U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Counselor Thomas H. Staal will travel to Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Sudan April 1-14, 2017.

In Ethiopia, Counselor Staal will accompany students from the National War College, in meetings with government officials, and humanitarian actors to discuss the ongoing drought and USAID's response efforts. He will also promote "Power Africa," an initiative to improve access to power in sub-Saharan Africa. Staal will then travel to Kenya to meet with partners and review humanitarian activities in East Africa.  While in Kenya, Staal will also meet with government officials to discuss U.S. efforts to counter violent extremism. In South Sudan, Counselor Staal will meet with partners and government officials to discuss the famine affecting parts of the country, as well as USAID's ongoing humanitarian response.