Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) hosted a press call today after returning from a congressional delegation to Cabo Verde, Mozambique, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tunisia. Senator Coons, Chairman of the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, met with Cabo Verdean President José Maria Neves, Mozambican Prime Minister Adriano Maleiane, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto, former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, and Tunisian President Kais Saied, among others. The delegation also met conservation leaders in Mozambique, Kenya, and Rwanda to learn about how the United States can support African-led efforts to conserve protected areas, promote economic development, and make communities and wildlife more resilient to climate change.
Excerpt of Senator Coons’ remarks:
Senator Chris Coons: Across these five countries, we had a series of briefings and meetings, both in American embassies with presidents or prime ministers, and visits to community organizations, public health organizations and conservation groups. And broadly across the five countries, we were looking at the prospects for democracy in each, the challenges they face in terms of stability and security. Three countries in particular have significant challenges from known terrorist organizations, and either domestic insurgencies or Islamist organizations that have recently conducted attacks, and then in three of the countries, we also very explicitly looked at conservation and the balance between human development and preserving biodiversity, taking action to combat climate change, and to protect wildlife.
Five years ago, I introduced and the President signed into law – I guess, maybe six years ago now actually – the End Wildlife Trafficking Act with Senator Flake. Senator Portman and I are working to get that reauthorized before the end of the year. A group called the International Conservation Caucus Foundation or ICCF, and a group called African Parks that manages parks, 20 different parks in 11 African countries, joined us for two different events and meetings.
Across all five I have to say there were clear themes. Every one of these five countries looks to the United States as a partner of choice for security, for economic opportunity and for democracy, but in all five countries in different ways, both Chinese and Russian influences are clearly present to varying degrees.
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In Kenya, where I have long relationships, having studied at the University of Nairobi in 1984, we met with President Uhuru Kenyatta, the outgoing president who is leaving after completing two five-year terms. And we met with the two contestants in the presidential election, Deputy President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Former Prime Minister Odinga is hotly contesting the election results, challenging them in the Supreme Court. Given the history of election violence, in which thousands of lives were lost over two previous cycles and where the Supreme Court invalidated the last election, our ambassador thought that my direct engagement with all three and conversations about encouraging their supporters to remain peaceful and respecting the legal process was important.
The full call can be accessed here.
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