▁aid ▁to ▁August o ▁P ino ch et ▁of ▁Chile , ▁Ern esto ▁Ge is el ▁of ▁Brazil , ▁and ▁Jorge ▁Rafael ▁Vid ela ▁of ▁Argentina , ▁all ▁of ▁whom ▁he ▁critic ized ▁for ▁human ▁rights ▁viol ations . ▁ ▁Carter ' s ▁amb assador ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Nations , ▁Andrew ▁Young , ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁African - American ▁to ▁hold ▁a ▁high - level ▁diplom atic ▁post . ▁Al ong ▁with ▁Carter , ▁he ▁sought ▁to ▁change ▁U . S . ▁policy ▁towards ▁Africa , ▁emphas izing ▁human ▁rights ▁concerns ▁over ▁Cold ▁War ▁issues . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁Carter ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁sitting ▁president ▁to ▁make ▁an ▁official ▁state ▁visit ▁to ▁Sub - S ah aran ▁Africa , ▁a ▁reflection ▁of ▁the ▁region ' s ▁new ▁importance ▁under ▁the ▁Carter ▁administration ' s ▁foreign ▁policy . ▁Un like ▁his ▁prede cess ors , ▁Carter ▁took ▁a ▁strong ▁st ance ▁against ▁white ▁minor ity ▁rule ▁in ▁Rh odes ia ▁and ▁South ▁Africa . ▁With ▁Carter ' s ▁support , ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁passed ▁Resol ution ▁ 4 1 8 , ▁which ▁placed ▁an ▁arms ▁embargo ▁on ▁South ▁Africa . ▁Carter ▁won ▁the ▁repe al ▁of ▁the ▁By rd ▁Am end ment , ▁which ▁had ▁under cut ▁international ▁san ctions ▁on ▁the ▁Rh odes ian ▁government ▁of ▁Ian ▁Smith . ▁He ▁also ▁press ured ▁Smith ▁to ▁hold ▁elections , ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁Rh odes ia ▁elections ▁and ▁the ▁event ual ▁creation ▁of ▁Z imb ab