First Lady Melania Trump has announced her itinerary for an upcoming visit to Africa, marking her first major solo international trip. She revealed the details during a reception at the 73rd Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. The First Lady will travel in early October to Ghana, Malawi, Kenya, and Egypt.
Mrs. Trump’s visit is part of her Be Best campaign, which focuses on supporting children globally by promoting organizations and programs aligned with her goals as First Lady of the United States. "Since becoming First Lady, I have had the privilege of speaking with many of the spouses of world leaders," she said. "Our discussions are always united by the universal desire to provide children with the support and tools necessary to grow up happy, healthy, and responsible adults."
The First Lady's Office is collaborating with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to plan her visits. During this trip, Mrs. Trump aims to understand more about how the U.S. aids countries in achieving self-sufficiency. Her focus will be on maternal and newborn care in hospitals, children's education, cultural history in each African country, and U.S. support for their journey toward self-reliance.
The press will have opportunities to cover events during her travels through an official press pool accompanying Mrs. Trump.
During her UNGA remarks, she thanked USAID Administrator Mark Green for his introduction and praised USAID's global work. She highlighted that since launching Be Best in May, she has engaged with children worldwide on issues like healthy living and responsible habits.
Mrs. Trump emphasized successful partnerships built by USAID in both public and private sectors as key elements for maximizing impact towards a future without foreign assistance needs.
Her itinerary begins on October 1st with visits to Ghana focusing on healthcare improvements; Malawi addressing educational access; Kenya working on early-childhood education and wildlife conservation; and Egypt highlighting tourism and conservation efforts.
In concluding her remarks at UNGA, Mrs. Trump reiterated her commitment to promoting initiatives that benefit children globally: "Whether it is education, drug addiction, hunger, online safety or bullying, poverty or disease...we are united by our commitment to raising the next generation to be happy, healthy and morally responsible adults."