National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
Tayo Olanipekun
U.S.First Lady, Melania Trump, has announced the stops she will make during her upcoming visit to Africa.
Mrs. Trump said she will travel the first week of October to Ghana, Malawi, Kenya, and Egypt,leaving out the most populous African country,Nigeria.
She made the announcement in her remarks delivered Wednesday during a reception she hosted for delegates to the 73rd Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
This will be the First Lady’s first major solo international trip.
Since launching her Be Best campaign in May, Mrs. Trump has had the opportunity to meet with children all over the world, promoting successful organizations and programs that share her goal as First Lady of the United States—supporting and helping children.
“Since becoming First Lady, I have had the privilege of speaking with many of the spouses of world leaders,” said First Lady Melania Trump.
“Our discussions are always united by the universal desire to provide children with the support and tools necessary to grow up happy, healthy, and responsible adults. I am thrilled to be working with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on what I know will be a meaningful trip.”
The First Lady’s Office is working closely with USAID to plan the visits on her upcoming trip.
During the trip, Mrs. Trump will learn more about the United States role in providing assistance to help countries become self-sufficient.
Her trip will focus on maternal and newborn care in hospitals, education for children, the deep culture and history woven into each African country, and how the United States is supporting each country on its journey to self-reliance.
A recent UNICEF report on global newborn mortality rates ranked Nigeria as 11th highest in neonatal deaths.
Many of the children also end up in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps as a result of insurgency in the northern part of the country or clashes between herders and farmers fighting over farmlands.
