Photos: Hillary Clinton at the Funeral for John Atta Mills in Ghana

From a background briefing by a senior State Department official.

Ghana has been a democracy, a multiparty democracy, since 1992. It has had some of the best elections in Africa. There have been changes not only of presidency but also of the political party in power. It probably has one of the best democracies on the continent, and it certainly has one of the most well-known and respected election commissioners on the continent.
Ghana has had a smooth transition since the death of John Atta Mills. The Vice President was sworn in very quickly without any political upheaval or turmoil. The country will have presidential elections in December. We think those elections will be like the last ones, hotly contested between the two leading parties. But we expect those elections will be free, fair, and transparent, and that they will also be peaceful and internationally monitored.
The Secretary will have an opportunity to meet with the new President, President Mahama, at his residence shortly after we arrive in Accra this evening. It’s out of respect and appreciation for the close relationship that President Mahama is doing this. We regard him as a friend of the United States. He is a Muslim in predominantly a Christian country, but the religious relationships between Muslims and Christians across Ghana is very, very good (inaudible).
The Secretary will probably have an opportunity at the funeral to meet with some of the other African heads of state and foreign ministers who are there. We expect at least some dozen or more heads of state from around Africa to attend, and a lot larger number of foreign ministers. It will be a very large occasion.
A quick word, back to Ghana and its economics. They’re one of our leading development partners. They have had a $500 million MCC compact which they’ve completed successfully, focusing on agriculture, water, energy, and infrastructure. And it’s been very well executed. They’re a partner in child survival and health programs which are also running very well. We have a large CDC contingent there working on issues related to HIV and AIDS, and Ghana is a country where the HIV/AIDS level has gone progressively down over the last five years. They’re also one of only two countries in Africa that are participating in a new Partnership for Growth Program.
So they are a key partner. Mills was a very important figure (inaudible). We expect to have an equally strong relationship with his successor, and we look forward to working with whoever is elected in the December elections. Their elections are approximately one month, almost to the day, after ours in the United States.

Hillary Clinton in Ghana: Where a Country Prepares to Say Good-Bye

It is past midnight in Accra  (EDT +4)  where Hillary Clinton arrived this evening and met with  President Mahama.   On Twitter, I found a tweet from a Ghanaian source stating that she had landed.  I followed the link to the source's website and found these touching posts covering three days of official mourning.  Mme. Secretary is in Ghana to attend the funeral of President John Atta Mills who passed on July 24.   Clearly he was well-loved.  He was running for reelection and by all indications was expected to win. 
These posts and pictures are reminiscent of what our country went through when JFK was assassinated.  I remember the long, endless lines of people patiently waiting to enter the Capitol Rotunda to say good-bye.  I remember the words that were strange to me: portico, catafelque.  I remember crying a lot.  My heart goes out to the people of Ghana at this difficult time.
Here is the link to Ghana Decides which is covering the events beautifully.  They will be posting coverage all day tomorrow,  and if you scroll down through the posts you will find a schedule of events.

The Winding Queues

On the second day of the three-day funeral, what was prominent everywhere around the vicinity of the funeral grounds was queues - very long queues.
What was revealing about all the queues? Ghanaians were patient enough to stay within it and even form another from the Accra Sports Stadium. Those too tired, in typical Ghanaian fashion, sort refuge with the tiny shade around.
Our team went into town to take photographs of the winding queues that stretched from the Military Cemetery to the State House, and a supplementary queue from the Accra Lawn Tennis Club to the State House.
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Bits and Pieces: Hillary Clinton's Day in Nairobi and Other Items

Earlier posts provided some details about Mme. Secretary's meetings in Nairobi with representatives of civil society, the Somali Roadmap Signatories, the Supreme Court Chief Justice Mutunga, and the embassy staff.  There were no press releases about her other meetings, but here are some pictures of her day beginning with her departure this morning from Entebbe.  We see her landing in Nairobi, meeting with President Kibaki, Prime Minister Odinga (he tweeted one of those pics himself), and proceeding to a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Marende on an artfully photographed stairway. 

There is apparently some confusion as to her exact whereabouts at the moment. An unverified source has her on the ground in South Africa (city unspecified), but according to her itinerary the next stop is supposed to be Malawi.  If she indeed stopped off in Lilongwe before proceeding to South Africa, we have no confirmation of it nor photos to confirm it..  As long ago as last Sunday, sources in Malawi  had her spending tomorrow there where it is now just past 2 a.m.

Other unverified sources have her meeting up with Liberian President  Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Ghana for the funeral of Ghanaian President John Atta Mills who died suddenly and unexpectedly on July 24.  None of the above  is verified by the State Department.  Ghana was originally rumored to have been on the itinerary for this trip  which is scheduled to end August 10, the day of the Mills funeral.  The schedule released by DOS on July 30 does not include a Ghana stop, and a public revision has not been released.

Clinton, Ellen Meet in Ghana, To attend late Ghanaian President’s Funeral

Written by  Observer Staff  Thursday, 02 August 2012 12:37

The United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Liberia President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will be among several world leaders expected to attend the funeral of late Ghanaian President J. Atta Mills on August 10, 2012.

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EDITED TO ADD THIS:  This article, which provides insight into the security precautions taken for HRC's sojourn in Kenya,  counters the SABC report that she has arrived in South Africa.  It is morning in Kenya now.  She will be leaving soon.

Security tightened as Clinton arrives in Nairobi

Posted by JUDIE KABERIA and SIMON NDONGA on August 4, 2012

Clinton held talks with President Mwai Kibaki at State House, Nairobi.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 4 – Security was tightened in Nairobi following the visit by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who arrived in the Kenyan capital on Saturday morning.
The US Secretary of State flew in from Uganda, where she met President Yoweri Museveni. She arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at 8.20am with a fleet of up to 20 staff.
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