U.S. Ambassador to Cote d'Ivoire Phillip Carter III visited the commander of U.S. Africa Command, General Carter F. Ham, and senior leadership at U.S. AFRICOM headquarters July 7, 2011, to discuss the continued partnership between the command and the U.S. Embassy in Cote d'Ivoire.

AFRICOM directorates briefed Carter on the organization's view of opportunities and challenges to the country, as well as long-term plans for involvement in the partnership.

The ambassador concluded his visit with a round table discussion which included Brigadier General James Lukeman, Defense Attache Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Ginther and representatives from several of AFRICOM's directorates.

Carter answered questions from members of AFRICOM's senior leadership on topics ranging from drug trafficking to the status of the country's navy, to where the new government ministries now stand. The ambassador crafted his answers based on his personal knowledge of the country and his relationship with Cote d'Ivoire's President Alassane Ouattara.

CCÃte d'Ivoire has faced a violent political crisis after the current president defeated incumbent Laurent Gbagbo in the November 2010 election. The violence displaced hundreds of thousands and more than 210,000 refugees fled from CCÃte d'Ivoire. The situation in Cote d'Ivoire is improving, according to U.S. State Department officials, however, continuing unrest is still generating new refugees and as many as 500,000 refugees remain internally displaced.

Carter said that he sees Cote d'Ivoire's success as a bridge to the success of all of West Africa. "It's a regional power ... the economy of Cote d'Ivoire has a bearing on the economies of all of West Africa," said Carter. "So when we invest in Cote d'Ivoire, and if we see Cote d'Ivoire improve, it's going to have a positive effect on, not just its neighbors, but throughout the sub region."