Tillerson Africa trip purpose to restate US commitment to relationships with African (er, shithole) nations. Announced $533 million in additional aid to alleviate famine and other needs caused by conflicts in Ethiopia, the Lake Chad Basin, Somalia and South Sudan.
Stop 1: Ethiopia- US message to lower barriers to trade and investment in Africa. Read: squash China’s attempt to grab natural resources, military relations with dictator nations.
Fact: total U.S. investment of around $567 million, is dwarfed by Chinese investments, which are more than $15 billion.
China investment in infrastructure- loans to African nations. www.cnn.com/2018/03/10/politics/china-africa-footprint-tillerson/index.html
Coincidence that Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was also in Ethiopia at same time?
Stop 2: Djibouti - US military stationed there for rapid response to terrorism and violent extremism threats. Djibouti serves as host for refugees, and dispersement of humanitarian aid in region, safeguarding water trade routes.
Stop 3: Kenya - attempt to convince Kenyans of democracy. Kenya shut down media. Lay wreath at site of US embassy bombing. BHO did same in 2015.
1998 embassy bombing thought to be work of Osama bin Laden. Clinton responded with missiles fired in Afghanistan and Sudan, which united Taliban & al-Qaida, which led to bombing of USS Cole and further strengthening of Bin Laden.
Ethiopian refugee crisis in Kenya www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ethiopians-cross-into-kenya-after-deadly-military-attacks/ar-BBKgQ5I
2 presidents of Kenya. This will not end well. www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-global-kenya-odinga-swearing-in-20180126-story.html
Stop 4: Chad- Trump put Chad on visa ban list in Sept. even though Chad was assisting US in combating terrorism. Loose controls over passports. Tillerson was following up on report to Trump to get ban lifted.
Stop 5: Nigeria- counter terrorism, diplomatic means to secure release of 110 girls abducted from a school by Boko Haram instead of military options, per Nigeria president.