By Jeremy Pelofsky, Feb. 16, 2008
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush said on Friday the possible shift of the U.S. military command for Africa to the continent from its current home in Germany will be on the agenda as he meets with leaders of five African countries.
Bush on Friday departed for a six-day trip to Africa to highlight one of the few bright spots in his foreign policy agenda, assistance to HIV/AIDS victims and helping budding businesses. He will visit Tanzania, Ghana, Benin, Liberia and Rwanda.
But the conflicts in Darfur and Kenya will also be on the agenda, as well as lobbying from African leaders on where to locate the new Africa Command headquarters, known as Africom, whose primary mission will be to work with African militaries.
"If there is going to be a physical presence on the continent of Africa in the forms of a headquarters ... obviously we would seriously consider Liberia," Bush said in an interview with foreign media on Thursday and released on Friday.
In the interview, Bush said there was a path forward in Kenya, which has been wracked with violence after a disputed election.
"There is a way forward, which is for the parties to come together in good faith, and work out a way forward until there are new elections," he said.
Bush has asked Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to go to Kenya with a message that there must be a full return to democracy and she will be in Nairobi on Monday.
The U.S. attention to Africa has been growing over the last few years amid concerns that countries there could become safe havens for militants seeking to base operations and plan attacks on the United States.
"Africom is a brand new concept aimed at strengthening nations' capacities to deal with trafficking or terror, but also to help nations develop forces capable of doing the peacekeeping that unfortunately too often is needed on the continent," Bush said.
The U.S. has some 1,700 troops in Djibouti. While Liberia has offered to host Africom, regional powers like South Africa and Nigeria have been wary.
The U.S. military divides the world into regional commands. Previously, responsibility for Africa was split between European Command, Pacific Command and Central Command, which is the headquarters for the Middle East.
A year ago Bush announced the creation of Africom and has been headquartered for the time being in Stuttgart, Germany.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday urged Bush to speak with African leaders about helping people over poverty as well as the lack of basic sanitation of educational opportunities.
"Your visit to African states at this time will be very important and historic," Ban told reporters after meeting with Bush at the White House. "In that regard, I wish you all the best. This is very great opportunities."
It is the second trip to Africa for Bush, and the fifth for his wife, Laura. (Additional reporting by David Alexander, Editing by Jackie Frank)
Showing posts with label Tanzania. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tanzania. Show all posts
Bush Africa visit met by protest & viewed with distrust
Bush Africa visit seen more about strategy than compassion
By Barry Moody, Reuters, Feb. 15, 2008
DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - President George W. Bush's coming African tour will emphasize the caring side of U.S. policy but it is widely seen as being more about military interests, oil supplies and combating Chinese influence.
Bush is scheduled to start a tour of five nations with a brief stop in Benin on Saturday, although he has threatened to delay the trip because of a legislative battle with Congress.
The five countries -- Tanzania, Ghana, Liberia and Rwanda, as well as Benin -- have been chosen for what are viewed as strong democratic credentials and successful U.S. aid projects.
The centerpiece and longest stop of the tour will be Tanzania, whose leader, President Jakaya Kikwete, is seen by Washington as a poster boy for progressive African government.
Bush, accompanied by his wife Laura, will visit hospitals, schools, AIDS and malaria projects. In Tanzania he will sign the biggest ever grant, of $698 million, under his Millennium Challenge Corp, to fund water, energy and infrastructure.
The MCC is intended to reward good governance and sound economic policies.
Kikwete named a new cabinet this week after the previous prime minister resigned over a corruption probe but Washington sees this as confirmation of the president's anti-graft credentials rather than an embarrassment.
Bush's attempt to anoint some of his more successful policies in Africa in the dying months of his presidency risks being derailed by cynicism over U.S. motives and the same issues, led by Iraq, that have made him unpopular elsewhere.
About 2,000 Muslims marched peacefully through Dar es Salaam on Friday to protest against Bush and his war on terror.
One of the march organizers, Sheikh Mussa Kundecha, told Reuters: "Bush will be here for his own benefit instead of caring about the people of the country."
Student Emmanuel Dickson said earlier: "America and Bush have one policy, to look after their own interests. If he is going to give us money for infrastructure and health ... what does he want in return? He wants to bring forces to Africa and he wants to stop the Chinese from getting a greater hold."
Beijing is now Africa's third biggest trading partner, behind the European Union and the United States, after a huge 30 percent jump in the first 10 months of 2007.
AFRICOM
Analysts say confused U.S. policy on Africa and bad handling of its new Africa command (Africom), particularly premature discussion of basing it on the continent, have alienated regional powers like South Africa and made Washington unpopular.
Bush approved Africom, a new command for Africa to offer both training to African armies and humanitarian work, a year ago. But African opposition has forced it for the moment to shelve plans to base the headquarters on the continent.
Africom has added to Africa's unhappiness over other elements of Bush's post 9/11 campaign against Islamist militants.
U.S. backing for the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia a year ago to prop up a weak transitional government against Islamist insurgents and the subsequent "rendition" of Muslim suspects, including Kenyan nationals, to Ethiopia has caused widespread anger.
