Secretary Antony J. Blinken And African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat Before Their Meeting

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Good morning.  It’s a great pleasure to welcome Chairperson Faki here to the State Department, to Washington, for what is now our ninth High-Level Dialogue between the African Union and the United States.  I think this reflects the vital and increasingly close partnership between the United States and the AU, and it also reflects the critical role that the AU plays not only regionally but around the world that was further reflected in the fact that the AU was welcomed into the G20 just this year.

We are partners in working to strengthen democratic institutions to provide for regional security to deal with the most important challenges that our people face, whether it’s dealing with climate change, food insecurity, infrastructure, global health.  In each of these areas and more, the African Union and the United States are partners.  The relationship between the United States and the African Union is maybe the best example of our commitment and our conviction that, when it comes to Africa, it’s not what we’re doing for Africa; it’s what we’re doing with Africa and in support of Africa.

So it’s a great pleasure, my friend, to welcome you here to the State Department.

CHAIRPERSON FAKI:  Thank you.

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you for being here.

CHAIRPERSON FAKI:  (Via interpreter) Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary of State.  It is a pleasure to be here in Washington for the ninth High-Level Dialogue that we have with the United States.  In fact, it coincides with the tenth anniversary of the agreement that we have had since we have started this dialogue.

In fact, since we have launched this dialogue (inaudible) High-Level Dialogue between the United States and Africa, the priorities of our partnership (inaudible) yourself described it – peace and security, democracy, development, climate change.  And this partnership is very fruitful, we want to expand it, and even deepen this partnership.

In fact, we’ve (inaudible) stop of what we have been doing on the occasion of this tenth anniversary and stress that there is a possibility of our expanding the partnership and (inaudible) into a high level and also deal with the issues that you have already mentioned, and also the partnership that the continent has with the United States.

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you.  Thank you.