The following is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert

Secretary Rex Tillerson met with AUC Chairperson Moussa Faki today to reaffirm the United States’ and AU’s mutual respect and strong commitment to the shared goal of a stable and prosperous Africa. Their conversation builds upon the momentum created by their previous meeting in November on the margins of the annual U.S.-AU High Level Dialogue in Washington D.C.

The United States applauded the launch of the AU’s 2018 “African Anti-Corruption Year,” with Secretary Tillerson indicating the United States stands ready to support AU anti-corruption efforts. The United States and the AU share a commitment to combat corruption, which in turn improves the conditions for free and fair trade, enables an open environment for business, and sets the stage for good governance.

The two also discussed a few country-specific issues, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the United States continues to urge the AU to press all parties – including the DRC government and the political opposition – to work towards December 2018 DRC elections. Secretary Tillerson and Chairperson Faki agreed the AU and Intergovernmental Authority on Development should continue to apply pressure on the warring parties in South Sudan for a negotiated solution, to protect the lives and welfare of innocent South Sudanese.

Secretary Tillerson thanked Chairman Faki and the AU for its continued attention to and good work across the Continent and underscored the strong U.S.-AU bilateral relationship.

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The U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice Program is offering rewards for information leading to the identification or location of three key leaders associated with the terrorist organization Tehrik–e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and affiliated factions.

The Department is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information on TTP leader Maulana Fazlullah, and up to $3 million each for information on Abdul Wali and Mangal Bagh.

Maulana Fazlullah is the leader of the TTP, a terrorist organization that has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist acts against Pakistani and U.S. interests, including the failed attempt by Faisal Shahzad to detonate an explosive device in New York City’s Times Square on May 1, 2010. Under his leadership, the TTP has also claimed responsibility for the December 16, 2014, attack on a school in Peshawar, Pakistan in which gunmen killed 148 people, including 132 students. Fazlullah also is responsible for the June 2012, beheading of 17 Pakistani soldiers, and the October 9, 2012, shooting of Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai. In 2015, the Department designated Fazlullah as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224, which freezes all of his assets based in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons.

Abdul Wali is the leader of Jamaat ul-Ahrar (JUA), a militant faction affiliated with TTP. Under Wali’s leadership, JUA has staged multiple attacks in the region targeting civilians, religious minorities, military personnel, and law enforcement, and was responsible for the killing of two Pakistani employees of the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar in early March 2016.

Mangal Bagh is the leader of Lashkar-e-Islam, a militant faction affiliated with TTP. Under his leadership, LeI operatives have attacked NATO convoys. His group generates revenue from drug trafficking, smuggling, kidnapping, and collection of “taxes” on transit trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan. In September 2007, the Government of Pakistan announced a reward offer of about $60,000 for the capture of, or information leading to the arrest of, Mangal Bagh.

Each of these individuals is believed to have committed, or to pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of the United States and its nationals. In addition to opposing the Pakistani military, one of TTP’s stated goals is the expulsion of Coalition troops from Afghanistan. The group has demonstrated a close alliance with al-Qa’ida, and, since 2008, has also repeatedly publicly threatened to attack the U.S. homeland.

More information about these reward offers is located on the Rewards for Justice website at www.rewardsforjustice.net. We encourage anyone with information on these individuals to contact the Rewards for Justice office via the website, e-mail (info@rewardsforjustice.net), phone (1-800-877-3927 in North America), or mail (Rewards for Justice, Washington, D.C., 20520-0303, USA). Individuals may also contact the Regional Security Office at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

The Rewards for Justice program is administered by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. Since its inception in 1984, the program has paid in excess of $145 million to more than 90 people who provided actionable information that helped bring terrorists to justice or prevented acts of international terrorism worldwide. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Rewards4Justice.

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Ambassador Alice Wells, the Senior Bureau Official in the Department of State’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, will deliver remarks on “Signs of Hope for Afghan Peace Talks” at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, March 9, 2018, at the U.S. Institute of Peace, 2301 Constitution Ave, NW, Washington, DC.

Ambassador Wells’ remarks will be open to the press. To cover Ambassador Wells’ remarks, please contact Paul Johnson at pjohnson@usip.org by Thursday, March 8 at 5:00 p.m. Additional logistical information will be shared with confirmed camera crews. Outlets requesting to send still photographers must pre-register.

Ambassador Wells’ speech will be livestreamed at https://www.usip.org/events/signs-hope-afghan-peace-talks. Follow @State_SCA during the event for updates and live tweets.

USIP media credentials are available to reporters, editors working as reporters, producers, camera operators and still photographers who work for legitimate media organizations and who present their official government-issued press credentials. Due to the limited space for media at “Signs of Hope for Afghan Peace Talks,” USIP reserves the right to limit the number of representatives of each media outlet attending the event.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

The following is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:

Secretary Tillerson met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn in Addis Ababa today, his first stop on his first visit to Africa as U.S. Secretary of State. The Secretary emphasized long-standing U.S. commitment to and partnership with the Ethiopian people. The Secretary thanked the Prime Minister for Ethiopia’s continued leadership on regional humanitarian and security issues, noting specifically Ethiopia’s role as a host of refugees and one of the most significant contributors to peacekeeping operations, and the role Ethiopia can play in the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to improve regional relations.

The Secretary encouraged completing the democratic reforms to broaden political participation, particularly in light of the ongoing government transition. The Secretary also stressed the role of the private sector and the desire to see increasing numbers of U.S. firms invest in and export to Ethiopia, who bring with them a focus on transparency and training. The Secretary commended the Prime Minister for his commitment to Ethiopia’s future, demonstrated by his decision to step down, to facilitate a peaceful transition, and to make way for further reforms.

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As we commemorate International Women’s Day on March 8th, the United States renews our steadfast commitment to addressing inequalities between women and men at home and abroad and reaffirms the importance of advancing the status of women and girls globally. We will continue to implement measures to strengthen the economic empowerment of women and girls through policies and programs that promote entrepreneurship as well as broaden equal access to finance, decent work, training, and learning opportunities. We will build upon the success of women who have paved the way for more equality in the fields of defense, peacebuilding, and good governance, and work to solidify gains in these areas. We want to see more girls able to aspire to their full potential and to ensure they live in safe, healthy, and secure environments. Thus, we strive to create and invest in opportunities to enable girls to attain the education and freedoms they deserve.

The United States is committed to working with governments and partners around the globe to ensure that countries everywhere enable women to thrive and realize their rights. In the 21st century, it is unconscionable that about one in three women has experienced some form of physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Far too many societies still deprive women of their human rights, discriminate based upon sex, pose obstacles to women’s ability to contribute to economic development, or fail to uphold the laws intended to protect them. Such conditions deprive individuals, families, and communities of the contributions that empowered women can provide. As the U.S. National Security Strategy has asserted, governments that fail to treat women equally do not allow their societies to reach their full potential.

In the spirit of International Women’s Day, we recognize the leadership, contributions, and courage of women who have made sacrifices in the past, over many generations, to make the world a more safe, prosperous, and peaceful place. We pledge to ensure such progress continues.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.