Africa

Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) may join the State Department as a special envoy to the Great Lakes region of Central Africa.

Feingold, a former Senate college of Secretary of State John Kerry, served as chairman of the Subcommittee on African Affairs while a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In an email to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the former Wisconsin lawmaker said he would be open to accepting such a post.

"I would of course welcome the opportunity to work with Secretary Kerry and to serve my country and President," Feingold said.

The Obama administration is relaxing certain U.S. sanctions on the war-torn country of Sudan, the Treasury Department announced on Monday.

The new regulations provide exemptions for academic travel or non-profit work and noncommercial research in the country. It represents a shift in policy since President Clinton first installed sanctions on Sudan in 1997. Every president thereafter has renewed or strengthened them, including President Obama.

President Obama commemorated the 19th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda by expressing solidarity with the survivors and emphasizing the need to prevent such an event from happening again.

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The Obama administration will host an international conference this month to develop economic solutions for South Sudan, the world's newest country and one of its poorest.

The United States is joining with Britain, Norway and the European Union for a South Sudan Economic Partners Forum to be held on April 16 in Washington, the State Department announced Friday. 

The creation of South Sudan was one of President Obama's most notable foreign policy successes during his first term. Since then, however, the land-locked country of about 8 million has struggled to keep the peace with neighboring Sudan and alleviate widespread poverty.

Three ex-wives and top aides of war criminal Charles Taylor are being taken off the Treasury Department's sanctions list.

The individuals, 12 in all, were previously prohibited from accessing assets in the United States due to their association with the warlord and former president of Liberia.

President Obama informed Congress on Thursday of his intention to renew sanctions against Somalia despite the country forming a central government for the first time in 22 years.

The Obama administration recognized the government of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Jan. 17. The move paves the way for a resumption of civilian and military aid and full diplomatic relations with a country that had operated without a government since warlords toppled the central government in 1991. 

“Although the U.S. recognition underscores a strong commitment to Somalia's stabilization, it does not remove the importance of U.S. sanctions, especially against persons undermining the stability of Somalia,” Obama wrote to congressional leaders. “For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency with respect to Somalia and to maintain in force the sanctions to respond to this threat.”

The State Department announced Wednesday that it was offering $5 million for information leading to the arrest of the Lord's Resistance Army's leaders even as Uganda announced it was putting the manhunt on hold.

The Obama administration has made a priority the capture of Joseph Kony and his lieutenants, who have been destabilizing central Africa and pressing children into armed combat for two decades. The administration sent 100 U.S. troops to help Uganda track him down two years ago and on Wednesday announced the rewards for information about Kony as well as Okot Odhiambo and Dominic Ongwen.

The rewards are being offered under recent legislation that expands the State Department's Rewards for Justice program to target transnational organized criminals and the world’s worst human rights abusers. The department is also offering a reward for information about the leader of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, Sylvestre Mudacumura.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is calling for an expansion of American military aid and equipment to the West African nation of Mali, as French and local forces continue to battle Islamic militants in the country. 

Obama had urged Kenyans to hold a "free and fair vote" to avoid a repeat of 2007's election violence.

The White House condemned on Friday reports that women at anti-government protests in Egypt had been sexually assaulted and urged the Egyptian government to provide protection for female protesters.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the administration was "deeply concerned" about reports of sexual assaults while briefing reporters aboard Air Force One.

"Sexual violence, including gang rapes, has occurred during recent demonstrations in Egypt. This is a cause of great concern to the United States, the international community and to many Egyptians," Earnest said.

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