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Africa: Malign Neglect
AFRICA ACTION
Africa Policy E-Journal
January 23, 2003 (030123)
US/Africa: Malign Neglect
(Africa Action document)
This posting contains a press release on a media briefing hosted by
Africa Action today focusing on U.S. Africa policy, and the
executive summary of a new Africa Action report: "Africa Policy for
a New Era: Ending Segregation in U.S. Foreign Relations." The full
text of the new report is available in pdf format at:
http://www.africaaction.org/featdocs/afr2003.pdf and in
html format at:
http://www.africaaction.org/featdocs/afr2003.htm
+++++++++++++++++end summary/introduction+++++++++++++++++++++++
AFRICA ACTION
Press Release
January 23, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ann-Louise Colgan 202-546-7961
U.S. war focus results in "Malign Neglect" of Africa.
Media Briefing critiques Bush Administration Africa Policy;
Africa Action releases major report - "Africa Policy for a New Era"
Thursday, January 23, 2003 (Washington, DC) - Today, Africa Action
hosted a press briefing critiquing the Bush Administration's Africa
policy and calling for a new approach to U.S. foreign relations.
Africa Action's Executive Director Salih Booker was joined by Marie
Clarke, National Coordinator of Jubilee USA Network, and Adotei
Akwei, Africa Advocacy Director of Amnesty International USA for a
discussion of Washington's Africa policy during the past two years.
The panel analyzed how the U.S. focus on the "war on terrorism" and
the plans for war in Iraq are distracting attention from today's
most urgent global challenges, which are centered in Africa.
In his opening remarks this morning, Salih Booker said:
"Historically, the U.S. has segregated Africa within foreign
policy....Now, Washington must move African concerns from the
margins of U.S. foreign policy to the center, if it is to sharpen
its focus on the most destabilizing international threats and the
most urgent global priorities."
Foremost among these, Booker described the HIV/AIDS pandemic as the
"the single greatest global threat to human security today...far
more deadly than terrorism or the alleged existence of Iraqi
weapons." Booker criticized the Bush Administration's inaction on
the global AIDS crisis, arguing, "the U.S. has a moral obligation,
an historical responsibility and a national interest in helping to
defeat the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa."
Marie Clarke noted, "Africa's massive external debt is the single
largest obstacle to the continent's efforts to fight poverty and
defeat HIV/AIDS." She added, "Millions die while our Administration
withholds life saving debt cancellation." Clarke described the debt
burden as "a major source of global inequality, which U.S. policies
must address."
Adotei Akwei, discussing the increased focus on U.S. security
cooperation with Africa since 9/11, noted "the U.S. pre-occupation
with the geo-strategic value of African countries in the 'war on
terrorism' must not trump efforts to promote human rights and
advance democracy." Akwei urged the Bush Administration to provide
diplomatic and financial support for African peace-making
initiatives, which he described as "essential to regional and
international security."
At today's briefing, Africa Action also released a major new report
"Africa Policy for a New Era: Ending Segregation in U.S. Foreign
Relations." This document defines an agenda for a new Africa
policy, providing an overview of current challenges and offering
recommendations for U.S. policy on priority issues and areas. The
Executive Summary of the report is included below. The full report
is available at http://www.africaaction.org
Africa Policy for a New Era:
Ending Segregation in U.S. Foreign Relations
January 2003
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. Africa and the U.S. in the 21st Century
The unprecedented challenges facing Africa and the U.S. at this
moment are emblematic of the state of the world. The U.S. is the
richest country in human history, while Africa is the poorest
region containing the majority of the world's poorest countries.
The relationship of the U.S. to Africa graphically illustrates some
of the central questions of the present era How much inequality is
the world prepared to accept, and at what cost? How should the U.S.
address the historic injustices that were the cornerstones of
contemporary western wealth and power, and that now continue to
define the pattern of global inequality? What are the obligations
and motivations that determine international priorities? In short,
what should the U.S. relationship to Africa be? Africa is now the
epicenter of the greatest catastrophe in recorded human history the
HIV/AIDS pandemic. The continent's impoverishment means Africa
cannot overcome this challenge on its own. Nor should it have to.
But Africans do face the challenge of mobilizing the international
community to join their struggle to defeat this global public
health crisis. This requires beating the disease itself, as well as
the poverty and structural inequalities that help fuel its spread.
