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Strategies & Market Trends : Africa and its Issues- Why Have We Ignored Africa? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: GUSTAVE JAEGER who wrote (536)	6/22/2006 7:14:52 AM
From: sea_urchin	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1267

Gus > Further talks are scheduled for today to cover climate change, peacekeeping and the alleviation of poverty, a sign that China's engagement has broadened beyond a hunt for raw materials. Talk is cheap. President Bush Meets with South African President Mbeki whitehouse.gov >>PRESIDENT MBEKI: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome. I'm very pleased, indeed, to welcome President Bush and his delegation, Mrs. Bush and young Barbara. We are very pleased, indeed, Mr. President, that you were able to come. It's very important for us because of the importance of the United States to our future, and the United States to the future of our continent. We've had very good discussions with the President, able to cover quite a wide field. We're very pleased with the development of the bilateral relations, strong economic links, growing all the time. Continued attention by the U.S. corporate world on South Africa is very critically important for us. AGOA has had a very big impact in terms of the development of our economy. And we continue to work on all of these matters. It also gave us a chance to convey our thanks to the President for the support with regards to meeting the African continental challenges. That includes questions of peace and security, the NEPAD processes. Again, very important for the future of our continent. That, of course, also gave an opportunity to discuss some of the specific areas of conflict around the continent. I must say, President, that at the end of these discussions, we, all of us, feel enormously strengthened by your very, very firm and clear commitment to assist us to meet the challenges that we've got to meet domestically and on the African continent. And, therefore, President, thank you very much, indeed, for coming. We -- the visit will certainly result in strengthened bilateral relations and strengthened cooperation to meet these other challenges that we face together. But, welcome, President. PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. President, thanks. Gosh, we're honored to be here. Thank you for your wonderful hospitality. Thank Mrs. Mbeki, as well, for her gracious hospitality. It's a pleasure to be in South Africa. Your nation's recent history is a great story of courage and persistence in the pursuit of justice. This is a country that threw off oppression and is now the force of freedom and stability, and a force for progress throughout the continent of Africa. I appreciate our strong relationship -- and it is a vital relationship. Mr. President, I want to thank you very much for working hard to make it a vital and strong relationship. We've met quite a few times in the recent past, and every time we've met I've -- I feel refreshed and appreciate very much your advice and counsel and your leadership. I appreciate the President's dedication to openness and accountability. He is advancing these principles in the New Partnership for African Development. He's a leader in that effort. The President and I believe that the partnership can help extend democracy and free markets and transparency across the continent of Africa. President Mbeki has shown great leadership in this initiative, and our country will support the leaders who accept the principles of reform, and we'll work with them. So thank you, Mr. President. South Africa is playing a critical role in promoting regional security in Africa, and we discussed the President's leadership, for example, in Burundi. South Africa has helped achieve the peaceful inauguration of a new President. Or in the Congo, South Africa brokered an agreement on the creation of a transitional government. And in Zimbabwe, I've encouraged President Mbeki and his government to continue to work for the return of democracy in that important country. I also discussed with the President the importance of the continued cooperation in the global war on terror. The United States and South Africa are working together to strengthen this nation's border security and law enforcement. And we're devoting $100 million to help countries in eastern Africa increase their counter-terror efforts. We are determined to fight, and to join our friends to fight, terrorists throughout this continent and throughout the world. We're also committed to helping African nations achieve peace.<<