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Throughout his seven years in office, President Clinton has made ending
conflict and cultivating democracy in Africa a central focus of his
foreign policy, particularly during his historic trip to the continent.
He has strongly supported the growing trend towards democracy in Africa,
working directly with African institutions to resolve Africa's conflicts
and consolidate its peaceful transitions. Promoting democracy and
stability in Africa means building the capacity of the institutions
needed to promote justice, foster internal trade, enhance regional
cooperation, and consolidate peace efforts.
RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT - Promoting Peace and Democracy
Making and Keeping Peace
On his trip to Africa in March of 1998 - President Clinton visited
Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Botswana and Senegal. In Uganda,
he co-convened a Heads of State Summit with Ugandan President Museveni,
where he announced the formation of an International Coalition Against
Genocide, and the Great Lakes Justice Initiative, which supports efforts
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi to build
the institutions needed to end to the culture of impunity.
Provided over $100 million to assist the Economic Community of West
African States peacekeeping operation, also known as ECOMOG, in leading
peacekeeping and humanitarian relief efforts in Liberia and Sierra
Leone.
Launched the Africa Crisis Response Initiative, which has trained
over 4200 peacekeepers from six African countries, to respond quickly
and effectively to humanitarian and peacekeeping challenges.
Supported mediation efforts led by former Tanzanian President Julius
Nyerere and then by former South African President Nelson Mandela.
President Clinton will join President Mandela through a live
video-conference for President Mandela's February 22, 2000 mediation
session with the Burundi parties.
Worked directly with African regional institutions to promote a peace
agreement for Sierra Leone, signed in Lome, Togo in July 1999, and to
secure a cease-fire agreement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in
July and August 1999.
Building Democracy
Provided more than $120 million per year to democracy programs to
build grassroots, civil institutions and government capacity for
democracy, human rights, good governance and conflict resolution across
the continent. Also contribute development assistance aimed at
increasing production and improving health care and education.
Created the Education for Development and Democracy Initiative, which
furthers Africa's integration into the global community and improves the
quality of education by: updating available technology; supporting
girls' and women's education; and linking African private and public
schools as well as African and American educational institutions.
Supported democratic elections across Africa, and provided assistance
to development of the judiciary, legal systems, media and civil society
organizations in over 20 countries.
The President's sustained commitment to economic engagement with Africa
has opened economies on both sides of the Atlantic to private sector
trade and investment, offering opportunities to Americans and increasing
Africa's potential to alleviate poverty and to increase prosperity. The
United States is systematically developing closer trade and investment
relations with Africa by negotiating bilateral trade agreements,
offering trade incentives for reform, tackling Africa's debt burden, and
also forging agreements with our allies to forgive or reduce additional
debts.
RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT - Helping to Strengthen Africa Through Health
Care Initiatives and Increased Economic Engagement
Forgave bilateral debt of $500 million from African nations, freeing
governments to invest those resources in health, education and other
development priorities. The U.S. also forged an agreement among G-8
industrialized countries to provide additional debt relief by expanding
HIPC, the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative.
Implemented a new, comprehensive trade policy aimed at developing a
partnership with Africa that will foster economic growth and development
and facilitate Africa's integration into the global economy. The
legislative cornerstone of this policy is the Africa Growth and
Opportunity Act (AGOA), which was passed by the U.S. House of
Representatives in July of 1999 and by the U.S. Senate in November of
1999. The Administration is seeking final passage in early 2000.
Launched the LIFE initiative (Leadership and Investment in Fighting
and Epidemic), an enhanced global AIDS effort, in 1999. Of the $225
million in our FY2000 budget for global AIDS prevention and care, two
thirds will go to Africa.
Committed the USG to a concerted effort to accelerate the development
and delivery of vaccines for malaria, TB, AIDS and other diseases
disproportionately affecting the developing world (through the
multi-faceted Millennium Initiative announced in the State of the Union,
January 27, 2000).
Announced a new cooperative effort to help poor countries gain access
to affordable medicines (WTO meeting, Seattle, December 1, 1999). This
approach will ensure that the application of US trade law related to
intellectual property remain sufficiently flexible to respond to
legitimate public health crises.
Under the President's leadership, cabinet-level engagement with
Africa has been unprecedented, with most members of the cabinet visiting
Africa at least once, and new initiatives for Africa developed by the
Departments of State, Commerce, Transportation, Agriculture, Defense,
Justice, and Treasury, and also by the Agency for International
Development (USAID), the Export-Import Bank, the Trade Development
Agency, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and the U.S.
Trade Representative.
Demonstrating the importance of a strong U.S.-Africa partnership, in
March of 1999 the United States hosted the U.S.-Africa Ministerial, the
largest meeting ever held between African Ministers and American Cabinet
members, which resulted in a blueprint for expanded economic engagement
in the next century.
Appointed Rosa Whitaker as the first-ever Assistant U.S. Trade
Representative (USTR) for Africa, with broad responsibilities for
coordinating our trade policy. USTR has signed bilateral investment
treaties, and trade and investment framework agreements, with several
African countries.
The Ex-Im Bank, OPIC and TDA have all expanding programming in Africa.
Open in only 13 countries at the time of the President's trip to Africa
in 1998, the Ex-Im Bank now has programs in 32 African countries, and is
supporting $600 million in exports to sub-Saharan Africa.