Jill Biden Visits Africa for First Time as First Lady
2023-02-23
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1Jill Biden arrived in Namibia Wednesday for her first visit to Africa as first lady, the wife of U.S. President Joe Biden.
2Biden's trip will bring attention to women's rights, children's issues and food insecurity.
3Judd Devermont is senior director for African Affairs with the U.S. National Security Council.
4On Tuesday, he told reporters: "Dr. Biden's trip builds on last year's U.S.- Africa Leaders' summit and as another demonstration of President Biden's commitment that the United States is all-in on Africa..."
5With this visit, Jill Biden is also the first first lady to visit Namibia since the southwest African nation became independent in 1990.
6National Security Council spokesperson Becky Farmer said Biden will bring attention to the food security crisis in the Horn of Africa.
7The area is having the "worst drought that this region has experienced" in many years, she said.
8Farmer added that over 20 million people are experiencing food insecurity in the area.
9President Biden discussed the situation in December when he announced aid for the area at the African Leaders summit in Washington.
10He discussed it again Tuesday while talking about the effects of Russia's war in Ukraine on world food supplies.
11"Putin tried to starve the world," he said.
12President Biden accused the Russian leader of blocking ports on the Black Sea and preventing Ukraine from exporting grain to Africa.
13"And this week my wife, Jill Biden, is traveling to Africa to help bring attention to this critical issue," Biden said.
14The Biden administration is making efforts to get Africa to support Ukraine instead of Russia.
15Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently visited Senegal, Zambia and South Africa.
16Russia's foreign minister has visited many African nations with ties to Russia like Mali, Sudan and Angola.
17China sent its new foreign minister to Africa for his first overseas trip. Observers say it is a sign of China's interest in Africa.
18Presidential-spouse visits are different from the strategic policy moves of the presidency.
19Jill Biden herself points out that she is not an official of the U.S. government.
20"As spouses, we serve the people of our countries, too. Don't we?" she said in December, at a gathering of spouses of African leaders.
21U.S. first ladies are generally well received in Africa, said Katherine Jellison.
22Jellison is a professor of U.S. women's history at Ohio University.
23"There's just going to be warmer feelings toward a nonpolitician who's visiting than a politician," she said.
24First lady Laura Bush was welcomed during her several visits to Africa.
25She supported the programs of her husband George W. Bush's administration, which aimed to fight HIV/AIDS and malaria.
26She also attended the swearing in of the Africa's first female president, Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, in 2006.
27The first Black first lady Michelle Obama's travel to Africa was filled with deep meaning.
28She used her trips to push for girls' education.
29Jill Biden visited Africa five times when her husband was vice president.
30In 2011 she visited Africa's largest refugee camp at Dadaab in Kenya.
31During a speech there, she made a plea she may repeat on this trip.
32"Mothers are bringing their children from Somalia, walking sometimes 15, 20, 25 days and they lose their children along the way, the children die," she said.
33"So what I'm asking is for Americans just to help ... because the situation here is dire."
34I'm Dan Novak.
1Jill Biden arrived in Namibia Wednesday for her first visit to Africa as first lady, the wife of U.S. President Joe Biden. 2Biden's trip will bring attention to women's rights, children's issues and food insecurity. 3Judd Devermont is senior director for African Affairs with the U.S. National Security Council. On Tuesday, he told reporters: "Dr. Biden's trip builds on last year's U.S.- Africa Leaders' summit and as another demonstration of President Biden's commitment that the United States is all-in on Africa..." 4With this visit, Jill Biden is also the first first lady to visit Namibia since the southwest African nation became independent in 1990. 5National Security Council spokesperson Becky Farmer said Biden will bring attention to the food security crisis in the Horn of Africa. The area is having the "worst drought that this region has experienced" in many years, she said. Farmer added that over 20 million people are experiencing food insecurity in the area. 6President Biden discussed the situation in December when he announced aid for the area at the African Leaders summit in Washington. He discussed it again Tuesday while talking about the effects of Russia's war in Ukraine on world food supplies. 7"Putin tried to starve the world," he said. President Biden accused the Russian leader of blocking ports on the Black Sea and preventing Ukraine from exporting grain to Africa. 8"And this week my wife, Jill Biden, is traveling to Africa to help bring attention to this critical issue," Biden said. 9The Biden administration is making efforts to get Africa to support Ukraine instead of Russia. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently visited Senegal, Zambia and South Africa. Russia's foreign minister has visited many African nations with ties to Russia like Mali, Sudan and Angola. 10China sent its new foreign minister to Africa for his first overseas trip. Observers say it is a sign of China's interest in Africa. 11Warm receptions are normal 12Presidential-spouse visits are different from the strategic policy moves of the presidency. Jill Biden herself points out that she is not an official of the U.S. government. 13"As spouses, we serve the people of our countries, too. Don't we?" she said in December, at a gathering of spouses of African leaders. 14U.S. first ladies are generally well received in Africa, said Katherine Jellison. Jellison is a professor of U.S. women's history at Ohio University. 15"There's just going to be warmer feelings toward a nonpolitician who's visiting than a politician," she said. 16First lady Laura Bush was welcomed during her several visits to Africa. She supported the programs of her husband George W. Bush's administration, which aimed to fight HIV/AIDS and malaria. She also attended the swearing in of the Africa's first female president, Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, in 2006. 17The first Black first lady Michelle Obama's travel to Africa was filled with deep meaning. She used her trips to push for girls' education. 18Jill Biden visited Africa five times when her husband was vice president. In 2011 she visited Africa's largest refugee camp at Dadaab in Kenya. During a speech there, she made a plea she may repeat on this trip. 19"Mothers are bringing their children from Somalia, walking sometimes 15, 20, 25 days and they lose their children along the way, the children die," she said. "So what I'm asking is for Americans just to help ... because the situation here is dire." 20I'm Dan Novak. 21Anita Powell reported this story for Voice of America. Dan Novak adapted it for VOA Learning English. 22______________________________________________________________________ 23Words in This Story 24summit - n. a meeting of high-level leaders 25commitment - n. a promise to do or give something 26drought - n. a lengthy period of little or no rain 27region - n. an area of a country or the world that is different from others for some reason 28spouse - n. someone who is married 29strategic - adj. related to a plan or goal that is large and extends over a long period of time 30plea - n. a serious or emotional request 31dire - adj. very bad, a cause for worry