President Bush is expected to depart today for a visit to five African countries that have clearly shown that when given an opportunity and resources, Africans can succeed in their fight against poverty, diseases and corruption.
This trip is billed as a chance for the president to affirm his administration's commitment to supporting human development and security on a continent that has been ravaged by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, failed democracies and poor human rights records.
Mr. Bush is planning to visit Rwanda, Benin, Ghana, Liberia and Tanzania. These are all stable democracies with elected governments and open markets. The economies of these countries have been growing at an average of 7% yearly.
During his trip, the second by a sitting U.S. president to Africa, President Bush is expected to highlight his call for the doubling aid to Africa to fight HIV/AIDS and Malaria. In Tanzania alone, the president is expected to sign a $ 698-million-dollar grant as part of his Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) aid program. While in Rwanda, the president is expected to sign a bilateral trade accord, the first one between an African country and the U.S in over a decade.
While President Bush record on domestic programs has been mixed, I personally believe his strongest legacy will be on what his administration has accomplished in fighting disease and poverty in Africa. It is difficult to deny that under his administration, millions of lives have been saved by the Presidents Emergency Plan on AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Because of PEPFAR, 1.3 million people in Africa are receiving life saving drugs, compare to 50,000 in 2003.
Millions more have benefited as a results of compacts signed between the U.S. and several African countries under the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) as well as the reauthorization of the enhanced African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). His initiatives on education and malaria prevention are already benefiting millions of children in sub-Saharan Africa.
While the economies of most of African countries have been growing rapidly over the past few years, and most countries have held open and free elections, the western media has continue to cover Africa in a negative light. It is my hope that the media coverage of the president’s trip to Africa will highlight the success stories coming out of Africa today while presenting on-going challenges in a fair manner.
Africa has a long way to go in its fight to end poverty and diseases. A new crop of African leaders are rising up to the challenge and all are committed to see that their countries reach the MDG’s. President Bush trip should highlight the challenges these leaders face and he should offer concrete steps on how his administration in working in a partnership with these leaders are planning to resolve these challenges.
President Bush's historic trip to Africa will further strengthen the ties between the people of the U.S. and the people of Africa. I hope this trip will not be a photo opportunity alone, but the beginning of a development of a real partnership between the U.S. and Africa on issues such as global warming, HIV/AIDS and malaria, issues that have an impact on the future of Africa and the U.S.
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