Obama's Africa Trip: A Renewed Commitment to US-African Relations
Posted by Sarah Goomar on Jul 02, 2013
President Obama speaks to young African leaders in South Africa
President Obama’s speech at the University of Cape Town on June 30 was
a highlight of his anticipated trip to Africa, demonstrating a renewed
commitment to US-African relations on the part of the administration.
His speech formed a narrative of progress and hope for the future,
acknowledging the strides that the countries of Senegal, South Africa,
and Tanzania have made in democratization, while also making a point
to ensure security in Central Africa. His mention of Sudan, South
Sudan, and the Congo demonstrate a commitment to addressing mass
atrocities in the region, while acknowledging the urgings of
democracy’s greatest asset—its people: "We can't force a solution on
to the region. The peoples of the region have to stand up and say that
enough, it’s time to move forward in a different way.”
President Obama’s trip to Africa, though highlighting and applauding
democratic nations and institutions, emphasized the attention that
must be paid to push for peace in the Sudans, Congo and areas where
the Lord’s Resistance Army operates. He stated,
“These efforts have to lead to lasting peace, not just words on a
paper or promises that fade away. Peace between and within Sudan and
South Sudan, so that these governments get on with the work of
investing in their deeply impoverished peoples. Peace in the Congo
with nations keeping their commitments, so rights are at last claimed
by the people of this war-torn country, and women and children no
longer live in fear.”
His acknowledgement of coalitions in the region that are working to
stabilize an increasingly volatile environment heed the work of
neighboring African countries seeking to bring peace and security to
the region.
His trip, premised on the growth of African trade, democracy building,
and youth participation has centered on the importance of grassroots
participation in African progress - from President Obama’s visit to a
South African community health center to a food security event in
Dakar, Senegal. However, his emphasis on the importance of transparent
institutions was a focal point of his speech.
While he applauded burgeoning democracies and rapidly growing
economies in Africa, he also recognized the fragility and unevenness
of this progress, and the dire security and human rights situations of
many African nations: “From Congo to Sudan, conflicts fester --
robbing men, women and children of the lives that they deserve. In
too many countries, the actions of thugs and warlords; and drug
cartels and human traffickers hold back the promise of Africa,
enslaving others for their own purposes.” His reference to Central
Africa reflects his administration's commitment to condemn and address
mass atrocities in the region, consistent with recent changes to his
foreign policy team, most notably Susan Rice’s ascendance as National
Security Advisor and Samantha Power’s nomination to U.S. Ambassador to
the United Nations.
During the last leg of his trip, President Obama responded to a recent
U.N. group of experts report that confirmed Rwanda and Congo’s support
of armed rebel group M23 at a news conference in Tanzania: “The
countries surrounding the Congo, they've got to make a commitment to
stop funding armed groups that are encroaching on territorial
integrity and sovereignty of Congo.” He concluded by emphasizing his
inability to force a solution onto the region, saying that peace must
be reached at the grassroots, and praised Tanzania’s positive
contributions to the United Nations peacekeeping force in Congo, or
MONUSCO.
The speech signals an effort to alter the status quo of U.S.-African
relations—from responding to pleas for aid and assistance to holistic
partnerships with African nations—by addressing systemic oppression on
the environmental, economic, social, and educational levels. President
Obama announced plans to convene a summit in the United States next
year, with heads of state from sub-Saharan Africa called to help
“launch a new chapter in U.S.-African relations.” In addressing
popular criticism against the U.S. for “meddling” in foreign affairs,
he asserted that the administration would only assist and support an
African infrastructure made up of transparent institutions: “America
will make no apology for supporting African efforts to end conflict
and stand up for human dignity.”
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