Hillary Clinton: Video Remarks from Africa

As you may know by now, this trip was cut short due to an ash cloud from an erupting volcano. Mark Toner mentioned it in the press briefing earlier.

MR. TONER: ...We did just receive that due to an apparent volcanic eruption in Djibouti, I believe, the Secretary will have to cut short her trip – her visit to Addis Ababa.

QUESTION: I think it was Eritrea.

MR. TONER: Or Eritrea, sorry. Thank you. Eritrea. The diplomatic portion of her trip was unaffected, and she did tell the Ethiopians that she was committed to coming back, but unfortunately, due to this volcanic ash cloud, she was advised to leave early. So –

QUESTION: When is she due back?

MR. TONER: I’m not sure, frankly. I literally just got this news before coming out here. So –

QUESTION: Is she wheels up already? Do you –

MR. TONER: No, she’s not wheels up already, but shortly is my understanding, and obviously it’s going to be a several – or at least one stop, I believe, in Europe. But again, I don’t have those details.

QUESTION: She had events tomorrow, right?

MR. TONER: She did.

QUESTION: So why was the diplomatic –

MR. TONER: Well, for example –

QUESTION: -- portion of the –

MR. TONER: -- I know she was supposed to meet with the Sudanese, but I believe she’s already done that. So – and there were some events tomorrow scheduled, like the Cookstove Initiative, I believe, and other –

QUESTION: Diplomacy, no?

MR. TONER: Not public diplomacy, but important events.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. TONER: But again, what – she was very clear that she was committed to returning to finish the portion of her trip, but again, these are unforeseeable events that forced her to depart early.

So she and her traveling party are headed home. Here are a few short videos, one from yesterday in Tanzania and the other from today in Ethiopia.


Boosting Nutrition in Tanzania



Remarks on Sudan