Tuesday, May 26, 2009

A Round Table with the South African Government and Key Business Leaders August 19th - 21st 2009 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

United StatesSouthern Africa

Round Table with the Government and Key Business Leaders

≈ 19 - 21 August 2009 Johannesburg, South Africa

With Presidents Obama and Zuma charting a new era of cooperation between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa, business and government leaders from South and Southern Africa welcome counterparts from the U.S. to an informal dialogue in which CEOs, policymakers and opinion leaders will explore mutually-beneficial links in business, philanthropy, education and corporate responsibility.

Senior representatives of the South African Government and local business leaders will engage in open and off-the-record discussions commercial opportunities in South and Southern Africa. This advanced, interactive forum will facilitate business connections, and enable the participants to gain new perspectives.

Topics to be discussed include: the global financial crisis and its impact on the region; investment in infrastructure; energy; healthcare; financial markets; food processing; homeland security and defence cooperation. Early acceptances include Michael Spicer - CEO, Business Leadership South Africa, Saki Macozoma - Deputy Chairman, Standard Bank, Popo Molefe – Chairman, PetroSA & CEO, Lereko Investments and Chris Hart, Chief Economist, Investment Solutions.

Wednesday, August 19th program begins with presentations by leading experts and business people from the U.S. and South Africa. Following a networking luncheon, there will be one-on-one meetings with appropriate selected individuals and companies.

Invited South African companies include: Eskom, Sasol, Medi-Clinic, Discovery, Netcare, Educor, Barclays-Absa, Firstrand, Development Bank of Southern Africa, Industrial Development Corporation, Transnet, MTN, COEGA, Telkom, Dimension Data and others.

AllWorld Network, Chaired by Professor Michael Porter, Harvard University Business School and Endeavor, South Africa will announce the launch of the South Africa Fast Growth 100, identifying and advancing the next generation of company builders and entrepreneurs. AllWorld co-Founders Deidre M. Coyle Jr, Anne Habiby and Malik Fal, Endeavor, presenting.

Thursday, August 20th is reserved exclusively for business-to-business meetings which will be arranged in advance.

Thursday, August 20th Evening Reception to honor MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS

Remarks by:

U.S. Congressman Bobby L. Rush, Chair Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection of Energy and Commerce Committee and Co-chair of The African Partnership for Economic Growth (APEG) Caucus - - a new Congressional initiative to expand and deepen trade and investment links between the U.S. and sub-Saharan Africa.

Friday, August 21st is reserved for meetings and a luncheon with the Congressional Delegation and Trade and Business Representatives from:

Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Attendance at this event is by invitation only, consisting of a pre-selected group of regional and international industry leaders. Should you be interested in participating, please contact: David Altman Tel: +1 212.904.0248 davidaltman@usexportcouncil.com

Co-organized and Sponsored by:

Omega Investment Research

US Export Council

Business Council for International Understanding

KRL International LLC

Mark Clack Senior Advisor, KRL International LLC Tel 202.223.1101 mark@krlinternational.com

Johnny Brown Senior Advisor US Export Council

Travel Packages including flights and accommodation are available. Upon confirmation of your attendance, kindly contact Daniel Bloch at Omega Investment Research on +27 (0)21 689 7881 or email: danielb@omegainvest.co.za

Link to the Invitation http://www.omegainvest.co.za/USConference.html

Monday, May 25, 2009

High-Level Engagement with Africa Has Started

Washington — “High-level engagement has already started” between the Obama administration and Africa, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson said May 19.

Speaking at a gala reception in Washington marking the beginning of “Africa Week,” Carson said: “Most of the Obama administration’s Africa team is in place, and we are gearing up. We will continue to build on and strengthen the strong bipartisan consensus in Congress and among the people of America that has motivated U.S. policy towards Africa.”

“Over the next four years, we will be focusing our efforts on strengthening democracy, promoting sustainable development, resolving or mitigating conflict, and dealing with transnational issues such as climate change and agriculture,” he pledged.

Additionally, he said, President Obama was expected to meet shortly with Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete at the White House. “Secretary Clinton will be meeting with the Angolan minister of foreign affairs, Assunção Afonso dos Anjos. She has already met with her Nigerian and South African counterparts. And in July,” Carson said, “the president will be making his first trip to Africa in his current capacity, when he travels to Ghana.”

Earlier that same day, Carson told his audience, on the 16th anniversary of U.S.-Angolan bilateral relations, United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk signed the U.S.-Angolan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with Angolan Minister dos Anjos.

Carson said, “It is anticipated that Secretary Clinton will be traveling to Kenya to participate in the African Growth and Opportunity Act [AGOA] Forum in early August, and possibly visit other countries as well.”

Speaking to a capacity crowd made up of African ambassadors, business executives, Africanists and well-wishers, Carson reminded his audience that “Africa has played and continues to play a major role in the life of the United States and today is one of America’s most important friends and global partners.

“The ties that bind the United States and Africa are stronger and more enduring today than they have ever been,” he said. Those ties, he added, “extend from the shores of West Africa, where freed American slaves founded the proud state of Liberia, to the White House, where President Barack Obama, the son of a Kenyan father, is now serving as president of this country.”

The links that connect Africa and the United States, he said, are built on a “rock-solid foundation.” He reminded everyone that more than 13 percent of America’s population is of African descent and that that number continues to grow because of immigration laws that have opened the door to a new generation of African immigrants.

“Across the African continent, the trans-Atlantic connections and strong feelings of friendship and good will are kept alive by thousands of African professionals, political leaders and government workers who have been able over the years to travel to the United States to attend our many colleges and universities,” he said.

Volunteer opportunities like the Peace Corps, which sends thousands of Americans to Africa each year, and education opportunities like the Fulbright Program and Humphrey Scholarships, which bring hundreds of Africans to the United States, guarantee that the links that connect Africa and the United States will remain strong well into the future — and may even generate another president of the United States.

Turning to democracy, Carson said, “Africans have always shared U.S. values and principles about democracy, and African governments are in the process of consolidating the democratic gains of the recent past.”

In January 2009, Carson noted, Ghana saw its fourth successful election and second peaceful transfer of power from one party to another, and in South Africa, the election in April of President Jacob Zuma marked the fourth successful election since the end of the apartheid era.

