/09 Secretary Clinton Revisits Cape Townships (Article)

08/08/09 Remarks Following Meeting Between Secretary Clinton and President Zuma

08/08/09 Remarks Following Meeting with Former South African President de Klerk

08/08/09  Clinton and Zuma Meet: "He gave his views on regional issues..." (The Times)

08/07/09 PEPFAR Event with South African Minister of Health Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi

08/07/09  Clinton Celebrates Strength of Women in Africa: Attends "National Womens Day" gala event

08/07/09  Comments by Secretary Clinton About Zimbabwe and Somalia; 

08/07/09  Remarks Following Meeting With Former President Nelson Mandela; 

08/07/09  Remarks With South African Minister of International Relations Nkoana-Mashabane

08/07/09  Remarks at International Development Corporation Business Event

08/07/09  Remarks to South African Business Leaders;  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; Johannesburg, South Africa

INTERVIEW WITH SABC’S MANELISI DUBASE, May 19, 2009
Full Text [HTML format]“Madame Secretary, let me just start, first of all, with just a general question about the new government in South Africa. What’s your general view on this new government led by Mr. Jacob Zuma?”

Biographical

• Official State.gov biography
• Lizza, Ryan. "The Legacy Problem: Hillary and her rivals take on the Clinton Administration." (New Yorker, September 17, 2007)
• Kolbert, Elizabeth. "The Student: How Hillary Clinton set out to master the Senate." (New Yorker, October 13, 2003)

TRIP ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Ambassador Carson on Secretary Clinton’s Africa Trip (July 30):
  Will show Obama Administration’s commitment to making Africa a priority
  
  
• Clinton Plans Seven-Nation Africa Trip (America.gov, July 28, 2009)
  
  
• SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON'S TRAVEL TO AFRICA. Ian Kelly, State Dept. Bureau of Public Affairs Spokesman, Washington, DC, July 27, 2009
  Full Text of official announcement [HTML format]
  “Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will begin a seven-nation trip to Africa on August 5...”