Our first dedicated, permanent observer to the African Union is Ambassador Ben Marc Diendéré. He's doing an excellent job for us.
For the last 15 years, we have had a permanent observer to the African Union. This is the first time we've had a dedicated permanent observer. Before, it was double-headed with the ambassador to Ethiopia. What this allows us to do is have, obviously, more dedicated attention to the issues—creating those networks based exclusively on this pan-African approach in our interactions not just with member states but also with the commission itself, and with the African Union as a political body, not just the technocratic body.
Our ambassador has spent a lot of time meeting with African member states and representatives to the African Union. It's allowing us to get a very in-depth view of what their perspectives are on the African Union as a body and political movement, and also what their individual states' issues are and how they would like to use the African Union to try to resolve some of those issues.