Washington, DC — "September 11 did change our world and did change our approach to Africa," Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Walter Kansteiner told a symposium sponsored by the Africa-America Institute (AAI), Wednesday. The events of that day brought Africa, a region of vague concern, into sharp focus.
Kansteiner was addressing a group of about 100 Africa-interested people brought together by AAI in Washington,D.C., for a day-long discussion of the question, "Is Africa Important to the United States? Perspectives from the Bush Administration."
The response to that query from every official in attendance was an unsurprising 'yes'.
Said a senior administration official in attendance, speaking on condition of anonymity: "Africa has a long history of dealing with domestic terrorism. What they said to us, post-September 11, was, 'Welcome to the world.'"
"You can say that the Clinton Administration gave Africa great visibility while the Bush Administration seems to be saying it wants to use this new visibility to engage in some concrete, definite actions," said AAI President, Mora McLean. "This meeting is to begin seeing what that is about. And, of course, to let them know we arepaying attention."
While Africa's role in the war on terror was an unavoidable topic, much of the discussion centered on issues of trade, investment and development. Africa is "the last great emerging market," said Kansteiner. "The private [business] sector is what's going to take Africa into the 21st century."
Recently returned from an African tour, Kansteiner said he had invited thirty-minute "pitches" for business investment in three cities. "The only conclusion you can possibly make [from the response] is that African businessmen and businesswomen are alive and well."
In that same vein, said Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa, Rosa Whitaker, nothing has been more important than the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) that was passed into law near the end of the Clinton administration.
Trade has grown dramatically, said Whitaker. Non-fuel imports into the U.S. from Africa last year were valued at US$1bn. "The US$120m investment in Lesotho last year was four times foreign aid and for the first time, private sector employment was greater than public employment." Furthermore, said Whitaker, "We've been selling more to Africa." Exports to African countries increased by 17.5 percent."
From Africa's point of view, all this enthusiasm may be overdone. Despite AGOA's benefits, Whitaker acknowledged, "many countries don't have the capacities to take advantage of it." There are still huge trade barriers to African exports; debt remains a crushing burden. And Western funding for Africa's recovery plan, Nepad, is in the balance amid Western nations' dissatisfaction with Africa's response to the Zimbabwean election.
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There is clearly continuing concern among officials that terror might feed on African alienation and despair. "Africa represents a global flank in the war on terrorism," said one senior official, arguing that while "poverty doesn't cause terrorism... poverty can create conditions where terrorists can flourish."
Another key concern centers on HIV/Aids which has left a trail of destruction across Africa. If he had any message he wanted to get across to the general public, said the Director of the White House Office of national Aids Policy, Scott Evertz, it is how to avoid contracting HIV/Aids. "In some places in the developing world, there are still lots of myths about how you contract HIV or how to avoid it."
Asked if the U.S. commitment of US$500m to an Aids fund represents money from existing, or new sources, Evertz responded: "It is intended to be new monies."
AAI's Mora McLean declared herself "quite pleased" with this first symposium: "I think it would be worthwhile having more."
