Last updated on August 14th, 2022 at 09:22 am
Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa covering President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. government, UN, IMF, World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington and New York.
Ambassador David Satterfield has been named the new United States Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa to tackle the lingering crises in Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia and elsewhere. He is replacing Jeffrey Feltman who was appointed in early 2021.
Satterfield will be taking over in the coming days once Feltman ends his appointment, U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said in a statement on Thursday.
“When we asked Ambassador Feltman to take on this role in early 2021, we had intended his appointment to be for less than a year. However, the ongoing instability in the Horn of Africa and the region’s interlinked political, security, and humanitarian challenges demand sustained focus by the United States,” Blinken wrote. “Ambassador Satterfield’s decades of diplomatic experience and work amidst some of the world’s most challenging conflicts will be instrumental in our continued effort to promote a peaceful and prosperous Horn of Africa and to advance U.S. interests in this strategic region.”
He added, “I deeply appreciate Ambassador Satterfield’s willingness to take on this role and look forward to working with him closely in this new capacity.”
Blinken said Ambassador Feltman will continue to serve the State Department in an advisory capacity, working closely with him and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee.
“We are fortunate to be able to rely on these two extraordinary diplomats in support of U.S. diplomacy amidst the regional challenges and opportunities we face,” Blinken added.
As he takes over, Ambassador Satterfield would two big crises at hand in Ethiopia and Sudan as well as insecurity in Somalia.
