Senator Coons urges Congressional support for emergency funding to fight Ebola

Senator Coons, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, urged his colleagues on Wednesday to support the President’s emergency funding request for the fight against Ebola, and warned about the danger in cutting funds from efforts to stop the virus in West Africa. The comments came during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on President Obama's $6.2 billion emergency request to fight the Ebola outbreak.

“The single best way for us to protect American lives is to engage vigorously in the work and the fight against Ebola on the ground in West Africa,” Senator Coons said at the hearing. “This emergency funding request provides support for every facet of what’s needed to keep Americans safe, first by strengthening and bolstering our readiness here in the United States, but principally by ensuring that we contain Ebola in Liberia, in Sierra Leone, in Guinea, and prevent its spread to neighboring countries.”

Senator Coons also recounted a conversation he had last week with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, “who wanted me to make a point of thanking the American people for our generosity and our engagement, but urged us not to let off now. Just because there is some hopeful news doesn’t mean that we’ve turned the corner on this, and in the region, it still remains a dangerous and difficult time.”

The Senator expressed his gratitude for the “remarkable sacrifice” of the volunteers, missionaries, aid workers, and military personnel who have deployed to West Africa to fight the virus, and reiterated his opposition to a “travel ban” that would prevent them from returning to the United States. “Americans who go abroad should not be stigmatized when they return; should be honored and supported in their commitment and service; and should have confidence that they can return from their service, and be supported when they do so.”

Senator Coons calls delay in rescuing kidnapped girls "shameful"

Senator Coons, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, was interviewed on the BBC World Service's NewsHour program Tuesday about the status of nearly 300 girls kidnapped by terrorists in northern Nigeria. He described the Nigerian government's slow and inadequate response to the abductions as "shameful" and expressed his relief that Nigeria's president had finally accepted American offers of assistance. Listen below:

What We’re Reading: In Africa, all conservation is local

The New York Times published an op-ed by Kenyan journalist Murithi Mutiga on Wednesday about the importance of engaging local communities in efforts to combat poaching. Community stakeholders, Murithi argues, could be conservationists’ greatest allies in the fight against wildlife-trafficking syndicates.

Wild animals may hold a special place in our global heritage, but all too often they threaten the livelihood of the farmers and herders who live near nature reserves and game parks. Elephants routinely trample precious crops, and carnivores sometimes ravage whole herds of livestock.

Poachers have astutely tapped into this reserve of local grievances — made worse by high rates of poverty and unemployment — and struck up partnerships with people in communities around game parks.

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Most Kenyans support conservation efforts. But in a country where arable land is exceedingly scarce and about a tenth of the land area is reserved for national parks and reserves, the authorities should take a more sophisticated approach in winning local support for conservation initiatives.

African countries, the author notes, could learn from Nepal, which gives special rights to communities living around major national parks – including royalties of 30 - 50 percent of the proceeds from park entry fees. The result is a local community invested in protecting the park and a massive decline in poaching.

Namibia has also had success with the community-based conservation model. The country's world-renowned conservancy program has empowered communities to create their own conservancies to manage and sustainably benefit from wildlife on communal land, including through tourism. 

Senator Coons, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations African Affairs Subcommittee, has been a leading voice in the Senate for wildlife conservation and efforts to combat poaching in Africa. His third annual Opportunity: Africa conference, held earlier this month in Wilmington, featured a workshop on ending poaching and protecting Africa’s wildlife led by conservation experts from the State Department and World Wildlife Fund, as well as John Kasaona, a Namibian pioneer of community-based conservation. John was also a featured speaker at a Senate briefing on wildlife trafficking hosted by Senator Coons earlier this month.

Click here to read the full article on the New York Times’ website.

What We're Reading: Making the AIDS crisis worse

The Washington Post published an article Thursday on the public health consequences of recently enacted anti-homosexuality laws in Nigeria, Uganda, and elsewhere – specifically citing their negative impact on the fight against HIV/AIDS.

It is the job of public health officials to account for the reality of human behavior in pursuit of the public good. Anti-gay laws complicate that task in practical ways. MSM who are afraid of prosecution and violence are less likely to attend meetings where they are given education, condoms and lubricants. Less likely to be honest with their physicians about their sexual histories. Less likely to be tested for AIDS and receive treatment and care. And more likely to inadvertently infect others.

When Western governments lecture African countries about their retrograde views, it can feed a populist, anti-colonial backlash. When donors threaten to cut off aid, it can cause lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists to cringe — fearing they will be scapegoated for the punishment of their whole country.

What might be more effective is a forceful health-related message. This is an area in which civil rights — starting out with a simple zone of personal privacy — is a requirement of public health. Nations such as Nigeria and Uganda are committed to ambitious objectives in fighting AIDS. Those goals are unachievable while any group is targeted for discrimination and excluded from effective outreach. 

Senator Coons, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations African Affairs Subcommittee, spoke out against the enactment of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill in February calling the law “a setback for human rights around the world” and appeared on MSNBC earlier this month to discuss steps the U.S. can take to combat the law and stand up for Uganda’s LGBT community.

Click here to read the full article on the Washington Post’s website.

