Bush in Africa - Sunday News Round-Up
February 17th, 2008 at 5:18 pm | posted by Virginia SimmonsSome News Clips from the Day:
Bush, in Africa, Urges Congress to Double AIDS Relief (Bloomberg):
Feb. 17 (Bloomberg) — President George W. Bush urged the U.S. Congress to double spending for his AIDS program, while he signed an almost $700 million infrastructure grant to Tanzania and said his administration would continue to reward African leaders that it trusts.
“I want to ask Congress to listen to the leaders of Africa, analyze what works, stop the squabbling and get the program reauthorized,” Bush said today at Tanzania’s statehouse in Dar es Salaam, in a press conference with President Jakaya Kikwete.
Bush, in Africa, Emphasizes Successes (New York Times):
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania — As violence in Africa threatened to overshadow his six-day tour of the continent, President Bush on Saturday defended his decision not to visit strife-torn nations like Kenya and Sudan, saying he wanted to focus instead on successes like his programs to fight AIDS and malaria.
“This is a large place with a lot of nations, and no question, everything is not perfect,” Mr. Bush said during a brief visit to Benin before arriving Saturday evening here in the capital of Tanzania. “On the other hand, there’s a lot of great success stories, and the United States is pleased to be involved with those success stories.”
(Read full story)
Bush confronts Africa policy critics (AFP):
DAR ES SALAAM (AFP) — US President George W. Bush with backing from Tanzania’s leader Sunday defended US policies towards Africa, from efforts to end Kenya’s bloody political crisis to the war on HIV/AIDS… ”It’s a program that’s been proven effective,” he said, telling US lawmakers: “Listen to leaders on the continent of Africa, analyze what works, stop the squabbling, and get the program reauthorized.”
February 17th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
As a manufacturer of rapid diagnostic tests for HIV, Malaria and other infectious disease, I feel a personal responsibility to those who can least help themselves, to provide the very best repid diagnostics at the most cost effective price possible. Those individuals in my same position MUST share an equal responsibility.
We are here to help. We are here to take our knowledge, our background and our spirit to help change the World. We can not always “take”. We need to learn how to GIVE.
Certainly, it IS a difficult task. But, it we do not take this very first step…who will!!!???
February 18th, 2008 at 4:41 am
“Tanzania, an east African nation with 39 million people and a per person income of about $320 a year, was given a five-year $698 million grant from the Millennium Challenge Corp. in September. Bush today formally signed the compact meant to help upgrade electricity, roads and infrastructure.
The program has awarded more than $5.5 billion in poverty- reduction grants to 16 countries to promote democracy. The grant to Tanzania is the program’s largest so far.”
i’m very happy to see this highlighted in these reports. the MCC doesn’t get enough credit for the great funding it provides . . . . africa will have a big bill when it comes to infrastructure and our contributions individually may never be enough or what we advocates ask for, yet i sincerely believe it won’t be for lack of trying on this administration’s part.
Of course it sounds like Kenya would be very proud to have Senator Obama as President Bush’s successor, tho i am confident that we will be able to work with varying degrees of success wtih no matter who is elected into the office next term. all candidates are being made aware of us, their consitutents, standards for their attention in africa over the next decade and beyond. of that i am more than sure.
great reports here. i wish more mainstream coverage was made of President Bush’s trip thru the five countries of africa . . . .me, i’m really looking forward to Sir Bob and Taylor’s reports on their side trip. and Ms. Rice’s report of meeting up with Kofi Annin in Kenya. i’ll be watching for great reports out of this venture.
stay close,
sammi =)