The United States is now the sole and unchallenged superpower in
the world. It has unmatched military and economic power. The U.S.
faces the challenge of determining how to use its power not only to
safeguard its own future security and prosperity, but to promote
the human security and international stability upon which America's
own prospects depend. In addition, the people of this country seek
to understand their role in the world in moral terms, and the
government professes to do the same.
The policies of the United States toward Africa should be
understood as a clear manifestation of Washington's world view and
global objectives. They are sure indicators of the international
intentions of the U.S. more broadly. Historically, the U.S. has
segregated Africa within foreign policy, relegating it to a
second-class status and depriving it of resources and attention.
Now, Washington must move African concerns from the margins of U.S.
foreign policy to the center, if it is to sharpen its focus on the
most destabilizing international threats and the most urgent global
priorities. The relationship between the richest and the poorest in
the world today will become the measure for determining the
direction and pace of international progress in the decades ahead.
This document defines an agenda for U.S. Africa policy for a new
era. It provides an overview of current challenges and offers
recommendations for U.S. policy on priority issues and areas. It
affirms Africa's importance to the U.S. and outlines what is
required of the U.S. to engage collaboratively and effectively with
its African partners.
2. What Should the U.S. Do?
Lead the War on HIV/AIDS
The HIV/AIDS pandemic is the single greatest global threat to human
security today. It is a far more deadly threat than terrorism, or
the alleged existence of Iraqi weapons. AIDS has already taken the
lives of more than 25 million people globally, three-quarters of
these in sub-Saharan Africa. The HIV/AIDS crisis is the most
urgent issue facing the African continent, and the international
community more broadly, and this should be the top foreign policy
priority of the U.S.
The war on AIDS can be won, but an effective global response will
require a major shift in U.S. policy priorities, and a significant
increase in resources. Africa's future depends on victory in this
fight, as over time will that of many other countries and regions.
African efforts to defeat HIV/AIDS are hindered by international
obstacles, such as illegitimate debt and inadequate access to
essential anti-AIDS drugs, which U.S. policies can and should
address. U.S. financial support is also essential. The Global Fund
to fight HIV/AIDS is a new vehicle that can lead to the defeat of
the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The U.S. must provide at least $3.5 billion
per year to support the work of the Global Fund. This is the most
important and inexpensive investment the U.S. can make in the
future of the world.
Invest in Development
Despite its unparalleled prosperity, the U.S. government fails to
fully understand either its obligation or self-interest in
increasing development assistance to the poorest countries in the
world, from which much of the U.S.' wealth originated. U.S. aid to
Africa has been declining precisely as the continent's needs have
been growing, and aid from all rich countries to sub-Saharan
Africa has dropped by nearly half in the past decade. To fight
poverty and promote sustainable development, the U.S. must be
willing to increase its investment in Africa's future.
A well thought-out U.S. response to Africa's challenge will require
not only more aid, but better aid, that will promote human
development. Money required to assist Africa to reach agreed
development goals, such as health and education, should be
considered an international public investment rather than "aid".
The U.S. has an obligation to pay its fair share based on its
privileged place in the world economy. The U.S. must increase its
development assistance to 0.7% of GNP, a target that rich countries
have repeatedly set for themselves since the 1970s. Such
international investment in human development is the surest way to
promote stability and long-term economic and social progress in
Africa. Increasing the U.S. commitment to development assistance to
0.7% of GNP would result in a $70 billion total. Half of this
amount $35 billion should go to Africa.
Cancel Africa's External Debt
Africa's burden of illegitimate and unpayable debt reveals a major
failing of the current global economic system. It also represents
a key source of global inequality. Each year, the poorest countries
in Africa are required to pay more than $15 billion to rich country
creditors and the international financial institutions, the World
Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). This is more money than
these countries receive in new aid, or loans, or investment. Debt
repayments by most African countries amount to more than
expenditures on health or education. Meanwhile, the debt that the
U.S. and other rich countries owe Africa for centuries of injustice
and exploitation remains outstanding.
Africa's external debt is the largest obstacle to the continent's
economic development and a major obstacle in the fight against
HIV/AIDS. The current debt relief framework, the Heavily Indebted
Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, has failed to resolve the debt
crisis. The economic imbalance caused by Africa's massive
illegitimate debt is unsustainable and ultimately destabilizing,
both morally and in terms of human security. The U.S. should
support the outright cancellation of Africa's debts. It should use
its influence at the World Bank and IMF, the two leading creditors,
to press for immediate and unconditional debt cancellation for
African countries.