“Ghana’s and South Africa’s elections are two of the most recent marquee events showcasing the winds of change that have swept the continent,” he said, “but they are far from the only ones. The elections also demonstrate that democracy is not a one-time event, but a process.”

America’s ties with Africa are also based on a strong strategic and economic foundation, Carson said. “Today, approximately 17 percent of America’s oil imports come from Africa, with Nigeria supplying some 8 percent of America’s needs, followed by major imports from Angola, Algeria and Equatorial Guinea.”

Nigeria, Angola and Algeria provide 98 percent of liquefied natural gas imports into the eastern United States, he noted.

“In the months to come,” Carson told his audience, “I look forward to getting reacquainted with those of you that I already know, and to meeting for the first time those I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting. Please again accept my congratulations for a successful Africa Week 2009.”


US EXPORT COUNCIL PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO US COMPANIES SEEKING ACCESS TO HIGH GROWTH MARKETS OVERSEAS. http://usexportcouncil.com/

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Increasing American investments into Africa - US study

American corporations are becoming increasingly interested in investing in Africa, with some regarding it as the last big growth market, but they are often deterred by Africa's negative image, a new study shows.

The study, released on 19 May 2009 in Washington, identified the technology sector as an important US investment opportunity outside of Africa's traditional natural resources and agricultural sectors. It also highlighted education as one of the major improvements US executives believe would make Africa a more attractive investment destination.

However, Africa needs to market itself much more aggressively as well as making internal improvements. While Chinese and, to a lesser extent, European corporations are increasing their African investment, US executives often see other geographical areas as offering better returns or less risk.

The study was conducted by the Africa Business Initiative of the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington DC, and Baird's CMC, an international communication management consultancy which conducted all of the interviews.

The conclusions and recommendations are based on in-depth interviews with executives from 30 US multi-national corporations, of which half are Fortune 100 companies. The objective was to identify the factors affecting US corporations' investment decisions in Africa and what US executives believe would make Africa more attractive to them.

A second part of the study will encompass the response by African leaders to these corporate investment attitudes.

"The study aims to contribute to the economic ties between the USA and Africa," said François Baird, Baird's CMC co-chairman.

"We want to tap in to the 'conversation behind closed doors', both in US boardrooms and in African cabinet discussions. We hope that these frank viewpoints by US business leaders and African policy-makers will help increase American investment into Africa."

According to economist Christo Luus, Africa's share of foreign investment has declined since the 1970s, when it attracted 5.4% of global foreign investment, only slightly less than Asia's 6.4% despite Asia's larger population and economic activity. Since the 1980s, foreign investment flows to Africa have averaged only 2.2% of the global total, while Asia's share increased to 17.3% of global foreign investments.

Africa's poor reputation among US businesses, bolstered by a flow of negative news from the continent, is the primary reason that US investment goes to other continents. Africa is often compared unfavourably to the BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China.

There is a perception that investing in Africa requires too much trouble for too little return, and that other destinations offer similar or better returns with far less risk.

Hence the study's recommendation that Africa promote itself to investors on a regional basis and seek to overcome the continent's image problem by attracting small investments and ensuring a positive experience for the company concerned. Larger investments would follow.

"The most powerful investment incentive seems to be a positive experience for the executive or company. When the experience is good, they go back for more. Of course, the opposite is also true."

The study highlighted the five most common questions US executives ask when considering investment in a foreign country. They are:

  • Is there stability and order as I know it?
  • Is the opportunity large enough to justify the investment?
  • What is the trade-off between risk and reward?
  • Does the country have an efficient business framework?
  • Does the country really want the investment?

"Africa does not yet answer these questions satisfactorily," Baird said.

"Unfortunately there is a strong consensus among the respondents that the image of Africa suggests that the rule of law may not prevail to the degree required to make Africa an attractive investment destination."

The perception of corruption, seen as applying to the whole continent, is a major factor in US considerations, with one executive noting that US business is "terrified" of contravening the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

"The image of lawlessness, corruption, unstable governments, inadequate infrastructure, uneducated or undertrained manpower and an unwelcoming attitude towards business deters US businesses from investing in Africa," the report said.

There is also a view that Africa does not yet offer a large middle class of consumers, nor does it show consistent economic growth that would promise a future market. On the positive side are Africa's enormous natural resources, which do attract investors.

Illustrating the issue of a country actively seeking investment, Baird recounted the comments of an American executive about Nigeria, where the Nigerian president regularly hosts meetings with companies and his cabinet ministers.

"We discuss problems and cabinet ministers must explain immediately what can be done. At the next meeting the president wants to know if it happened to our satisfaction. Things happen. It shows us that Nigeria really wants foreign investors," the US executive said.

The study concluded that the main reasons why Africa has not yet become a top investment priority for corporate America are that US executives do not believe the risks involved are commensurate with the promised return, that other countries and regions offer better investment options and that US executives see Africa as needing too much effort to be attractive at the moment.

Nevertheless, Africa is the second largest and second most populous continent after Asia, with 20% of the world's land area and 14% of global population.

US business see pockets of great potential in Africa, and top executives generally have an understanding of the continent and its different regions. They are seriously examining African investment opportunities.

US companies in some sectors, particularly technology companies, now regard Africa as "the last frontier for growth". It has a market of one billion people, mobile telephone networks have been successful, and other countries, particularly China, are increasing their African investment thrust.

Corporate America would be more interested in the countries that are seriously trying to attract investment if these countries - preferably as regions - acted on the key requirements," the study concluded. These requirements are:

  • An educated and healthy populace
  • A stable political environment
  • Reduced corruption
  • A fair, conducive business environment
  • Improved infrastructure

Commenting that attracting US investment is "a long haul", the study recommended that African countries and regions sell themselves aggressively to corporate America which needs "a strong and specific pull from Africa".

It also noted the suggestion that perhaps one major entity needs to take on the cause of selling Africa to the developed world.


US EXPORT COUNCIL PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO US COMPANIES SEEKING ACCESS TO HIGH GROWTH MARKETS OVERSEAS. http://usexportcouncil.com/

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

WORLD TRADE WEEK, 2009

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
_____________________________________________________
For Immediate Release May 6, 2009

WORLD TRADE WEEK, 2009
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

When the world's consumers fly in a U.S.-manufactured airplane, eat a steak from America's heartland, watch a Hollywood movie, or visit the Grand Canyon, they are helping to create and maintain good jobs for Americans.

