Grant T. Harris currently serves as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs on the National Security Staff of the White House. Prior to this position, Mr. Harris was Deputy Chief of Staff and Counselor to Susan E. Rice, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and a member of President Obama’s Cabinet. Mr. Harris also served as Senior Policy Advisor to Ambassador Rice and was a member of the Obama/Biden Transition Team. Previously, Mr. Harris was an associate at the law firm of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, where he focused on international financings and business transactions. Prior to that, Mr. Harris served in the African Affairs Directorate at the National Security Council at the White House and at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations during the Clinton Administration.
Mr. Harris is a graduate of Yale Law School, where he served on the Journal of International Law and was awarded the Ambrose Gherini Prize for best paper in the field of international law. Mr. Harris also received a Master’s in Public Affairs, with Distinction, from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. He received a B.A. in Political Science, with Highest Honors, from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was president of the student body. His writings have appeared in such publications as Yale Journal of Law & Policy, Berkeley Journal of International Law, Israel Law Review (peer-reviewed), and The San Francisco Chronicle. He received the Francis Lieber Prize from the American Society of International Law for outstanding scholarship in the field of the law of armed conflict.
Grant T. Harris's Posts
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Urging Peace in South Sudan
December 20, 2013 at 7:17 PM ESTReinforcing President Obama’s strong message encouraging South Sudan’s leaders to choose peace, National Security Advisor Susan Rice records an audio message for the people of South Sudan.
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President Obama's Message to the People of the Central African Republic
December 9, 2013 at 6:46 PM ESTIn an audio message taped in Dakar, Senegal, today, President Obama sent a clear and important message to the people of the Central African Republic: that they should reject the violence currently threatening their country, and move together toward a future of security, dignity, and peace.
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White House Hosts Forum to Counter Wildlife Trafficking and Announces Advisory Council
September 6, 2013 at 12:00 PM ESTTune in on Monday from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at http://www.wh.gov/live as the White House hosts a Forum to Counter Wildlife Trafficking featuring Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
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A New Presidential Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan
August 28, 2013 at 1:30 PM ESTPresident Obama appoints Ambassador Donald Booth as the new U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan. He is seasoned, determined, and deeply committed to pursuing peace between and within Sudan and South Sudan.
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Addressing the Crisis in South Sudan’s Jonglei State
July 24, 2013 at 7:45 PM ESTThe White House hosts NGOs and advocacy groups to discuss the situation and confer on how the United States – in concert with partners and allies around the world – can help end the violence and support South Sudan’s continued democratic development.
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President Obama Meets with Leaders of Sierra Leone, Senegal, Malawi, and Cape Verde
March 28, 2013 at 3:56 PM ESTPresident Obama and the visiting leaders discussed how the United States can expand our partnership to support their efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and promote economic opportunity, both in their countries and across sub-Saharan Africa.
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President Obama's Message to the People of Kenya
February 5, 2013 at 6:00 AM ESTKenya's upcoming elections represent a historic opportunity for Kenyans. In this video, President Obama encourages all Kenyans to stand together.
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The Future of America’s Partnership with Sub-Saharan Africa
June 14, 2012 at 9:05 AM ESTA new Presidential Directive places the United States in a stronger position to help our African partners seize the opportunities and meet the challenges facing the continent
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President Obama's Message to the People of Sudan and South Sudan
April 21, 2012 at 1:22 AM ESTThe President is deeply committed to seeing Sudan and South Sudan become two economically prosperous states living side-by-side in peace.
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