Washington DC — Although Africa has been "undervalued and underestimated," U.S. trade relations with the continent should experience a "dramatic increase", a leading Republican Senator told corporate leaders today.
Chuck Hagel, who chairs the trade subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said trade helps promote democracy and human rights and is the key to expanded U.S. ties to Africa, augmented by the African Growth and Opportunity Act adopted by Congress last year with bipartisan support.
Addressing the annual luncheon meeting of the Corporate Council on Africa, whose members include some 150 American firms, Hagel thanked the business community for its support of the legislation, which extends trade preferences and other concessions to African countries.
Questioned about the importance of a positive signal to Africa from President George Bush during his early days in office, Hagel endorsed the idea and promised to "make sure it gets patched through" to the White House.
But he said Secretary of State Colin Powell had already indicated his interest by choosing the Africa Bureau as his first stop when he held meetings at the department prior to taking office. "That was no accident," Hagel said.
Misunderstanding of other parts of the world, and Africa in particular is widespread, even "among many of my colleagues," Hagel said. Despite media coverage that focuses on problems, Africa has been moving forward. "One of the great strides in Africa has been in the area of fundamental rights," he said.
Following Hagels address, the Council presented gifts to three officials who played key roles in Africa policymaking during the Clinton administration Susan Rice, the former assistant secretary of state for Africa, Witney Schneidman, former deputy assistant secretary for Africa, and Gayle Smith, who directed Africa affairs at the National Security Council and was special assistant to the President.
Maurice Tempelsman, the Council president, commended the three for their efforts to "develop and implement" a policy that elevated Africa on the foreign policy agenda.
