Secretary Kerry Travel to Colombo, Nairobi and Djibouti

WASHINGTON, April 28, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Colombo, Sri Lanka, on May 2 for his first trip to the country and the first visit by a Secretary of State since 2004.

In Colombo, he will meet government leaders, civil society members, and other representatives from the country's diverse communities to hear and express U.S. support for their vision for a more peaceful, stable, and prosperous future for its people. Secretary Kerry will also join his hosts for the celebration of the Buddhist holiday of Vesak.

Secretary Kerry will also visit Nairobi, Kenya, beginning on May 3, to reinforce the importance of our strong bilateral relationship. In his meetings with government officials, business leaders, opposition leaders, humanitarian aid organizations and civil society representatives, he will discuss a range of issues including security cooperation -- particularly in light of the recent tragic attack at Garissa University College –refugee assistance, trade, and biodiversity.

This visit will focus on our common goals, including accelerating economic growth, strengthening democratic institutions, and improving regional security.

The Secretary will travel to Djibouti, Djibouti, on May 5, where he will meet high-level leaders to discuss our bilateral cooperation and their support to evacuation efforts from Yemen. He will engage with Djiboutian youth and religious leaders on a range of issues. The Secretary will also visit with U.S. military personnel at Camp Lemonnier.

This is the first time that a sitting Secretary of State will visit Djibouti.