Africa: Obama's Second Chance to Engage With Africa

21 January 2013
editorial

Mr Barack Obama is being sworn in today to a second term as President of the United States. He closed his first term with two incidents that are significant in U.S. relations with Africa: not being able to nominate his UN Ambassador Rice as Secretary of State following strong criticism from right wing opponents before he considered her for the post; and Hillary Clinton, outgoing Secretary of State, sharing a stage with Somali's newly elected president to declare a resumption of diplomatic relations with that war-torn country.

Ms Rice's exit had the merit of getting rid of a diplomat who, as Assistant Secretary of State for Africa under President Bill Clinton, was widely identified with a policy of the American government "looking the other way" as the massacre of almost one million Hutu refugees got underway as they took shelter in United Nations-administered camps in eastern DR Congo from the war in Rwanda. In June and November 2012, she blocked Rwanda and Uganda being named in a Security Council report for arming M23 rebels accused of wreaking havoc in same area. From 1998 t0 2003 over 3 million Congolese civilians died in subsequent wars. Her appointment would have sent ominous signals about Obama's vision for Africa.

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