U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton meets with South Africa's Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane in Pretoria, South Africa, August 7, 2012.
PRETORIA – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is meeting with high-level South African officials in Pretoria Tuesday. Topics on the agenda include HIV/AIDS, economic cooperation and global crises, including the deteriorating situation in Syria.
Opening the second annual U.S. - South Africa Strategic Dialogue in Pretoria Tuesday, Clinton highlighted South Africa's growing influence on the world stage and the need to deepen ties between the two countries.
"We have tough issues that we have to tackle together from nuclear non-proliferation to climate change to security crises, like the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo to Syria," Clinton said. "We do not always see eye-to-eye on these issues. I don't know two people who always do, and certainly not two nations and sometimes we will disagree as friends do, but what's important is that this dialogue provides us a mechanism to keep working through all of the issues together."
Photo Gallery: Hillary Clinton's Africa Tour
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Visits Africa
1/16Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greets Kofi Annan and his wife Nane Lagergren at the funeral of Ghana President John Atta Mills, in Accra, Ghana, August 10, 2012.
Clinton arrived in Africa on July 31, 2012, beginning a trip taking her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, 94.
2/16U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, left, meets with Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama, at his residence in Accra, Ghana, August 9, 2012.
Clinton arrived in Africa on July 31, 2012, beginning a trip taking her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, 94.
3/16U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a clinic at Delft township on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa, August 8, 2012.
Clinton arrived in Africa on July 31, 2012, beginning a trip taking her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, 94.
4/16South Africa's Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, left, and Hillary Clinton visit the Delft South Clinic in Delft South, a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa, August 8, 2012.
Clinton arrived in Africa on July 31, 2012, beginning a trip taking her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, 94.
5/16Hillary Clinton meets with former South Africa President Nelson Mandela and his wife Graca Machel at his home in Qunu, South Africa, August 6, 2012.
Clinton arrived in Africa on July 31, 2012, beginning a trip taking her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, 94.
6/16Hillary Clinton and South Africa's Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane see a rare snow flurry as they leave business meetings in Pretoria, South Africa, August 7, 2012.
Clinton arrived in Africa on July 31, 2012, beginning a trip taking her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, 94.
7/16Hillary Clinton walks out with African Union Chair-Designate Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma after their meeting at Brynterion Estate in Pretoria, South Africa, August 7, 2012.
Clinton arrived in Africa on July 31, 2012, beginning a trip taking her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, 94.
8/16Hillary Clinton dances with Emille Phiri, chair of the Lumbadzi Milk Bulking Group, Lilongwe, Malawi, August 5, 2012.
Clinton arrived in Africa on July 31, 2012, beginning a trip taking her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, 94.
9/16Hillary Clinton meets with Malawi's President Joyce Banda at the State House in Lilongwe, Malawi, August 5, 2012.
Clinton arrived in Africa on July 31, 2012, beginning a trip taking her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, 94.
10/16Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki, with Hillary Clinton (R) and his vice president Kalonzo Musyoka (L), leaves after a meeting at State House in Nairobi August 4, 2012.
Clinton arrived in Africa on July 31, 2012, beginning a trip taking her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, 94.
11/16Hillary Clinton is met by Uganda's Foreign Affairs Minister Okello Oryem upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, August 3, 2012.
Clinton arrived in Africa on July 31, 2012, beginning a trip taking her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, 94.
12/16Hillary Clinton shakes hands with Bishop Elias Taban in Juba August 3, 2012.
Clinton arrived in Africa on July 31, 2012, beginning a trip taking her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, 94.
13/16Hillary Clinton meets with South Sudan President Salva Kiir, August 3, 2012, at the Presidential Office Building in Juba.
Clinton arrived in Africa on July 31, 2012, beginning a trip taking her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, 94.
14/16Participants in coordinated colors take part in Taiwan's National Day celebrations in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei. This year marks the 102nd anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China.
Clinton arrived in Africa on July 31, 2012, beginning a trip taking her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, 94.
15/16Hillary Clinton shakes hands with staff from the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, August 1, 2012.
Clinton arrived in Africa on July 31, 2012, beginning a trip taking her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, 94.
16/16The shadow of Hillary Clinton on a Senegalese flag before she spoke at the University of Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar, Senegal, August 1, 2012.
Clinton arrived in Africa on July 31, 2012, beginning a trip taking her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, 94.
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A senior State Department official says Clinton is pushing for South Africa's support for the United Nations Security Council to deal with the deepening crisis in Syria.
South Africa abstained from voting on a third effort by the Security Council to pass a resolution that would have held President Assad responsible for his failure to abide by U.N. Envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan and threatened him with sanctions. South Africa's abstention effectively backed Russia’s and China's vetoes.
South Africa said the resolution was biased in favor of the rebels. Pretoria has close ties to Russia and China and holds a two-year rotating seat on council until December.
South Africa marks the halfway point in Clinton's 10-day, 9-country sweep of Africa. She heads to Turkey next week for talks on Syria.
Regional security and increased U.S. investment and trade with Africa have been key themes of her tour.
