Clinton visits Congo on Africa tour

[August 10, 2009]  KINSHASA, Congo (AP) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is in Congo to push democracy in the war-devastated county and draw attention to an epidemic of sexual assaults in its violence-torn east.

Clinton arrived in the Congolese capital on Monday and will visit a hospital founded by former NBA star Dikembe Mutumbo, a native of Congo, and will hold a town hall meeting. A day later, she plans to go to the eastern city of Goma where she will meet victims of horrific rapes and other sexual crimes committed by the military and rebel groups.

Her Congo stop is the latest in a seven-nation tour of Africa to promote development and good governance and underscore the Obama administration's commitment to Africa. She arrived in Congo from Angola, South Africa and Kenya. She will also visit Nigeria, Liberia and Cape Verde.

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AP's earlier story is below.

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LUANDA, Angola (AP) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton heads to Congo on Monday to target an epidemic of sexual assault in the violence-torn nation after wrapping up a trip to Angola where she pushed democratic reform and announced the country would get more money to fight AIDS.

Clinton, the first secretary of state to visit Angola in seven years, signed a new agreement with Angolan health officials to help treat and control the spread of HIV/AIDS. The Obama administration will more than double funding for Angola to combat the disease, from $7 million to $17 million.

She also met with President Eduardo dos Santos, who has ruled for 30 years and has been criticized for postponing a presidential vote scheduled for this year.

In the Congolese capital of Kinshasa, she will visit a hospital founded by former NBA star Dikembe Mutumbo, a native of Congo, and hold a town hall meeting. On Tuesday, she travels to the devastated east of the country to meet victims of rampant rapes and other sexual crimes.

While in the eastern city of Goma, Clinton also plans to meet Congolese President Joseph Kabila to press him and his government on democratic reform and fighting corruption in the wake of a brutal conflict that at its height drew in a half dozen of the country's neighbors.

Clinton delivered a similar message in oil-rich Angola, which is struggling to rebuild after 27 years of war that ended in 2002.

On Sunday, she urged Angola's government to build on successful legislative elections held in 2008 -- the first in 16 years -- by holding presidential elections as soon as possible and dealing with the legacy of 27 years of civil war.

"We look forward to Angola building on this positive step, including the adoption of a new constitution, investigating and prosecuting past human rights abuses and holding a timely, free and fair presidential election," she said.

"So, Mr. Minister, we have our work cut out for us," she said.

Clinton stressed the need for greater accountability and transparency in Angola's petroleum sector, particularly with revenue from exports, which account for nearly 60 percent of the country's gross domestic product, according to officials traveling with her.

Clinton came to the Angolan capital on the third leg of a seven-nation trip to reinforce America's presence in a country where it increasingly is competing for energy resources with China. Beijing has loaned Angola billions of dollars in recent years without pressing reform.

But Clinton downplayed any concern about China's activities in the country.

"I am not looking at what anyone else does in Angola," she said. "I am looking at what the United States can do to further and deepen our relationship and provide assistance and support for the changes the Angolan government is undertaking."

Angola, a former Cold War battleground, supplies vast amounts of petroleum and liquid natural gas to the U.S. market. In June, Angola surpassed Nigeria as Africa's largest petroleum producer.

Despite its oil wealth, Angola is mired in poverty as a result of the destruction of most of infrastructure during the war, which broke out after its 1975 independence from Portugal.

The war ended in 2002, leading to major energy sector investments. But the country ranks near the bottom of U.N. development statistics and the gap between rich and poor is among the worst in the world.

[Associated Press; By MATTHEW LEE]

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