This July, President Bush did something that almost no American president has done in the last hundred years--he embarked on a 5-day tour of Africa and reviewed the continent's needs and global context. President Bush, the first republican president ever to visit Africa during his term as president, assessed Africa's urgent need for assistance in fighting AIDS, he examined the economic short-comings within the context of global markets, and he confronted the issue of conflict resolution in some of Africa's most troubled regions.

In the wake of September 11, the United States' foreign policy has taken a new shape--no longer can the world's economic and political superpower simply look past the turmoil in the world's nether regions. The Western World's past history of slave-trading, colonialism, and cold-war rivalries have contributed greatly to the continent's current problems.

Africa has taken on a newfound importance for President Bush. Although quoted in his presidential campaign for saying he didn't plan on devoting much attention to the region in his presidential term, the times have changed. The Bush administration realizes that in considering the general welfare of the world, Africa as a political and economic issue has to be dealt with for practical and moral reasons.

Bush started his tour in Senegal with his wife, daughter, National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice, and Secretary of State Colin Powell among others. In Senegal, the President visited Gorée Island, the western-most point of Africa from which millions of Africans were ripped from their homes hundreds of years ago and exported around the world in the slave trade. Bush visited the island with President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal, holding his hand and delivering the passionate words, "At this place, liberty and life were stolen and sold," the President said. "One of the largest migrations of history was also one of the greatest crimes of the century." The President's visit to the island marked a "passionate interest of the United States for building a strong relationship between Africa and America" as stated by the President himself. His speech at the Leon HR Sullivan Summit in Nigeria four days later reinforced his faith in this notion, "Americans believe that people in every culture and in every land have the right to live in freedom and deserve the chance to improve their lives. And we know that the people of Africa, when given their rights and given their chance, will achieve great things on this continent of possibilities."

Moving along on his tour, the next stop after Senegal visited by the President was South Africa. He was received with mixed feelings by the South African people as Nelson Mandela, the country's first president in the new South Africa, has gone on the record denouncing President Bush's actions in Iraq. Some of the issues Bush confronted were South Africa's role in conflict resolution throughout the continent, the Zimbabwean crisis, the fight against HIV/AIDS, the New Partnership for Africa's Development and the strengthening of trade relations between the two countries. As the Bush administration is leading a new crusade against dictatorial regimes, the President's stance on President Mugabe of Zimbabwe was that the president must be removed--an issue not openly discussed as Mbecki once shared ties with the leader in past struggles against white-minority regimes in southern Africa. Both Bush and Mbeki were careful not to step on each other's toes; Bush softened his hardliner-stance on Zimbabwe and Mbeki didn't address Bush's decision to declare war on Iraq. As far as the President's consideration of economic issues was concerned, he did not make any promises of reducing agricultural subsidies in the US.

Next on the tour came Botswana. The country was included in the President's tour for its model of democracy and substantial economic growth. Bush assessed the country's economic situation, commended its considerable growth and pledged to help the rest of the continent. Later, during the Leon HR Sullivan Summit, Bush addressed the issue of African businessmen lacking access to capital markets and offered his assistance, "[…] I've asked Secretary of the Treasury John Snow to work with experts in America and Africa, and with financial institutions like Fannie Mae and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, to help strengthen and broaden capital markets on this continent. With the ability to borrow money to buy homes and start businesses, more Africans will have the tools to achieve their dreams."

The president also stressed the need for trade between Africa and America and assured the African people that he would push congress to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), "My travels this week underscore the critical importance of trade to the economic future of Africa. Open trade has proven its ability to increase the standards of living and to create new jobs, and to encourage the habits of freedom and enterprise." In the same speech, the President made reference to a more global role of interdependence for Africa. Bush alluded to supporting new economic ties between the US and Africa, "In Botswana, I visited one of our new hubs for global competitiveness that is helping African businesses sell their products into the United States and on global markets. I have seen, and I know you have seen, how the African Growth and Opportunity Act, AGOA, is bringing jobs and investment and opportunity to sub-Sahara Africa. And to help give businesses the confidence to make long-term investments in Africa, Congress must extend AGOA beyond 2008."

