(WASHINGTON) — President Barack Obama says he’s selected his outgoing ambassador to Ethiopia to be the U.S. special envoy to Sudan and South Sudan. Obama says Donald Booth will lead U.S. efforts to implement security agreements the two countries agreed to last year, including disputes over borders and oil. Booth will also work on human rights issues in Darfur and other areas. Booth is a career diplomat who has represented the U.S. in multiple African countries. The Senate confirmed him as ambassador to Ethiopia in 2010. Obama and Booth met in the Oval Office on Wednesday. Obama says there’s more work to do, but peace and progress are possible. South Sudan peacefully broke away from Sudan in 2011, but tensions between the countries remain high, especially over their intertwined oil industries.![]()
