JOHANNESBURG, March 18 -- Hillary Rodham Clinton has arrived in South Africa on the second leg of her goodwill tour of Africa. The first lady's trip is intended to underscore the U.S. commitment to Africa and show support for the development of democracy and human rights on the continent.
Accompanied by her 17-year-old daughter Chelsea, Clinton flew into Johannesburg International Airport early Tuesday to start her four-day visit to South Africa, widely regarded as a model of successful democracy for other African countries. During her stay, Clinton will commemorate the anti-apartheid struggle in Soweto, a sprawling black township that borders Johannesburg, and observe how a statutory commission is uncovering human rights abuses committed during the apartheid era. She will also accompany President Nelson Mandela to Robben Island, where the South African leader was imprisoned for opposing apartheid. Besides showing support for democracy in Africa, the first lady will promote efforts to improve the rights of women and children. Clinton also will highlight the need for investment in areas such as education and health care. Clinton, the first sitting U.S. first lady to undertake a solo tour of Africa, also will visit Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda and Eritrea during her two-week tour, which started Monday in Senegal. ---
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