World Trade Week is an opportunity to reaffirm the benefits of trade and to emphasize America's commitment to a global marketplace that creates good jobs and lifts up American families. The United States and our trading partners stand to gain when trade is open, transparent, rules-based, and fair, showing respect for labor and environmental standards.

The United States is well-positioned to reap the benefits of trade. America is a leader in the global marketplace and ranks at the top of almost every measure of global competitiveness. Our businesses, workers, and farmers remain the most innovative, productive, and adaptable in the world. The United States is also the world's largest exporter.

Trade is a significant and increasingly important contributor to U.S. economic growth. Exports accounted for 13 percent of U.S. economic activity in 2008, and they support millions of jobs in the United States. In difficult economic times, it is even more important for American industry to take advantage of every opportunity for export-driven growth. That is why I will work to open more markets to U.S. exports, including in such important job growth industries as energy efficiency, clean energy, and health information technology.

Imports can also benefit the United States by increasing consumer choice while lowering prices for millions of working families. In addition, imports can support employment for retailers, distributors, the transportation sector, and domestic manufacturers which rely on global supply chains to make products for both the U.S. and international markets.

We must ensure that the benefits of trade are spread more widely. This can be achieved by training and supporting Americans and ensuring that trade agreements provide the economic opportunities that Americans deserve. Workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own deserve the chance to be retrained for a new economic environment. That is one of the reasons I signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), which improves Trade Adjustment Assistance to help families that are struggling now. For the long term, the ARRA also invests in an education system that will prepare our children to compete and succeed in the global economy.

We will negotiate future trade agreements to create opportunities for all Americans. My Administration is committed to building on existing trade agreements and bilateral investment treaties in an open and transparent manner. In consultation with the American people, the Congress, key stakeholders, and our trading partners, I am developing a plan of action for pending free trade agreements. I will also work with our trading partners to advance a strong market-opening agreement for agriculture, industrial goods, and services through the Doha Development Round and through other negotiations. Together, we can build a trading regime that spreads its benefits among Americans and also benefits workers in our partner countries.

Transparency and inclusiveness are central principles we must adhere to as we seek to expand trade. When trade agreements are negotiated in consultation with the American people, the benefits of trade can be understood more broadly. Through open dialogue, the concerns of American and foreign workers can be addressed and the environmental consequences of trade agreements can be identified and mitigated.

With a transparent, free, and fair framework, we can make trade a powerful contributor to the revival of the U.S. and global economies.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 17 through May 23, 2009, as World Trade Week. I encourage all Americans to observe this week with events, trade shows, and educational programs that celebrate the benefits of trade to our Nation and the global economy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

BARACK OBAMA

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Sunday, May 17, 2009

Full Transcript: Barack Obama's Notre Dame Commencement Speech

Full remarks as released before the address:

Thank you, Father Jenkins for that generous introduction. You are doing an outstanding job as president of this fine institution, and your continued and courageous commitment to honest, thoughtful dialogue is an inspiration to us all.

Good afternoon Father Hesburgh, Notre Dame trustees, faculty, family, friends, and the class of 2009. I am honored to be here today, and grateful to all of you for allowing me to be part of your graduation.

I want to thank you for this honorary degree. I know it has not been without controversy. I don't know if you're aware of this, but these honorary degrees are apparently pretty hard to come by. So far I'm only 1 for 2 as President. Father Hesburgh is 150 for 150. I guess that's better. Father Ted, after the ceremony, maybe you can give me some pointers on how to boost my average.

I also want to congratulate the class of 2009 for all your accomplishments. And since this is Notre Dame, I mean both in the classroom and in the competitive arena. We all know about this university's proud and storied football team, but I also hear that Notre Dame holds the largest outdoor 5-on-5 basketball tournament in the world - Bookstore Basketball.

Now this excites me. I want to congratulate the winners of this year's tournament, a team by the name of "Hallelujah Holla Back." Well done. Though I have to say, I am personally disappointed that the "Barack O'Ballers" didn't pull it out. Next year, if you need a 6'2" forward with a decent jumper, you know where I live.

Every one of you should be proud of what you have achieved at this institution. One hundred and sixty three classes of Notre Dame graduates have sat where you are today. Some were here during years that simply rolled into the next without much notice or fanfare - periods of relative peace and prosperity that required little by way of sacrifice or struggle.

You, however, are not getting off that easy. Your class has come of age at a moment of great consequence for our nation and the world - a rare inflection point in history where the size and scope of the challenges before us require that we remake our world to renew its promise; that we align our deepest values and commitments to the demands of a new age. It is a privilege and a responsibility afforded to few generations - and a task that you are now called to fulfill.

This is the generation that must find a path back to prosperity and decide how we respond to a global economy that left millions behind even before this crisis hit - an economy where greed and short-term thinking were too often rewarded at the expense of fairness, and diligence, and an honest day's work.

We must decide how to save God's creation from a changing climate that threatens to destroy it. We must seek peace at a time when there are those who will stop at nothing to do us harm, and when weapons in the hands of a few can destroy the many. And we must find a way to reconcile our ever-shrinking world with its ever-growing diversity - diversity of thought, of culture, and of belief.

In short, we must find a way to live together as one human family.

It is this last challenge that I'd like to talk about today. For the major threats we face in the 21st century - whether it's global recession or violent extremism; the spread of nuclear weapons or pandemic disease - do not discriminate. They do not recognize borders. They do not see color. They do not target specific ethnic groups.

Moreover, no one person, or religion, or nation can meet these challenges alone. Our very survival has never required greater cooperation and understanding among all people from all places than at this moment in history.

Unfortunately, finding that common ground - recognizing that our fates are tied up, as Dr. King said, in a "single garment of destiny" - is not easy. Part of the problem, of course, lies in the imperfections of man - our selfishness, our pride, our stubbornness, our acquisitiveness, our insecurities, our egos; all the cruelties large and small that those of us in the Christian tradition understand to be rooted in original sin. We too often seek advantage over others. We cling to outworn prejudice and fear those who are unfamiliar. Too many of us view life only through the lens of immediate self-interest and crass materialism; in which the world is necessarily a zero-sum game. The strong too often dominate the weak, and too many of those with wealth and with power find all manner of justification for their own privilege in the face of poverty and injustice. And so, for all our technology and scientific advances, we see around the globe violence and want and strife that would seem sadly familiar to those in ancient times.

