Forbes Magazine this week features an article by Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Paul Kagame, Seretse Khama Ian Khama, and Abdoulaye Wade (the presidents of Liberia, Rwanda, Botswana, and Senegal respectively.) In the piece entitled “Partnership, Not Patronage” the presidents discuss the challenges and opportunities confronting Africa as Secretary of State Clinton embarks on her 7-country, 11-day trip through the continent.

The presidents also discuss the need to curb corruption, reduce poverty, and address the global recession. You can read excerpts below, full piece here. Be sure to follow our coverage of Secretary Clinton’s trip here.

Just three weeks after President Barack Obama’s triumphant return from Africa, the real challenge to achieving strategic change lies in Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s own upcoming visit. Left unsaid as the president boarded Air Force One is the fact that Africa seeks not patrons but collaborators who will work “with” rather than “for” the continent. If the Obama administration wishes to truly make a difference, it must do so as an equal partner, addressing several low-cost, high-impact priorities.

Ultimately, Africa’s quality of life will depend on the health of its citizens. The centerpiece of U.S. support for HIV/AIDS in Africa–the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief–has helped expand life-saving treatment. President Obama has an opportunity to make PEPFAR more effective by moving from emergency to long-term support–as in the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s five-year partnership model, with each country taking ownership of the design of its programs.

Finally, we need more effective and predictable development lending. The U.S. remains the main exception to the common donor practice of channeling development assistance through financial systems of recipient countries. Done with sufficient safeguards, this strengthens country ownership, responsibility and accountability. The U.S.’s reluctance to embrace shared multilateral approaches limits the impact of its foreign assistance.

President Obama’s charisma, oratory and heritage have excited Africa as never before. Now substantive action that realizes the promise of his visit needs to be on Secretary Clinton’s agenda during her visit to seven African countries.

-Chris Scott