Video: Reflecting on President Mandela's life and legacy

Senator Coons appeared on MSNBC's Daily Rundown on Friday to reflect on the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela, and to talk about his own experience fighting apartheid in South Africa in the 1980s. After graduating college, Chris went to work for the Investor Responsibility Research Center and actually wrote a book encouraging colleges and universities to divest from South Africa.

What We're Reading: NGOs speak out on suffering in the Central African Republic

Since a March coup ousted the nation’s president, inter-communal and sectarian violence in  the Central African Republic (CAR) has resulted in widespread  chaos and lawlessness. Despite a rapidly deteriorating situation, the mass violence and suffering of civilians has been met with far too little international outrage or assistance. The recent decisions by the African Union (AU) to expand its stabilization force and the United Nations to strengthen the Peacebuilding Office are welcome moves that could lay the groundwork for expanded protection for civilians and accelerated progress toward greater stability. The U.S. administration should step up with assistance to help ensure that AU forces can carry out their mission effectively and support UN and AU efforts to promote reconciliation and democracy in this troubled country.

An October 31 press release by a number of respected international NGOs starkly describes the situation in the CAR and issues a strong call for greater international focus on the country. 

As advocates and organizations dedicated to the prevention of violent conflict and mass atrocities, we are deeply disturbed by the violence that is plaguing CAR. The most recent wave is tipping the situation beyond control and is taking a trajectory towards large-scale interreligious and intercommunal violence.

We urge the international community to act swiftly to prevent atrocities and ensure civilian protection. The international community must rapidly expand its presence in the country, extend protection beyond a few selected sites, and allocate the resources necessary to address the complex and protracted nature of humanitarian needs.

As chair of the Senate Foreign Relations African Affairs Subcommittee, Senator Coons is deeply concerned about the ongoing situation in the CAR, and is committed to working within the committee and with the administration and non-governmental partners to support peacekeeping, humanitarian, and democracy efforts in the country.   

Click here to read the joint press release

International Criminal Court at risk as Kenyan trials get underway

As the International Criminal Court (ICC) trials of Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto and former radio executive Joshua Sang begin at the Hague, the Court’s future credibility and effectiveness in delivering justice for victims of state-sponsored atrocities is in jeopardy. Ruto and Sang – as well as current President Uhuru Kenyatta, whose trial will begin in November – are accused of committing crimes against humanity during the widespread, ethnically-tinged violence that followed Kenya’s disputed December 2007 presidential election. In Kenya, the prosecution of high-level officials by the ICC has prompted a motion by the Kenyan Parliament calling for withdrawal from the ICC and cessation of cooperation with the Court. Kenya has been an ICC member state since 2005.

Though the current trials will move forward regardless of Kenya’s decision, the Kenyan government’s energetic campaign to discredit the ICC among its African peers has successfully damaged the ICC’s standing in Africa. The campaign paints the ICC as a “foreign” institution that targets Africans while ignoring the transgressions of Europeans and others guilty of heinous crimes. The African Union has openly supported the efforts of Kenya, Sudan, and others to undermine the ICC’s credibility and effectiveness. 

It’s important to remember, however, that the ICC began investigating the Kenyan cases only after the Kenyan government failed to meet the commitments made by its own president to either investigate and prosecute those responsible for the post-election violence or refer the cases to the ICC. The ICC represented the only avenue for justice for more than 1,100 Kenyans killed and hundreds of thousands displaced by the post-election conflict; just as it was the only entity capable of prosecuting President Bashir of Sudan for the genocide that left several hundred thousand dead in Darfur.

The ICC is not a panacea nor should it be seen as a first resort. However, the participation of Kenya and the majority of African states in the ICC has demonstrated, in the words of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, a dedication “to tipping the balance in favor of justice and away from impunity.”

Unfortunately, that commitment is waning.  African Union snubs and active campaigns by indictees to intimidate witnesses have already weakened the ICC’s ability to effectively prosecute cases. If Kenya withdraws, other states may follow, leaving millions of victims of atrocities with limited hope of recourse when their national institutions fail them. That would indeed be a tragedy.  As President Obama so eloquently stated in 2010, “In Kenya and beyond, justice is a critical ingredient for lasting peace.” 

Senator Coons applauds White House plan to combat wildlife trafficking

Today, from Tanzania, the White House announced new and improved U.S. efforts to combat poaching and wildlife trafficking. Wildlife trafficking is a multi-billion dollar illegal business that is a threat to populations of targeted species including elephants and rhinos, to tourism and economic development, and to our national security and the security and stability of the nations where this violence is occurring. As the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, Senator Coons is very concerned about the recent rise in wildlife poaching, particularly in Africa, and applauds President Obama’s renewed and enhanced commitment to addressing this serious issue. 

The President signed an executive order to establish a Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking, which will develop a national strategy to address the issue. The order will also establish an Advisory Council made up of non-governmental experts on the issue to make recommendations to the Task Force. These efforts will help enhance coordination among existing U.S. programs and policies to combat wildlife trafficking and assist other nations to do the same.

