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US 'cares'
06/07/2003 21:33 - (SA)
Washington - President George W Bush leaves on Monday for a five nation tour of Africa seeking to prove that America cares about the continent's misery, but also to bolster his war on terrorism.
He has announced a $15bn anti-Aids plan and has offered millions in anti-terror aid. The United States is also pressing Liberia's President Charles Taylor to stand down so it can send troops in a peacekeeping force to the West African state.
But Bush still faces many sceptics about the reasons of his visit to Senegal, where he arrives on Tuesday, South Africa, Botswana, Uganda, and Nigeria.
"Misinformation," Bush declared when asked by CNN television why the US administration had only just become interested in Africa.
"From the very beginning of my administration I have been very much involved with African affairs," insisted the president, who laid out how he has sought to change "fundamental" policies in Africa through the allocation of US aid.
"I thought it was important to go before my first term was over to show the importance of Africa to my administration's foreign policy."
The US president said his proposed Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) will have an "incredibly positive" impact on the lives of Africans. He also highlighted his $15bn
programme to combat Aids, which is ravaging the continent.
Aid to poor countries in Africa and other regions is to be dramatically increased under Bush's MCA plan.
But Bush said "governments actually have to make decisions which will be positive on behalf of their people, such as educating their people, providing health care for their people, not to steal the money, not to focus on the elite but focus on the people themselves, create the conditions for market growth."
The US leader also wants help from Africa in the war against radical groups that he fears with attack US interests.
Bush last week promised a $100m anti-terror plan to Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania, designed to improve port security and border patrols.
And the New York Times reported on Saturday that the Pentagon hopes to persuade African allies to grant more access to US anti-terror troops.
Some groups have praised Bush's visit and his policies.
DATA, an Africa pressure group co-founded by U2 star Bono, says the Aids plan and the MCA could represent a revolution in aid to Africa.
"President Bush will see for himself in July what making or breaking these promises will mean to the lives of millions of Africans," the group says in a new report.
And the United States has had some success in increasing its influence in countries like Senegal which traditionally come into the French sphere of influence.
Five hundred people gathered in Johannesburg on Saturday to protest against Bush's upcoming visit. The Iraq war and other issues have raised public anger there.
And some critics counter the trip is merely an outing for the White House spin machine.
"President Bush is misleading a nation and a continent," said Salih Booker, Executive Director of the Africa Action pressure group.
"He is misleading the American people by claiming his administration is taking real steps to address Africa's most urgent challenges."
Even those on Bush's side accept sceptisism exists.
"Is this real or is this tourism?" said Chester Crocker, assistant secretary of state for Africa during the Reagan administration.
Crocker argued though that the presence of a US leader in Africa in itself sends a message that the United States does care - and also strengthened Bush's hand in getting Africa programs financed in Congress.
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