Without Obama, Michelle to Africa

WASHINGTON - U.S. first lady Michelle Obama went to Africa on Sunday (19/06/2011), to initiate a second official solo trip abroad with the goal of advancing U.S. policy in education, health and democracy. He is scheduled to arrive in South Africa, on Monday (6/20/2011). In that country he visited Johannesburg and Cape Town before traveling to Bostswana. In South Africa he will meet Graha Machel, wife of former South African president Nelson Mandela. He will also visit the island where Mandela was imprisoned under the (government) apartheid. In Botswana he will meet with President Ian Khama and the number of women leaders and visit a nature reserve in the country. Trip occurred when the U.S. will begin preparing to enter the 2012 presidential election, when her husband, President Barack Obama, hoping to survive in the White House. Some White House officials said the visit would support her husband's foreign policy objectives. "First lady's visit was related directly to the president's agenda in Africa and the Obama administration's foreign policy in Africa," said Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser to President Obama last week. "It is no accident that he would visit countries that have embraced democracy, (and) in it, suggesting that their democracy is not only to the citizens, but it can provide a positive example on the environment of those countries as well." Official solo visit to the country's capital abroad was to Mexico before. In this trip he was accompanied by two daughters, Malia and Sasha, and her mother.