The initiative includes $10 million in funding from the State Department dedicated to combatting wildlife trafficking in Africa. This funding will strengthen the ability of nations to address the issue through laws and penalties, enhance investigations, law enforcement, and criminal prosecutions, and support regional cooperation. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will also station an official at our embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which is a major export point for illegally traded wildlife and wildlife products. This official will help the Government of Tanzania with a wildlife protection and security plan.

The President also announced plans to leverage new authority granted under the new Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program, which was signed into law this January. Senator Coons cosponsored this legislation, which allows the Secretary of State to offer rewards for information on members of transnational criminal organizations, including wildlife trafficking. The President will also enhance existing authorities under the Endangered Species Act, African Elephant Conservation Act, and the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act to address the issue. Senator Coons voted to reauthorize funding for these conservation programs and others incorporated in the Multinational Species Conservation Fund during the last Congress.

Last May, Senator Coons participated in a full Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing entitled, “Ivory and Insecurity: The Global Implications of Poaching in Africa,” the first full committee hearing addressing this issue. He also recently hosted two screenings of the National Geographic film, “Battle for the Elephants” in Washington, D.C. and Wilmington to inform Delawareans about this ongoing challenge.

This issue is incredibly complex and growing in intensity. Senator Coons believes it will take the involvement of a number of U.S. agencies, working in coordination with other nations, non-profit organizations, and private entities to successfully combat it. The President’s announcement today builds on the significant steps Secretary Clinton, and now Secretary Kerry have taken to address the poaching crisis. Senator Coons looks forward to working with his colleagues to support implementation of this important new initiative. 

Senate marks anniversary of African Union

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Organization of African Unity, and commending its successor — the African Union — Senator Coons was proud to sponsor a resolution that the Senate passed unanimously on Wednesday night. Senator Jeff Flake, ranking member of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa, cosponsored the resolution.

“This resolution commends the African Union on its increasingly positive contribution to peace, security and development across the continent,” Senator Coons said. “As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa, it is my hope that the AU continues to play a constructive role in the region.”

In 2007, the new AU adopted a charter that aims to “reinforce commitments to democracy, development and peace in Africa.” Notably, the African Union departed from the OAU’s strict doctrine of nonintervention in the internal affairs of member states, which had impeded its ability to address serious governance, conflict or human rights issues. The AU is now able to intervene in a member state under certain circumstances, including with respect to war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. African Union peacekeeping forces, political mediation missions, and other peace-building processes have been instrumental in ending conflict and bringing stability to Burundi, Comoros, Sudan, Somalia, and Mali.

The AU’s new chairwoman, Nkhosazana Dlamini-Zuma from South Africa, has promised to focus on strengthening regional integration, economic development, and good governance during her term as Chair.

A week ago, Senator Coons chaired a Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa hearing on prospects for democratic reform and economic recovery in Zimbabwe. Panelists highlighted the need for the coalition government of Zimbabwe to carry out previously agreed electoral and democratic reforms as a precondition for free and fair elections later this year. Meaningful AU engagement with the government of Zimbabwe and the Southern African Development Community to advance democratic reform in Zimbabwe would be a positive signal that the AU is committed to realizing the promise of its charter.

What We're Reading: PEPFAR's influence on AIDS in South Africa

The Christian Science Monitor published an article on June 23 on South Africa’s progress in the fight against AIDS.

The United States can and should take pride in the contribution the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), along with the UN Global Fund and African governments, has made towards achieving a milestone few believed possible just a few years ago:  HIV/AIDS no longer poses an acute health emergency in many African states.  We have made important contributions in purchasing antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) at discount rates, distributing ARVs to urban as well as rural areas, and improving national capacity to manage the disease.  

The number of new HIV infections across Africa has dropped by 25 percent since 2001 – and more than 50 percent in 13 sub-Saharan African countries – according to the UNAIDS 2012 global report.

Here in South Africa, progress is even sharper. Rates of infection have fallen by at least 30 percent. Nearly 2 million people are on antiretroviral drugs, known as ARVs, which have helped extend the life span of the sick and limit the transmission of the disease. Approximately 75 percent of South Africans who need ARVs have access to them, putting the country just shy of The Global Fund's 80 percent standard for universal access.

Perhaps most meaningful to ordinary South Africans: Life expectancy in South Africa has gone up – reaching levels not seen since 1995.

However, as this article poignantly illustrates, as the rates of new infection and deaths fall, the effects of the acute emergency live on for caregivers and children of HIV/AIDS victims. As these children grow up, the ones who have provided for them – often female relatives and neighbors – are running out of steam, as well as financial and social resources to help launch them successfully into a healthy, productive adulthood.  Studies suggest that children of HIV/AIDS victims are more likely to drop out of school and to suffer from anxiety, depression and abuse than their peers. Many of the women who have taken in multiple orphans are entering middle age and facing their own health problems that are only exacerbated by the growing needs of the children they have taken in and nurtured for many years.

Although the disease itself may pose a diminishing health danger for the population, states are likely to grapple with the social and economic after-effects of the disease for years to come.  As PEPFAR enters its second decade, we would do well to ensure that the needs of those living with the legacy of the epidemic are not forgotten.

Click here to read the full article on CS Monitor’s website.