Patrick Smith of the Africa Confidential newsletter said U.S. policy "appears to be at sea ... what is the foundation of the policy? Is it a security nexus based on militarization or is it a much more development-oriented policy?"
"There is a sense that Africa has got the fag end of the war on terror and that it has been very badly handled and if anything has diminished the U.S.'s standing in the region with no great benefit in terms of military effect."
There is also a widely held belief around the continent that Bush is trying to counteract growing Asian, especially Chinese, influence and investment and that Washington is only really interested in oil resources in the Gulf of Guinea -- expected to provide 25 percent of its needs by 2015.
"What is on top of Bush's mind is the Chinese. China is worrying to the U.S. It is not only taking markets and alternative trade partnerships ...African countries will no longer need American aid to survive," said Ugandan student Joseph Mwaka.
Houcine Akkari, a retired man in Tunis told Reuters: "The U.S. says it wants to help Africa to boost democracy, reduce poverty and improve governance. But the truth is so different. Bush wants to exploit Africa which is rich in natural resources, without giving anything to Africa." (Additional reporting by Wangui Kanina, Francis Kwera in Kampala, and Sonia Ounissi in Tunis)
By Barry Moody, Reuters, Feb. 15, 2008
DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - President George W. Bush's coming African tour will emphasize the caring side of U.S. policy but it is widely seen as being more about military interests, oil supplies and combating Chinese influence.
Bush is scheduled to start a tour of five nations with a brief stop in Benin on Saturday, although he has threatened to delay the trip because of a legislative battle with Congress.
The five countries -- Tanzania, Ghana, Liberia and Rwanda, as well as Benin -- have been chosen for what are viewed as strong democratic credentials and successful U.S. aid projects.
The centerpiece and longest stop of the tour will be Tanzania, whose leader, President Jakaya Kikwete, is seen by Washington as a poster boy for progressive African government.
Bush, accompanied by his wife Laura, will visit hospitals, schools, AIDS and malaria projects. In Tanzania he will sign the biggest ever grant, of $698 million, under his Millennium Challenge Corp, to fund water, energy and infrastructure.
The MCC is intended to reward good governance and sound economic policies.
Kikwete named a new cabinet this week after the previous prime minister resigned over a corruption probe but Washington sees this as confirmation of the president's anti-graft credentials rather than an embarrassment.
Bush's attempt to anoint some of his more successful policies in Africa in the dying months of his presidency risks being derailed by cynicism over U.S. motives and the same issues, led by Iraq, that have made him unpopular elsewhere.
About 2,000 Muslims marched peacefully through Dar es Salaam on Friday to protest against Bush and his war on terror.
One of the march organizers, Sheikh Mussa Kundecha, told Reuters: "Bush will be here for his own benefit instead of caring about the people of the country."
Student Emmanuel Dickson said earlier: "America and Bush have one policy, to look after their own interests. If he is going to give us money for infrastructure and health ... what does he want in return? He wants to bring forces to Africa and he wants to stop the Chinese from getting a greater hold."
Beijing is now Africa's third biggest trading partner, behind the European Union and the United States, after a huge 30 percent jump in the first 10 months of 2007.
AFRICOM
Analysts say confused U.S. policy on Africa and bad handling of its new Africa command (Africom), particularly premature discussion of basing it on the continent, have alienated regional powers like South Africa and made Washington unpopular.
Bush approved Africom, a new command for Africa to offer both training to African armies and humanitarian work, a year ago. But African opposition has forced it for the moment to shelve plans to base the headquarters on the continent.
Africom has added to Africa's unhappiness over other elements of Bush's post 9/11 campaign against Islamist militants.
U.S. backing for the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia a year ago to prop up a weak transitional government against Islamist insurgents and the subsequent "rendition" of Muslim suspects, including Kenyan nationals, to Ethiopia has caused widespread anger.
Patrick Smith of the Africa Confidential newsletter said U.S. policy "appears to be at sea ... what is the foundation of the policy? Is it a security nexus based on militarization or is it a much more development-oriented policy?"
"There is a sense that Africa has got the fag end of the war on terror and that it has been very badly handled and if anything has diminished the U.S.'s standing in the region with no great benefit in terms of military effect."
There is also a widely held belief around the continent that Bush is trying to counteract growing Asian, especially Chinese, influence and investment and that Washington is only really interested in oil resources in the Gulf of Guinea -- expected to provide 25 percent of its needs by 2015.
"What is on top of Bush's mind is the Chinese. China is worrying to the U.S. It is not only taking markets and alternative trade partnerships ...African countries will no longer need American aid to survive," said Ugandan student Joseph Mwaka.
Houcine Akkari, a retired man in Tunis told Reuters: "The U.S. says it wants to help Africa to boost democracy, reduce poverty and improve governance. But the truth is so different. Bush wants to exploit Africa which is rich in natural resources, without giving anything to Africa." (Additional reporting by Wangui Kanina, Francis Kwera in Kampala, and Sonia Ounissi in Tunis)
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