We know these things; and hopefully one of the benefits of the wonderful education you have received is that you have had time to consider these wrongs in the world, and grown determined, each in your own way, to right them. And yet, one of the vexing things for those of us interested in promoting greater understanding and cooperation among people is the discovery that even bringing together persons of good will, men and women of principle and purpose, can be difficult.

The soldier and the lawyer may both love this country with equal passion, and yet reach very different conclusions on the specific steps needed to protect us from harm. The gay activist and the evangelical pastor may both deplore the ravages of HIV/AIDS, but find themselves unable to bridge the cultural divide that might unite their efforts. Those who speak out against stem cell research may be rooted in admirable conviction about the sacredness of life, but so are the parents of a child with juvenile diabetes who are convinced that their son's or daughter's hardships can be relieved.

The question, then, is how do we work through these conflicts? Is it possible for us to join hands in common effort? As citizens of a vibrant and varied democracy, how do we engage in vigorous debate? How does each of us remain firm in our principles, and fight for what we consider right, without demonizing those with just as strongly held convictions on the other side?

Nowhere do these questions come up more powerfully than on the issue of abortion.

As I considered the controversy surrounding my visit here, I was reminded of an encounter I had during my Senate campaign, one that I describe in a book I wrote called The Audacity of Hope. A few days after I won the Democratic nomination, I received an email from a doctor who told me that while he voted for me in the primary, he had a serious concern that might prevent him from voting for me in the general election. He described himself as a Christian who was strongly pro-life, but that's not what was preventing him from voting for me.

What bothered the doctor was an entry that my campaign staff had posted on my website - an entry that said I would fight "right-wing ideologues who want to take away a woman's right to choose." The doctor said that he had assumed I was a reasonable person, but that if I truly believed that every pro-life individual was simply an ideologue who wanted to inflict suffering on women, then I was not very reasonable. He wrote, "I do not ask at this point that you oppose abortion, only that you speak about this issue in fair-minded words."

Fair-minded words.

After I read the doctor's letter, I wrote back to him and thanked him. I didn't change my position, but I did tell my staff to change the words on my website. And I said a prayer that night that I might extend the same presumption of good faith to others that the doctor had extended to me. Because when we do that - when we open our hearts and our minds to those who may not think like we do or believe what we do - that's when we discover at least the possibility of common ground.

That's when we begin to say, "Maybe we won't agree on abortion, but we can still agree that this is a heart-wrenching decision for any woman to make, with both moral and spiritual dimensions.

So let's work together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions by reducing unintended pregnancies, and making adoption more available, and providing care and support for women who do carry their child to term. Let's honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion, and draft a sensible conscience clause, and make sure that all of our health care policies are grounded in clear ethics and sound science, as well as respect for the equality of women."

Understand - I do not suggest that the debate surrounding abortion can or should go away. No matter how much we may want to fudge it - indeed, while we know that the views of most Americans on the subject are complex and even contradictory - the fact is that at some level, the views of the two camps are irreconcilable. Each side will continue to make its case to the public with passion and conviction. But surely we can do so without reducing those with differing views to caricature.

Open hearts. Open minds. Fair-minded words.

It's a way of life that has always been the Notre Dame tradition. Father Hesburgh has long spoken of this institution as both a lighthouse and a crossroads. The lighthouse that stands apart, shining with the wisdom of the Catholic tradition, while the crossroads is where "...differences of culture and religion and conviction can co-exist with friendship, civility, hospitality, and especially love." And I want to join him and Father Jenkins in saying how inspired I am by the maturity and responsibility with which this class has approached the debate surrounding today's ceremony.

This tradition of cooperation and understanding is one that I learned in my own life many years ago - also with the help of the Catholic Church.

I was not raised in a particularly religious household, but my mother instilled in me a sense of service and empathy that eventually led me to become a community organizer after I graduated college. A group of Catholic churches in Chicago helped fund an organization known as the Developing Communities Project, and we worked to lift up South Side neighborhoods that had been devastated when the local steel plant closed.

It was quite an eclectic crew. Catholic and Protestant churches. Jewish and African-American organizers. Working-class black and white and Hispanic residents. All of us with different experiences. All of us with different beliefs. But all of us learned to work side by side because all of us saw in these neighborhoods other human beings who needed our help - to find jobs and improve schools. We were bound together in the service of others.

And something else happened during the time I spent in those neighborhoods. Perhaps because the church folks I worked with were so welcoming and understanding; perhaps because they invited me to their services and sang with me from their hymnals; perhaps because I witnessed all of the good works their faith inspired them to perform, I found myself drawn - not just to work with the church, but to be in the church. It was through this service that I was brought to Christ.

At the time, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin was the Archbishop of Chicago. For those of you too young to have known him, he was a kind and good and wise man. A saintly man. I can still remember him speaking at one of the first organizing meetings I attended on the South Side. He stood as both a lighthouse and a crossroads - unafraid to speak his mind on moral issues ranging from poverty, AIDS, and abortion to the death penalty and nuclear war. And yet, he was congenial and gentle in his persuasion, always trying to bring people together; always trying to find common ground. Just before he died, a reporter asked Cardinal Bernardin about this approach to his ministry. And he said, "You can't really get on with preaching the Gospel until you've touched minds and hearts."

My heart and mind were touched by the words and deeds of the men and women I worked alongside with in Chicago. And I'd like to think that we touched the hearts and minds of the neighborhood families whose lives we helped change. For this, I believe, is our highest calling.

You are about to enter the next phase of your life at a time of great uncertainty. You will be called upon to help restore a free market that is also fair to all who are willing to work; to seek new sources of energy that can save our planet; to give future generations the same chance that you had to receive an extraordinary education. And whether as a person drawn to public service, or someone who simply insists on being an active citizen, you will be exposed to more opinions and ideas broadcast through more means of communications than have ever existed before. You will hear talking heads scream on cable, read blogs that claim definitive knowledge, and watch politicians pretend to know what they're talking about. Occasionally, you may also have the great fortune of seeing important issues debated by well-intentioned, brilliant minds. In fact, I suspect that many of you will be among those bright stars.

