EMBASSY NEWSCENTRE

EMBASSY NEWS

American Ambassador Aubrey Hooks meets with the populations of the North on his previous trip to Korhogo (Photo: Lt. Col. Patrick Doyle/US Embassy)

American Ambassador Departs on Trip With Hope

In dramatic effort to encourage the peace process in Côte d’Ivoire, Ambassador Aubrey Hooks and a large American delegation departed Abidjan this morning on a week-long overland mission through New Forces-controlled territory.  This is the longest period that such a high-level diplomat has spent in New Forces territory.  The trip will take the Americans to Man, Odienne, and Ferke, where they will engage in dialogues with individuals at all levels and from all sectors of society.  The trip offers the opportunity to have an in-depth understanding of the realities facing these regions of the country and for the Americans to engage all groups in the process of peace and reconciliation.

“The old adage says to truly understand someone; you must walk a kilometer in their shoes.  We will travel thousands of kilometers with the people of the North and West.  In so doing, we seek to better understand their situations, help to push forward the possibility of peace, and to work with them for a better tomorrow,” said U.S. Embassy Spokesman Brett Bruen. 

The trip will cover a vast array of land and subjects.  The Ambassador and his delegation will meet with officials from the New Forces, local, traditional, and religious leaders, as well as visiting child solider rehabilitation facilities and regroupment installations.  His trip will also include meetings with humanitarian organizations, visits to American Emergency Plan-funded HIV/AIDS projects, and participate in cultural activities.