According to Botswanan press, Bush did not go far enough to assure African leaders that his government was committed to the phasing out of subsidies to American farmers, which is hurting the agricultural industry on this continent. Bush was also criticized for neglecting to confront the issue of the European Union's ban on genetically engineered agricultural imports from Africa. Bush mentioned at his press conference in Botswana that agricultural subsidies in the western world was only part of the problem, that technology and global cooperative aid were also crucial in helping Africa's agricultural products become integrated into the global market. Bush stated, "[One of the problems] is the lack of technological development in agriculture. And we talked about the need for genetically-modified crops throughout the continent of Africa. I told [other African leaders] the reality of the situation, that we have proposed a very strong reduction in agricultural subsidies. However, in order to make that come to be, there needs to be reciprocation from Europe and Japan in order to make the policy effective. We're committed to a world that trades in freedom and we will work toward that through the Doha Round of the World Trade Organization."

The following day, Bush's tour reached Uganda, picked for its outstanding results in combating the AIDS pandemic. Having promised 15 billion dollars in aid for combating AIDS pandemic the next fifteen years, Bush had some strong words to match his bold actions. In a speech made by the President at the AIDS Support Organization Centre in Entebbe, Uganda, Bush declared, "Life by life, village by village, Uganda is showing that AIDS can be defeated across Africa." The President went on to say, "The resources our country provides will help to hire and train childcare workers, to look after orphans, and to provide care at home to many AIDS patients. In other words, we want to join you in the war against the pandemic of AIDS. We want to be on your side in a big way." As mentioned before arriving in Africa, the president reinforced his promises to help Africa's struggles with AIDS, "Over the next five years, my country will spend $15 billion on the fight -- (applause) -- to fight AIDS around the world, with special focus here on the continent of Africa."

During Bush's visit, Ugandan President Museveni thanked the US president for choosing Uganda for his tour and also for extending the AGOA. Bush commended President Museveni for his continual role in promoting free trade, his role in the resolving of conflicts in East Africa, and his extraordinary results in fighting AIDS. He also assured the president of his pledged support in the future. Nonetheless, Bush's emphasis on a plan of fighting AIDS that would focus on promoting abstinence, faithfulness, and condoms was criticized and written off as too formulaic of an approach for the complex issue as it lacks consideration for the structure of African AIDS programs and sociopolitical conditions. As expressed by Kintu Nyago of the Ugandan newspaper, The Monitor, "Such conditionality [condoms, faithfulness, and abstinence] reminds one of the IMF and World Bank Structural Adjustment Programs conditions for aid, which prescribe similar medicine to all of Africa's economic woes." Nyago believes, "If Bush's $15 billion is to have a meaningful impact, there is need for anti HIV-Aids programs to be owned by the countries concerned. The programs should not be entirely donor-driven. Apart from the vision and political will of the top leadership, the effort to combat AIDS in Uganda would possibly not have succeeded had it not been for the democratic reforms that characterized the post 1986 period."

Concluding his tour of Africa at the Leon HR Sullivan Summit on the twelfth of July in Nigeria, President Bush, the second standing American president to go to Nigeria in the last three years, visited the National Hospital, Abuja at 9:00 in the morning, later proceeding to the Presidential Villa at 10.25 for a formal welcome ceremony which was broadcasted live by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). After the ceremony, President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Bush held bilateral talks. Before departing for Washington DC, President Bush attended the Leon HR Sullivan Summit where he summarized his five-day tour.

As much as Bush's assistance package was heralded by African leaders across the continent, it also received some criticism for being insufficient. According to the Nigeria Daily Times, Kazeem Ugbodaga quoted Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu for stating, "I am happy that the United States under President Bush realizes that the depth of the poverty crisis in Africa is such that, if not decisively tackled, will constitute a serious threat to world peace and stability."

According to Tinubu, apart from Bush's financial assistance in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa, there is a need for the creation of a type of Marshal Plan for Africa as was done for Europe after the second World War. Tinubu added, "With Nigeria's population of 120 million, for example, we may receive just 15 to 20 per cent of the promised HIV/AIDS fund and this will make only minimal impact. This is why I advocate a Marshal Plan-type for Africa funded by the wealthy nations not just America alone bearing the burden", he added.

-Patrick Rolandelli