8.  While Africa is a continent the countries of Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, and Western Sahara are not considered to be part of sub-Sahara Africa and therefore aren't associated with Africa for the foreign policy purposes of the United States but are instead considered to be part of the Near East (commonly referred to as the Middle East) when talking about United States foreign policy. Depending on the source these countries may or may not be included when talking about African foreign policy.AlgeriaEgyptMoroccoTunisiaLibyaWestern Saharasub-Sahara AfricaAfricaNear EastMiddle East  During the 2008 campaign Obama outlined his priorities for developing an Africa policy including taking action to stop "what U.S. officials have termed genocide in Darfur, fighting poverty, and expanding prosperity." Some analysts believed that Obama's appointment of Susan Rice who is a former assistant secretary of state for African affairs, as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations was a sign that his administration would prioritize the continent.Susan Riceassistant secretary of stateAfrican affairsU.S. ambassador to the United Nations

10.  One of the first actions of the Obama administration was to sign a memorandum of understanding with Kenya that would allow pirates captured off of Kenya's coast to be tried in Kenyan courts.  A group of 4 armed Somali pirates took Richard Phillips, a captain of an American cargo ship, hostage on April 8, 2009 during a failed attempt to take over the Maersk Alabama. President Obama ordered the U.S. military to conduct a rescue mission to free Phillips who was held hostage by the pirates for five days. He was rescued on April 12, 2009 by United Stated Navy SEALS who killed three pirates and obtained the surrender of a fourth, Abdul Wali Muse.SomaliRichard PhillipsMaersk AlabamaUnited Stated Navy SEALSAbdul Wali Muse

12.  For purposes of U.S. foreign policy, East Asia consists of Burma (Myanmar), China, Hong Kong, Japan, Mongolia, South Korea, North Korea, Taiwan andThailand. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton left on her first foreign policy tour (to Asia) on February 15, 2009 including scheduled stops in Japan, China, South Korea, Philippines, and Indonesia.East AsiaBurma (Myanmar)ChinaHong KongJapanMongoliaSouth KoreaNorth KoreaTaiwanThailandSecretary of StateHillary ClintonJapanChinaSouth KoreaPhilippinesIndonesia  In a speech given February 13, 2009, Clinton said that "some believe that China on the rise is, by definition, an adversary", but "[t]o the contrary, we believe that the United States and China can benefit from and contribute to each other's successes. It is in our interests to work harder to build on areas of common concern and shared opportunities." Clinton left on her first foreign policy tour (to Asia) on February 15, 2009 including scheduled stops in Japan, China,South Korea, Philippines, and Indonesia.JapanChinaSouth KoreaPhilippinesIndonesia

14. For purposes of U.S. foreign policy, South Asia consists of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.South AsiaAfghanistanBangladeshBhutanIndiaMaldivesNepalPakistanSri Lanka The Obama administrations's South Asian foreign policy was outlined in "The Obama Administration's Policy on South Asia" by Robert O. Blake, Jr., Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, who wrote "our goal was and remains to support the development of sovereign, stable, democratic nations, integrated into the world economy and cooperating with one another, the United States, and our partners to advance regional security and stability." South AsianRobert O. Blake, Jr.Assistant Secretary of StateBureau of South and Central Asian Affairs

17. During his presidential campaign in 2008, Obama asserted that his policy toward Cuba would be based on "libertad", promising that as President of the United States, he would push the Cuban government to embrace democratic reforms and free political prisoners. After his election, former Cuban President Fidel Castro said he was "open" to the idea of meeting with the president-elect.However most of his policies towards Cuba are unchanged from the Bush policies.presidential campaignCubaPresident of the United StatesCuban governmentpolitical prisonersCuban PresidentFidel Castropresident-elect

18.  President Obama's first trip to a Muslim majority country occurred on April 6–7, 2009 when he visited Turkey and spoke to the Grand National Assembly.Muslim majority countryTurkeyGrand National Assembly  President Obama addressed the Muslim world in a speech in Cairo, Egypt on June 4, 2009.In that speech President Obama issued a call for "a new beginning" in the relationship between the United States and Muslims around the world. He outlined his ideas about "engaging the Muslim world" and how to create "a new beginning."Cairo, Egypt  "There is no one bullet that's going to fix everything, there is not one program that's going to be the magic program to engage with Muslims."