Ambassador Thomas Shannon, Counselor of the U.S. Department of State, will travel to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, August 17 to represent the United States during the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Plus Heads of State Summit on South Sudan. Counselor Shannon will join the U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan and South Sudan, Ambassador Donald Booth, who is already in Addis Ababa. This trip follows upon high-level U.S. efforts to support negotiations of a sustainable peace agreement in South Sudan. While in Addis Ababa, Counselor Shannon will engage the South Sudanese parties and our diplomatic partners to promote the signing of a peace agreement.