Promote Fair Trade
Africa is a far more significant trading partner for the U.S. than
is widely realized. However, restrictions on African access to U.S.
markets and Washington's lavish agricultural subsidies to U.S.
agribusinesses combine to constrict Africa's trade-related
development. The U.S. has continued to push the agenda of
transnational corporations, seeking to further open African markets
to American exports. The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)
exemplifies current U.S. trade policy, reinforcing the imposition
of a free market agenda in return for a very minor increase in
access to U.S. markets for a very few African countries. The U.S.
has also become the major obstacle to African efforts within the
World Trade Organization (WTO) to guarantee access to essential
medicines. U.S. policies continue to place higher priority on
protecting the profits of the pharmaceutical industry than on
saving African lives.
The potential for an enhanced economic partnership between the U.S.
and African countries is great. While U.S. trade with Africa
remains largely dependent upon oil imports from a handful of key
countries, Africa holds abundant human and natural resources and
contains large markets for U.S. products. However, the U.S. must
commit to expanding market access for African goods, and ending the
double standard in international trade rules. This will require
addressing trade barriers and agricultural subsidies that hinder
African exports and that continue to preclude an equitable trading
relationship that can benefit the U.S. and African countries both.
Support African Efforts to End War & Promote Peace
While important progress has been made toward ending some of
Africa's most deadly conflicts, insecurity continues to affect
millions of people, disrupting economic growth and threatening
regional stability. For each of Africa's ongoing wars, a peace
process already exists; what is often lacking is the international
support to ensure its success. The U.S. has an important role to
play in bolstering African peace-making initiatives. A sustained
financial and diplomatic commitment from the U.S. to conflict
resolution in Africa is crucial to regional and international
security. The historic role that the U.S. played in destabilizing
many of the African countries currently at war gives the U.S. a
unique responsibility to engage with African efforts to achieve
peace and stability.
The U.S. should make it a top priority to end the devastating wars
in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). These
conflicts in two of Africa's largest countries represent serious
humanitarian crises and major destabilizing forces in their
regions. Elsewhere in Africa, in countries recovering from war and
countries currently experiencing instability, the U.S. must make a
commitment to supporting African peace-making initiatives. The
recent reversion in U.S. policy to prioritizing African countries
according to their geo-strategic importance is a dangerous
development. Security cooperation with Africa must not be
circumscribed within the framework of the U.S.-defined "war on
terrorism." If the U.S. expects African cooperation on its
priorities, it must make a commitment to addressing Africa's own
security concerns, from HIV/AIDS to conflict resolution and
peace-building.
Help Advance Democracy & Human Rights
U.S. support for democracy and human rights in Africa is one of the
most important expressions of U.S. partnership with Africa's
people. African victories in recent decades in overcoming colonial
rule, apartheid, and other forms of dictatorship, have marked
important progress and done much to empower the people of Africa.
Ongoing struggles for constitutional reform, for women's rights and
human rights, and for government accountability must be supported
by the U.S. and other international partners. A positive U.S.
contribution to promoting democracy and the full spectrum of human
rights in Africa can do much to encourage economic and social
progress, and enhance international stability.
Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation and America's major trading
partner in Africa, faces important elections this year. U.S.
support will be important in ensuring that the elections are free,
fair and peaceful, and that Nigeria can achieve stability and
democratic accountability in the years ahead. In Kenya, the recent
elections have increased optimism about the future, but
international support will be crucial as the new government begins
to address the massive challenges the country faces. Across the
continent, from Zimbabwe to C“te d'Ivoire, threats to democracy and
human rights should be a cause of great concern for the U.S. and
international partners. The U.S. should seek ways to support
African governmental institutions and regional bodies that are
accountable to civil society and that protect the human rights of
Africa's people.
+++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++
Date distributed (ymd): 030123
Region: Continent-Wide
Issue Areas: +political/rights+ +economy/development+
+security/peace+ +US policy focus+
The Africa Action E-Journal is a free information service
provided by Africa Action, including both original
commentary and reposted documents. Africa Action provides this
information and analysis in order to promote U.S. and
international policies toward Africa that advance economic,
political and social justice and the full spectrum of
human rights.
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