30th May 2003

Vol 44 N0 11

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AFRICA | UNITED STATES

Spinning the continent

Washington's political managers believe their Africa policy can win votes at home and undermine France at the G-8 summit

A standing ovation greeted President George W. Bush as he marched into the State Department auditorium on 28 May to sign a new bill providing US$15 billion for HIV/AIDS, to be spent mainly in Africa. In a bid for US leadership of the international campaign against HIV/AIDS, Bush called the initiative 'a great mission of rescue' and urged Europe, Japan and Canada to 'match their good intentions with real resources.' With the HIV/AIDS law rushed through Congress, Bush will be able to admonish his rich-country counterparts to do more on HIV/AIDS when France hosts the G-8 summit in Evian on 8 June and some of them will hit back with accusations of US unilateralism and hypocrisy on free trade. The State Department was packed with well-wishers foreign policy enthusiasts from the Democrats and the governing Republicans, former Zambian President and HIV/AIDS campaigner Kenneth Kaunda, evangelical Christians, health campaigners and Africa advocacy groups which see HIV/AIDS as the central issue facing the continent. There are doubts about the new law. Only twelve African countries will benefit initially. It merely authorises spending up to $15 bn. over five years. It doesn't guarantee that figure will be paid out. Although the act is called an emergency measure to fight HIV/AIDS, there will be no disbursements until 2004, when some $2 bn. in payments are planned rising to $3.8 bn. in 2008 when Bush could be out of power....

(This article contains approximately 1630 words)

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Keywords:

 George W. Bush, Japan, Canada, France, Zambian, Kenneth Kaunda, 'A check without enough money in the bank', Patrick Leahy, Iraq, Colin Powell, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, Kenya, Ethiopia, Mexico, Andrew S. Natsios, Walter Kansteiner, James Dunlap, Bill Clinton, Mali, Benin, Jacques Chirac, Germany, Robert Zoellick, British, Tony Blair, , Djibouti, James Jones, São Tomé e Príncipe, Gabon, Bob Geldof, ad hoc, Africa Confidential