Africa (Text Only)

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President Bush has met with 25 African heads of state in his first two years in office, more than any previous president, and he will become the first American President visit to Africa in his first term.


		President Bush’s Africa Policy Accomplishments and Initiatives Overview (pdf)


		June 20, 2002 Remarks to 3rd Biennial Leon H. Sullivan Summit Dinner June 19, 2002 Remarks in Announcement of International Mother and Child HIV Prevention Initiative March 22, 2002 Remarks at United Nations Financing for Development Conference March 14, 2002 Remarks on Global Development October 29, 2001 Remarks to the African Growth and Opportunity Forum July 17, 2001 Remarks to the World Bank May 16, 2001 Remarks at African Growth and Opportunity Act Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum May 11, 2001 Remarks during Announcement of Proposal for Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis

In Africa, promise and opportunity sit side by side with disease, war, and desperate poverty. This threatens both a core value of the United States— preserving human dignity—and our strategic priority—combating global terror. American interests and American principles, therefore, lead in the same direction: we will work with others for an African continent that lives in liberty, peace, and growing prosperity.

Together with our European allies, we must help strengthen Africa’s fragile states, help build indigenous capability to secure porous borders, and help build up the law enforcement and intelligence infrastructure to deny havens for terrorists. An ever more lethal environment exists in Africa as local civil wars spread beyond borders to create regional war zones. Forming coalitions of the willing and cooperative security arrangements are key to confronting these emerging transnational threats.

Africa: National Security Strategy

Africa’s great size and diversity requires a security strategy that focuses on bilateral engagement and builds coalitions of the willing. This Administration will focus on three interlocking strategies for the region:

countries with major impact on their neighborhood such as South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia are anchors for regional engagement and require focused attention

coordination with European allies and international institutions is essential for constructive conflict mediation and successful peace operations; and

Africa’s capable reforming states and sub-regional organizations must be strengthened as the primary means to address transnational threats on a sustained basis.

Ultimately the path of political and economic freedom presents the surest route to progress in sub-Saharan Africa, where most wars are conflicts over material resources and political access often tragically waged on the basis of ethnic and religious difference.

The transition to the African Union with its stated commitment to good governance and a common responsibility for democratic political systems offers opportunities to strengthen democracy on the continent.

The Bush Plan

Transform the continent from an area characterized by:

Political instability

Impoverished economies

Dissatisfied youth and extremists

Operational bases for global terrorists

Cultivating Africa's “Pearls”

“Africa’s Pearls” – Botswana, Senegal, Mozambique, Ghana, Mali, Uganda, and Kenya.

Strengthen democratic institutions and free markets in Africa.

Assist Africans to reap the benefits of open trade by providing economic support for trade capacity building, and technical assistance to meet import standards.

Africa Growth and Opportunity Act

President Bush announced the AGOA forum on May 16, 2001

Forum held at the State Department on October 29-30.

The President, Secretaries of State, Treasury, and Commerce, Agriculture, National Security Advisor, USAID Administrator and Ministerial counterparts from 35 African countries participated in the forum.

Discussed ways to build trade capacity with Africa to fully implement AGOA

HIV / AIDS

AIDS alone has left at least 11 million orphans in sub-Sahara Africa.

The Bush Administration launched the Global AID Fund and initially contributed $200 M. Today the Administration has committed $500M for FY02 and 03.

The Administration is providing approximately $1B in FY02 and 03 for global HIV/AIDS.

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