In this world of competing claims about what is right and what is true, have confidence in the values with which you've been raised and educated. Be unafraid to speak your mind when those values are at stake. Hold firm to your faith and allow it to guide you on your journey. Stand as a lighthouse.

But remember too that the ultimate irony of faith is that it necessarily admits doubt. It is the belief in things not seen. It is beyond our capacity as human beings to know with certainty what God has planned for us or what He asks of us, and those of us who believe must trust that His wisdom is greater than our own.

This doubt should not push us away from our faith. But it should humble us. It should temper our passions, and cause us to be wary of self-righteousness. It should compel us to remain open, and curious, and eager to continue the moral and spiritual debate that began for so many of you within the walls of Notre Dame. And within our vast democracy, this doubt should remind us to persuade through reason, through an appeal whenever we can to universal rather than parochial principles, and most of all through an abiding example of good works, charity, kindness, and service that moves hearts and minds.

For if there is one law that we can be most certain of, it is the law that binds people of all faiths and no faith together. It is no coincidence that it exists in Christianity and Judaism; in Islam and Hinduism; in Buddhism and humanism. It is, of course, the Golden Rule - the call to treat one another as we wish to be treated. The call to love. To serve. To do what we can to make a difference in the lives of those with whom we share the same brief moment on this Earth.

So many of you at Notre Dame - by the last count, upwards of 80% -- have lived this law of love through the service you've performed at schools and hospitals; international relief agencies and local charities. That is incredibly impressive, and a powerful testament to this institution. Now you must carry the tradition forward. Make it a way of life. Because when you serve, it doesn't just improve your community, it makes you a part of your community. It breaks down walls. It fosters cooperation. And when that happens - when people set aside their differences to work in common effort toward a common good; when they struggle together, and sacrifice together, and learn from one another - all things are possible.

After all, I stand here today, as President and as an African-American, on the 55th anniversary of the day that the Supreme Court handed down the decision in Brown v. the Board of Education. Brown was of course the first major step in dismantling the "separate but equal" doctrine, but it would take a number of years and a nationwide movement to fully realize the dream of civil rights for all of God's children. There were freedom rides and lunch counters and Billy clubs, and there was also a Civil Rights Commission appointed by President Eisenhower. It was the twelve resolutions recommended by this commission that would ultimately become law in the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

There were six members of the commission. It included five whites and one African-American; Democrats and Republicans; two Southern governors, the dean of a Southern law school, a Midwestern university president, and your own Father Ted Hesburgh, President of Notre Dame. They worked for two years, and at times, President Eisenhower had to intervene personally since no hotel or restaurant in the South would serve the black and white members of the commission together. Finally, when they reached an impasse in Louisiana, Father Ted flew them all to Notre Dame's retreat in Land O'Lakes, Wisconsin, where they eventually overcame their differences and hammered out a final deal.

Years later, President Eisenhower asked Father Ted how on Earth he was able to broker an agreement between men of such different backgrounds and beliefs. And Father Ted simply said that during their first dinner in Wisconsin, they discovered that they were all fishermen. And so he quickly readied a boat for a twilight trip out on the lake. They fished, and they talked, and they changed the course of history.

I will not pretend that the challenges we face will be easy, or that the answers will come quickly, or that all our differences and divisions will fade happily away. Life is not that simple. It never has been.

But as you leave here today, remember the lessons of Cardinal Bernardin, of Father Hesburgh, of movements for change both large and small. Remember that each of us, endowed with the dignity possessed by all children of God, has the grace to recognize ourselves in one another; to understand that we all seek the same love of family and the same fulfillment of a life well-lived. Remember that in the end, we are all fishermen.

If nothing else, that knowledge should give us faith that through our collective labor, and God's providence, and our willingness to shoulder each other's burdens, America will continue on its precious journey towards that more perfect union. Congratulations on your graduation, may God Bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

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U.S. Commerce Secretary Locke Statement on March 2009 Trade Numbers

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke issued the following statement on the release of the March 2009 U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services report by the Commerce Department’s U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Today’s report showed that U.S. exports decreased by 2.4 percent to $123.6 billion since February 2009. Imports decreased 1.0 percent to $151.2 billion. Overall, the trade deficit grew 5.5 percent during the same time period.

“Today’s numbers are better than many economists predicted, and it’s worth noting that the trade deficit is half of what it was in the first quarter of 2008. Still, they indicate just how difficult the global economic environment is. While we have begun to see a few promising shoots of green, there is still much work to be done.

“The March trade data also underlines the importance of identifying new and growing markets for U.S. companies and actively promoting exports on their behalf. Exporting is integral to creating jobs and growing businesses, and ensuring U.S. industry is the strongest and most competitive in the world. The focus of the Commerce Department is to boost exports by promoting American products and working with the American businesses to strengthen our ability to compete in a global economy.”

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Friday, May 15, 2009

South Africa's New Government

The general response in South Africa and internationally to President Zuma's Cabinet appointments has been very positive. He got rid of most of the dead wood and introduced several exciting personalities. From a business point of view this is probably the strongest Cabinet South Africa has had in decades. Having said that, the financial/economic cluster of ministerial personalities is also very diverse in the views its members represent. There will be lots of debates. If anything Trevor Manuel's appointment in the presidency with responsibility for the National Planning Commission considerably enhances his influence; and Pravin Gordhan's appointment as Minister of Finance - given the brilliant job he did in overhauling the country's revenue service - has been welcomed by business. He certainly is Manuel’s intellectual equal.

A welcome member of this team is Robert Davies who has been promoted from deputy to Minister of Trade and Investment. He is energetic and imaginative and is going to make a world of difference to DTI, which has been one of the worst run ministries. Adding spice is Ebrahim Patel, a textile industry trade unionist, as Minister of Economic Development; and the appointment of Collins Chabaneto to ensure that everybody does their job - echoing Zuma’s sentiment that he will not tolerate sloth – is a welcome innovation. Tokyo Sexwale, although not formally in the financial/economic cluster, will offer a shoulder for business to cry on.

