Clinton Holds Dialogue with South African Leaders

Posted August 7th, 2012 at 5:25 am (UTC-5)
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U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in the administrative capital of South Africa to attend a meeting with senior government officials and business leaders.

Clinton meets Tuesday with Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane during the second annual U.S.-South Africa Strategic Dialogue in Pretoria.

The top U.S. diplomat has been promoting American investment and trade during her multi-nation tour of Africa. She is spending four days in South Africa, which is the continent's largest economy and a major market for American goods.

She is also looking for the support of South Africa, a member of the U.N. Security Council, in dealing with the crisis in Syria.

The top U.S. diplomat met Monday with anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela in the former president's village of Qunu. The 94-year-old Mr. Mandela is in frail health and rarely appears in public.

After her stop in South Africa, Secretary of State Clinton is scheduled to travel to Nigeria, Benin and Ghana. Earlier stops on Clinton's 11-day tour included Senegal, Uganda, South Sudan and Kenya.

The continent as a whole is home to some of the world's fastest growing economies and populations. Boosting trade and investment in the continent has been a key component of U.S. foreign policy there.