Article: Powell Pledges to "Enthusiastically Engage" Africa

25 May 2001

Article: Powell Pledges to "Enthusiastically Engage" Africa

U.S. and Africa are closely intertwined, he says

By Charles W. Corey
Washington File Staff Correspondent

Johannesburg, South Africa -- As America's 65th secretary of state and "her only African-American secretary of state so far," Colin Powell pledged to "enthusiastically engage with Africa on behalf of the American people."

In a major address at the University of Witwatersrand May 25, Powell told his audience: "America will hope with you. America will act alongside you. America will be with you every step of the way into the future."

The past, present, and future of the United States and Africa are closely intertwined, Powell said, and therefore Africa's viability and well-being are of great and lasting importance to the United States.

On the second country stop of a four-nation Africa tour that also includes Mali, Kenya, and Uganda, Powell told the assembled students, faculty, and dignitaries that "in today's world, America's prosperity and well-being are linked ever more closely to the growth of freedom, opportunity, and security everywhere in the world."

In that regard, he added, "I am here today to say on behalf of President Bush that Africa matters to America by history and by choice."

The United States is closely linked to Africa in a number of important ways, Powell noted. It is home to almost 35 million African-Americans and 30,000 African students, did almost $30,000 million in trade with Africa last year, currently ranks as the largest single market for Africa's goods and services, and is Africa's largest foreign investor.

Powell recalled the remarkable progress South Africa has made in the seven years since the historic inauguration of Nelson Mandela in 1994. Reflecting on that event, Powell said, "As an African-American I was proud. As a member of the human race I was inspired. As a student of world affairs I was thrilled by this act of national reconciliation.

"I waited out in front of the Union Buildings with so many thousands of others. I could hear the swelling noise below the hill as tens upon tens of thousands of people waited. Finally the moment came and the announcer said, 'Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the new president of the new South Africa -- Nelson Mandela.'

"As the cheers grew louder, I could see out of the corner of my eye Mr. Mandela approach the stage. I noticed suddenly that he was not coming up alone. In front of him were four white generals of the South African Defense Forces as his escort -- as his guard of honor -- swearing their allegiance to their new president. As a general and a soldier I saw that and truly knew that I was watching history being made. I knew that something remarkable was happening."

In the seven years since that historic date, remarkable things have happened in South Africa, Powell enthusiastically told his audience.

South Africa has emerged from decades of isolation and domestic turmoil, has enjoyed a peaceful transition of power from President Mandela to President Mbeki, has extended democracy to the grassroots level of its society through local elections, has opened new markets and embraced economic reforms.

Most importantly, he said, "you have shown the world that revolutionary change can be made without violence -- that great injustices can be redressed without revenge and that diversity does not have to be divisive."

Powell also praised the new South Africa for working as a regional power within Africa to help end conflicts in Burundi and across the continent. "You still have your problems, you still have your challenges, but you have accomplished so very, very much as a new nation. You have achieved all of this and more in seven short years."

Powell addressed a number of important issues, from trade, debt, and good governance to the HIV/AIDS pandemic that is gripping Africa and the world.

On trade, Powell observed that free trade is a powerful instrument of freedom and sustainable economic development. "This is not ideology talking," he said. "Facts speak for themselves, and they tell us that free trade means bread, bread for the neediest of our people."

For that reason, Powell pledged that the United States will continue to work to expand the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and to help remove barriers to economic growth and investment. Just last week, he reminded his audience, President Bush announced plans to host a sub-Saharan African trade and economic forum in Washington.

Powell also praised the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for its efforts to promote economic integration and free trade throughout the region.

Looking ahead, Powell said, "I can envision that some day this continent will reach the stage where free trade will link all of the nations of Africa."

Powell cautioned, however, that "all over the world, experience has shown that trade and private investment have to go hand in hand with openness within a country." These together, he said, lead to growth and development.

In short, he said, "money, simply stated, is a coward. ... Money loves security. Money loves transparency" and will go to the countries who practice sound fiscal policies.

On debt, Powell said the United States is leading international efforts to reduce the debts of the world's most heavily indebted poor countries so those funds can be dedicated to improving the lives of their people under sensible government policies.

"Fortunately, Africa's most far-sighted leaders have come to realize that ... sustainable development is closely linked to wise economic policy and democratic, accountable government," he said. "If you take a good look around, the successful countries are those where militaries understand their subordinate role under civilians in a democratic society."

The true test of a democracy, he said, is when leaders step down peacefully when they are voted out of office or their terms expire.

There are some leaders, however, who seem reluctant to submit to the will of the people, he said, citing Zimbabwe.

After more than 20 years in office, Powell said, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe seems determined to remain in power. "The people of Zimbabwe should be given the chance to choose their leader in a free and fair election and they should be given one so that they can make their choice as to how they will be governed in the future," he said.

Powell stressed the importance of working for peace and freedom throughout the continent and pledged America's continued support in the effort to end poverty, inequality, intolerance, weak civil societies, bad governments, and illicit trade that fuels conflicts such as the one now going on in Sierra Leone over what are called conflict diamonds.

"Nations making progress towards freedom will find that America is their friend," Powell said.

On the present conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Powell said he is "cautiously optimistic" about the efforts to implement the Lusaka Agreement.

It is important that progress be achieved on three key fronts, he added:

-- disengagement of forces;

-- national dialogue; and

-- demobilization and disarmament of negative forces operating in the DRC.

The United States, he added, will not support any outcome that does not preserve the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Congo. "Partitioning will not bring lasting peace and we will not support it," Powell said.

On Sudan, the secretary of state said President Bush and the American people are "deeply concerned" about the situation there -- what he called Africa's longest-running civil war.

Powell said that Andrew Natsios, the new administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has been named special humanitarian coordinator for Sudan and that the Bush administration is now "planning to appoint a special envoy to work on the peace process and reconciliation within the Sudan."

Powell also pledged continued strong U.S. support in helping to stem the HIV/AIDS pandemic, noting that the United States is the largest single donor of funds in the fight against HIV/AIDS and other complicating diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis.

To illustrate his point, Powell cited President Bush's May 11 announcement of an additional U.S. contribution of $200 million for a global trust fund to fight the AIDS pandemic.

In the case of Africa, Powell lamented that HIV/AIDS is decimating the very people who must be looked to to build a more prosperous economic future for the continent. The disease, he warned, now threatens to undo the progress that has already been made.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic, he added, is not just a health crisis across the continent, but is an economic, social, and democratic crisis as well. More than 25 million Africans are now infected with the deadly virus, more than 17 million Africans have died in the pandemic, and last year alone, he said, there were almost four million new cases and two and a half million deaths.

He warned however, that despite international efforts working to find a cure, the people of Africa are "key" to ending HIV/AIDS in Africa. In that regard, he focused on the students of the prestigious Witwatersrand University as Africa's next generation of leaders.

"Your parents' generation had their minds set on freedom, and thanks to them -- they followed the spirit of Martin Luther King and they followed the leadership of Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki -- ... your generation is free to be and free to do. Free to use your excellent education to seize excellent opportunities for yourselves, your country, and the people of this continent."

The Africa that everyone dreams about today, that is economically strong and war-free, he said, is "within your generation's reach," and he pledged America's commitment see that Africa reaches that goal.

In closing, Powell posed a question: "It is not whether such an Africa is possible, but instead, what will you do to make it happen? It is in your hands. God bless Africa. God bless America."

Powell will travel to Kenya and Uganda before returning to Washington via Europe.