U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in Ethiopia for talks Thursday with the Ethiopian, Ugandan and Kenyan foreign ministers about halting the conflict in neighboring South Sudan.
Kerry arrived late Wednesday in Addis Ababa, where a senior State Department official has said the secretary will deliver "tough messages" for both the South Sudanese government and rebels.
The United States has threatened travel and financial sanctions on those responsible for violence that has displaced more than a million people.
State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Wednesday that Kerry will use his multi-stop trip in Africa to discuss a range of issues and initiatives, including the U.S. program to help those with HIV and AIDS.