So generally speaking, as the London Financial Times put it two days ago: “The new South African Cabinet unveiled by Jacob Zuma at the week-end seems both to have calmed business fears he might lurch to the left, and inspired hope that ministers - including the finance minister Pravin Gordhan - will raise performance." But some specific random observations:

  • Regrettable is the transfer of Naledi Pandor, one of the best Ministers of Education South Africa has had in years, to Science and Technology; and equally regrettable is the decision, while promoting Marthinus van Schalkwyk to full minister, to separate environmental affairs and tourism, leaving him with only tourism - as Van Schalkwyk has very deservedly established himself internationally as a serious environmentalist. And I am sorry not to see Mathews Phosa in the Cabinet. As an alternative, he would make a good High Commissioner in London.
  • In the short time she was in the health portfolio, Barbara Hogan impressed everybody and, not surprisingly, the various health lobbies have expressed disappointment that she has been transferred from Health to Public Enterprises - also an important ministry but badly managed by successive incumbents. Hogan is a strong, creative person with highly developed management skills, and Health’s loss is Public Enterprises’ gain.
  • The appointment of the Leader of the Freedom Front Plus, Pieter Mulder, as a deputy minister should not have caused the surprise it did. Zuma very consciously wooed the Afrikaners in the spirit of his consensual style and partly to counter COPE, whose Mosiuoa Lekota has a strong appeal within that community. Mulder’s portfolio of agriculture, forestry and fishing is most appropriate. Not surprising is Jeremy Cronin’s appointment as a deputy minister for transport. He is the least dogmatic, most intelligent and likeable communist I know. And every government should have its poet.

Beyond the personalities involved and the contribution they may be expected to make, the composition of the new parliament and Cabinet represent progress in the South African political system in two very important areas. Firstly, one of the big failures in continental African politics is the lack of politics as a vocation. Politics, after all, is an end in itself. People who go into politics do so for many different reasons. But in mature societies the main reason for choosing a political career is to gain power and influence, and so to contribute to the betterment of a society. That has been absent in Africa, where politics has mainly been the route to self-aggrandisement and wealth. Looking at the new Cabinet, I have a strong sense that the vocational element has been strengthened. Appointments have been made on ability to do the job rather than on contributions to the struggle, etc. Without wishing to ex aggerate this (because after all he has already made his fortune) Tokyo Sexwale’s commitment to politics and inclusion in the Cabinet has both practical and symbolic significance - in that he has stood down as executive chairman of his company Mvelaphanda and will no doubt resign his other many directorships.

The second important development arising out of the composition of the newly- elected Parliament and Cabinet is a strengthening of the middle ground of South African politics. As Anthony Sampson reminds us in his excellent memoir The Anatomist, the success of democracy depends very largely on the predominance of the middle ground and the consensus based on it: "In Britain both main parties roughly adhered to the post-war settlement, which included maintaining full employment, and allowing a mixed economy of private and public industries, accepting trade unions and maintaining high taxes to finance public services. They took similar attitudes to most British institutions, from nationalised industries to the army and the monarchy." The criticism so many people directed at Maggie Thatcher was that, as a self-declared “conviction" politician, she destroyed this consensus.

South Africa's successful transition from a minority race-dominated state to full democracy was possible because FW De Klerk and Nelson Mandela maintained the centre, the middle ground. Between them, and between the ANC and the National Party, they marginalised those on the left and on the right and held the centre. The middle ground disappeared after 1994, with the ANC’s total domination of Parliament, policy-making and almost all institutions of government. With the recent election, the establishment of COPE and its emergence as a major opposition in 4 provinces, and an impressive performance by the Democratic Alliance in winning the Western Cape and setting itself up as the official opposition in 3 provinces, coupled - and this is very important - with Jacob Zuma's commitment to a consensual style of leadership, we can begin to explore as South Africans a middle ground of shared beliefs and values.

Dr Denis Worrall
Email: kamreyac@omegainvest.co.za for all enquiries

Copyright 2008. Omega Investment Research. All Rights Reserved
www.omegainvest.co.za


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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

African Partnership for Economic Growth Caucus

On the eve of the bi-annual meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Bi-Annual General Assembly in Washington, D.C., U. S. Rep. Bobby L. Rush (IL-01) hosted two, high profile meetings of foreign dignitaries, trade representatives and top U.S. elected and appointed officials to mark the launch of the African Partnership for Economic Growth Caucus (APEGc), a group that Rush spearheaded in forming in partnership with U. S. Rep. Donald Payne (NJ-10).

The day began with Rush providing welcoming remarks at a morning gathering that featured a sterling array of African and American diplomats and business leaders, including His Excellency Namadi Sambo, Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Rush, who chairs the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, began his remarks with these words, "I am very passionate about seizing this unique moment in history to do all we can to link the economic interests of the United States and Africa. I take seriously the 'trade' mandate of the subcommittee I chair and I want to bring that work into focus in a way that makes a difference in the lives of the people of the United States and, especially, on behalf of the people I serve in my Chicago district," said Rush.

The morning event, hosted by a coalition of national trade organizations convened by Ufo Eric-Atuanya of Rimsom Associates, marked the beginning of a working group on African trade. Their goal, in part, is to ensure that leaders and entrepreneurs from the continent of Africa have their voices heard on a variety of economic policy issues as part of the unfolding trade and economic policy agenda between the United States and Africa.

Later that evening, in a capacity crowd in the U. S. Capitol Visitor Center attended by U. S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, Rush was the featured speaker at a reception hosted by the Business Council for International Understanding, a leading international trade association committed to fostering and strengthening ties between U. S. business and international markets. In brief, but lively remarks, Rush said this, "Through the course of last year's presidential campaign, a clarion cry went forth that said, 'yes we can.' I stand before you this evening determined to take that statement to the next level by saying, 'now we must!'

"I've got enormous jurisdiction on international trade but it's never really been utilized. Rather than being a back bencher, with vim and vigor I have decided to develop an international trade initiative. It's not our intention to try to initiate bilateral or multi-lateral agreements. That falls under the jurisdiction of the Ways and Means Committee.

"But we can be involved in international trade promotion. I really believe that if, in fact, we can develop a common agenda with respect to U. S. trade with Africa, then it can be mutually beneficial. My district is one of the poorest in the nation. If I'm going to deliver effectively on job creation, then I've got to look beyond the borders of the United States. I want the citizens of my district to understand that they are, in fact, citizens of the world. That's what I want to promote.

