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President George W. Bush meets with President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo, left, President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, center, and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, right, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City Sept. 13, 2002. White House photo by Eric Draper.

African Policy

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 allies and friends, 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 allies, friends 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.

Three Pillars of Bush African Policy

  1. Strategic approach
    • Work with the key anchor states in each sub-region
    • Support sub-regional organization
    • Engage the African Union
  2. Clear policy priorities
    • Combat HIV/AIDS pandemic
    • Advance political and economic freedom
    • Promote peace and regional stability
  3. Principles of bilateral engagement
    • Good governance
    • Economic reform
    • Promote health and education

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.


  • Statement on Ten Years of Democracy in South Africa
  • President Congratulates Signing of Comprehensive Peace in Sudan Act, 2004
  • President's Statement on the Comprehensive Peace in Sudan Act, 2004
  • Humanitarian Assistance for Darfur
  • Statement on the Expanded African Union (AU) Mission in Sudan
  • More News »
    More Video »
      Combating the International HIV/AIDS Pandemic
     
      President Bush's Africa Policy Accomplishments and Initiatives Overview (161kb)
      U.S. Embassy in Mauritius
      Millennium Challenge Account


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