"I am so pleased that all of you are here, this evening, taking the position that Africa has real specific issues that will not get discussed or moved to the front of the agenda unless we are part of the solution for that discussion. I believe that as Africa improves itself politically and economically, I believe that the littlest children can take their place as leaders of the entire world."

# # #

(WASHINGTON, Apr. 23, 2009) - Rush addresses a morning session on trade policy between the U. S. and Africa at a forum at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. Shown, here, left to right, is Rush trade counsel Angelle Kwemo; Claude Fontheim, Senior Advisor, Business Council for Global Development ; His Excellency Namadi Sambo Executive Governor, Kaduna State, Nigeria; Ufo Eric-Atuanya, Managing Partner, Rimson Associates and Dr. Willene Johnson, President, Komanza, Inc. and former U. S. Executive Director for the African Development Bank.


(WASHINGTON, Apr. 23, 2009) - Rush greets United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk at an evening reception at the U. S. Capitol Visitor Center that marked the launch of the African Partnership for Economic Empowerment Caucus (APEEC), a group launched by Rep. Rush and U. S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ).

At Capitol Hill reception with U. S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, Rush said "now is the time to develop a common agenda on U. S. trade with Africa."

WASHINGTON, Apr. 23, 2009) – After Rush spoke to invited guests at the evening reception in the Visitor Center, Peter Tichansky, President and CEO of the Business Council for International Understanding, the host of the evening event, invited him back to the podium where they engaged in dialogue about how to strengthen the economic ties between the United States and Africa.

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Wednesday, May 6, 2009

African response to the global economic crisis – fiscal policy.

Colin McCarthy, a Tralac Associate, comments on an African response to the global economic crisis – fiscal policy.

In an earlier Hot Seat Comment (This, too, will pass) the question was raised of what African countries and their policy makers could do while waiting for a revival of world-wide economic growth. It is increasingly becoming clear that the global economic recession will be with us for some time, with all the talk about observed green shoots being declines in rates of decline in production and unemployment growth.

How should African governments react to this situation? In this first Comment in a series that will address this question the focus falls on discretionary fiscal policy.

Any Economics 101 student can explain that if a deflationary gap develops in an economy the remedy advocated by John Maynard Keynes is to raise government expenditure. The current crisis has brought about a revival of Keynesian thought with the governments of the large industrialised economies reverting to serious fiscal intervention. How the impact of the dramatic growth in public debt will evolve in the longer run is a serious issue but for our purposes the immediate question is whether the typical African country can also resort to similar policies to boost ailing production and alleviate growing poverty. The simple answer is ‘no’, at least not in an unqualified way.

It is difficult to identify the ‘typical’ African country. All African economies can be classified as developing countries but within this broad category the degree of heterogeneity is remarkable. The first point to mention, therefore, is that designing an appropriate policy reaction should not be like buying socks, that is, ‘one size fits all’. The fiscal policy options available to, for example, Burundi will differ widely from those available to South Africa, and responsible fiscal policy should reflect these differences.

However, within the category of developing countries Sub-Saharan African economies dominate the group that the UN defines as least developed countries (LDCs). These economies have very circumscribed capacities to use discretionary fiscal policies. By and large their tax bases are very restricted with low contributions of personal and corporate income tax revenue. Furthermore, they usually have underdeveloped financial markets which cannot fund government deficit spending through purchases in the capital market of government bonds. Should these countries grow their deficits, these, in the absence of increased foreign aid, are likely to be monetized. This means that money is created by the central bank to fund government spending.

The outcome of reverting to the money printing press in funding government deficits is escalating inflation. Higher inflation is an insidious form of taxation and it is very likely that this transfer of resources from consumers to the state as an outcome of discretionary fiscal policy will not serve the welfare of society. For the poorest economies, therefore, an increase in government spending in response to recessionary conditions will require an increase in budget assistance through more aid. ‘Trade and not aid’ as slogan in the developed world will have to be replaced by ‘aid in the absence of trade’.

Shifting attention from the funding of increased government expenditure to the nature of this spending, the need in all African economies to carefully plan and commit spending becomes of paramount importance. At least three questions should be considered in designing spending programmes. The first is whether the increase in spending will reach and benefit those whose welfare positions have become most vulnerable because of the global recession and its domestic impact. The second is whether existing and best-managed programmes can be expanded, rather than reverting to new and untried ones. Doing this allows the utilisation of existing capacities and is less likely to waste scarce resources. A third question is whether the spending can expand the production capacity of the economy.

Aiming to increase the production capacity of the economy through an increase in government spending is very important because if productivity is not increased a return to normal economic conditions will require a scaling down of government expenditure. In all economies, but in poorer countries in particular, this creates immense social and political problems. Government spending tends to be very flexible when it comes to increases but is notoriously inflexible when it needs to be cut back.

http://www.tralac.org

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Friday, May 1, 2009

Obama Graded on African Policy Initiatives After 100 Days in Office

November 4th, 2009 marked a great milestone in American history and the history of people of African descent. For the first time in the history of mankind, a junior senator of African heritage got elected to the office of the President of the United States of America. It was a moment of jubilation and thrill…the euphoria was felt around the world. Millions wept out of happiness and for witnessing the unimagined prospect of an African-American president in a once the most racist nation on earth.

That great ecstasy was deeply felt in Africa more than any other place outside the United States. A young senator, whom many in Africa referred to as a native son, won the highest trophy ever imaginable. From the streets of Kogelo - Obama’s ancestral village, to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa and anywhere in between, the jubilation was rampant.

Just like the triumph, expectations for a favorable American policy towards Africa were high in the air. Even African dictators, ironically the very people who have denied freedom to Africans and condemned them to a miserable life by failing to tackle or exacerbating the issues of corruption, mismanagement, environmental degradation, mal-governance, abuse of power, conflict, poverty and what not, praised Obama’s historic victory one after another. The worst of African dictators jumped on the bandwagon glorifying and praising Obama’s victory as historic and momentous. Here are few such praises from African leaders[i];

Mr. Moi Kibaki, President of Kenya described Obama´s victory as a “momentous occasion for Kenya…it is our own victory because of his roots here in Kenya… as a country, we are full of pride for his success…your victory is not only an inspiration to millions of people all over the world, but it has special resonance with us here in Kenya.”

Nigerian President Oumaru Yar´Adua…”the election of Barack Obama … has finally broken the greatest barrier of prejudice in human history. I believe for us in Nigeria, we have a lesson to draw from this historic event…that the election of Obama had “created a totally and completely new era.”

Denis Sassou Nguesso described Obama´s victory as a “…moving historic moment…we see how visionaries like Martin Luther King saw coming events. His dream has come true.”

Chad’s National Assembly Leader; Nasser Guelindoksia agreed that Obama´s victory “…is an example to follow, especially by Africans as Americans show that democracy knows no color, religion or origin.”

Somalia’s former President of the Transitional Somali Government, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed defined Obama´s victory as “…a great moment for America and for Africa…I am hopeful that he (President Obama) will help end the major crisis in the world, particularly the endless conflict in my country.”

Sudanese President Omer Hassan Al-Beshir noted “…we would hope that the slogan of President Obama – change – would be reflected in the foreign policy of the United States…we would like to see some real change between Sudan and the United States.”

South African President Kgalema Motlanthe expressed “…your election…carries with it hopes for millions of your country men and women as much as it is for millions of people of … African descent.”

Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe wrote “…as the government and people of Zimbabwe join you in celebrating this event in the history of the U.S.A, I take this opportunity to assure you Mr. President-elect that the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe remains ready to engage your government in any desirable endeavor to improve our bilateral relations”.

During his rigorous campaign season, Obama vowed to change American policy towards Africa. Among other things, Obama called on “Ethiopia and Eritrea to walk back from the brink of war which seemed unavoidable at the time…called for an increased pressure on Robert Mugabe to follow through with power-sharing agreement…promised to end the genocide in Darfur…pledged to formulate a new approach to the deteriorating situation in Somalia…strengthen Africom to promote peace, security, and stability on the continent”[ii].

Obama raised the bar even higher in his inaugural speech when he declared “to those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist…to all those watching tonight (January 20, 2009) from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces …huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world - our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand…those who seek peace and security - we support you”[iii].

Today, after 100 full days in office, Obama got an A or B on most of the things he has accomplished so far and for keeping most of his campaign promises. In his own words Obama acknowledged that he is “pleased with what has been accomplished so far, but we have got a lot of work to do”. Most commentators/journalists based their grading on wide range of issues but notably on the economy, transition into power, hiring scrambles, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Environment, Women Rights, Healthcare, Transparency and Accountability, Bipartisanship, the Closure of Guantanamo Prison and etc.

I wanted to look at what Obama folks have accomplished the African policy conundrum in their first hundred days in office. Practically, nothing. I am not aware of any major campaigns by the African Diaspora or African interest groups with the exception of Save Darfur Coalition that had an agenda for the President in an effort to hit the ground running. Rather a whole host of expectations that the Obama people would be favorable in their approach towards African issues; Hunger, Poverty, HIV, corruption, democracy, regional Peace and Stability etc that are not addressed. There is no doubt that the financial meltdown and the many challenges Obama has inherited from his predecessor has overshadowed his African and other policy initiatives [IV]. But it seems to me that the no-drama Obama team could have done a lot better if they moved “swiftly and quickly” as they have promised us - the enthusiastic supporters.

The visit of Senator John Kerry to Sudan and U.S. Rep. Donald Payne - chairman of the Africa subcommittee on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, to Mogadishu and the dramatic saga of Somali Pirates were among the few major African news makers involving the current U.S Administration[v].

John Kerry’s visit to Khartoum pushed the Sudanese government to agree to allow some of the expelled humanitarian and aid agencies back to Darfur. The piracy incident was hailed by many as Obama’s first national security test that he proficiently passed. There were also reports that the Obama administration is rethinking its Somalia strategy and Defense Secretary Robert Gates went as far as stating “…the ultimate solution for piracy is on land… there is no purely military solution to it…” and the instability and lawlessness in Somalia is key to the problem.

Whereas the insurgents fired mortar at Representative Payne’s plane, there was little coverage of the purpose and result of the visit. But the congressman stated that “…the policy of constructive engagement [is] where you deal with the government, and let them deal with their internal problem” is essential to curbing piracy off the Somali coast. He added “…the Somali government doesn’t want Americans to come run any nation-building programs…they want technical assistance…they need financial support, and they’ll take care of it for themselves”[vi].

Very few journalists/pundits considered African Policy in their grade report/card. Bruce A. Dixon for the Black Agenda Report, one of the few people I have seen grading the President on African policy, gave him one out of five [vii]. I do not know if there are major initiatives in the works for Obama’s African policy. I sincerely hope so. But based on the selection of Ambassador Jonny Carson, a career diplomat noted for a track record of working in Africa, as Assistant Secretary State for African Affairs, I give the President a passing grade with an optimism that the administration will soon move “swiftly” to act on some of the pressing African issues and fulfill Obama’s campaign promises. It should also be noted here that Obama has followed through with his campaign promise to double overseas USAID which will be valuable in achieving the so called “Millennium Development Goals”. Of course only if African leaders can use it for intended, and most of the time unintended, purposes [viii].

American foreign policy on Africa usually focused disproportionately on short-term stability by embracing dictators. The Bush administration went even farther by subordinating the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law to terrorism concerns, a practice very much reminiscent of cold-war tactics, and thereby alienated the vast majority of freedom seeking Africans. In a recent article Jason McLure of the Newsweek detailed how cunning and enterprising African leaders like Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia used US concerns about terrorism not only to silence his domestic political opposition but also wage a costly war on another already battered and failed African state, Somalia, with huge humanitarian, financial and political cost. After 100 days in office Obama did not even indicate if he would make a departure from this approach that failed both Africans and Americans or continue with it with a slight twist by default.

In short, it remains to be seen if the Obama Administration’s policies will match the rhetoric, the great expectations and the universal goodwill that the President enjoys! Africans of all walks of life are looking up to him to deliver them from repression, war, poverty and HIV/Aids.

Ultimately it is up to Africans not Obama, to fix Africa’s mess. But a just, foresighted and generous hand of a powerful President of the powerful won’t hurt.

By Oromsis Adula, The Horn of Africa


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