Ghana gives US optimism for Africa – Thomas-Greenfield
BY EDMUND SMITH-ASANTE
The Assistant Secretary, African Affairs, United States (US), Mrs Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has said that Ghana and other peaceful countries in Africa, gave the US government optimism for the rest of the continent.
She indicated that it was therefore the US’ intention to work with Ghana and the other countries, building on that optimism, until all countries in Africa at war were infected with that peace.
Mrs Thomas-Greenfield said the fact that there was violence in some countries did not suggest Africa was in a hopeless situation, stressing that there were over 40 countries on the continent which were experiencing peace.
Fielding questions from around the world in a live video telecast from the United States Department of State on Tuesday on the US’ policies in sub-Saharan Africa, including an update on her participation in the African Union (AU) Summit held in January, the Assistant Secretary rebutted an assertion by a questioner, that the violence occurring in South Sudan, the Central African Republic (CAR), Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and Mali, suggested that the “Afro optimism rested on a shaky foundation.”
Optimism
With her address also centring on a review of the US’ efforts in CAR and South Sudan, she replied, “Absolutely not! I think that it is so clear that there is so much to be optimistic about on the continent of Africa. Yes we have some countries in Africa, where violence is taking place, but we are also having some successes in the countries you listed – Mali for example, in just a matter of a year it is able to have free and fair elections and start to move that country forward and have their reconciliation that we hope will cement the peace that the people of Mali deserve.”
Stating that Somalia, which had been in the state of despair for 20 years, had moved forward, she said the US had serious concerns about happenings in both CAR and South Sudan.
As a result of the concerns in CAR, the US had committed $100 million to peacekeeping efforts, out of which $75 million had been expended since the conflict started, $45 million contributed to humanitarian support, and an ambassador designated to work with the African Union to fight the crisis, she disclosed.
The Assistant Secretary, who was joined briefly by the US Secretary of State, Mr John Kerry at the start of the telecast, however opined that “The Security of CAR can only be addressed by the people of CAR” and therefore appealed to them to end the violence.
“But there are 40 plus countries in Africa, where there is not fighting, there is not war, and we need to build on the success of these countries, help those countries that are having problems get out of trouble,” she held.
Working with the AU and Ghana
On how the US was going to accomplish that, Mrs Thomas-Greenfield said “We are working closely with the AU, with regional organisations and we have our partners across the world. We hope that all of Africa can achieve peace in this decade.
“But at the same time we have to work with those countries where we’ve seen success. Ghana for example, and I know that Ghana is on camera today, and we look forward to work with Ghana. We look forward to working with Liberia, where I served as Ambassador for almost four years – a country that went through 14 years of war and a country that is now at peace, so I don’t think violence is the descriptive word that we can use to describe Africa. I think optimism is where we are, and we hope to build on that optimism, so that all the countries in Africa are infected with it,” she emphasised.
Mrs Thomas-Greenfield stated further, “We are working very closely with the African Union to address its own commitment to Africa’s future. The AU summit this year, focused on agriculture. We are very connected and involved in agriculture throughout the continent, because this is about building a future for Africa.
“Ghana has played a key role in the AU. Ghana continues to play a key role in the region. Ghana provides peacekeeping troops across the continent – they are in Cote d’Ivoire. Ghana has recently provided troops serving in South Sudan.
“We are having economic issues in the United States, but we are certainly supporting countries to help build their economy so that their economies can address some of the many issues they have,” she added.
The Assistant Secretary was answering a series of questions from the Daily Graphic on whether Africa was doing much in managing its own affairs, how she would rate Ghana’s performance in keeping the peace on the African continent, what more Ghana had to do and plans of the US government to help Ghana rescue its falling cedi.
The Assistant Secretary noted that there would be 14 elections in Africa this year alone and said the United States government looked forward to working with African governments and people, to ensure that all elections were free and fair and represented what the people of those countries wanted to achieve, citing Guinea, Madagascar and Mali as examples of countries where successful elections had already been achieved.
This story was first published by graphiconline.com on February 12, 2014
Writer’s email: Edmund.Asante@graphic.com.gh
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| Mrs Linda Thomas-Greefield |
The Assistant Secretary, African Affairs, United States (US), Mrs Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has said that Ghana and other peaceful countries in Africa, gave the US government optimism for the rest of the continent.
She indicated that it was therefore the US’ intention to work with Ghana and the other countries, building on that optimism, until all countries in Africa at war were infected with that peace.
Mrs Thomas-Greenfield said the fact that there was violence in some countries did not suggest Africa was in a hopeless situation, stressing that there were over 40 countries on the continent which were experiencing peace.
Fielding questions from around the world in a live video telecast from the United States Department of State on Tuesday on the US’ policies in sub-Saharan Africa, including an update on her participation in the African Union (AU) Summit held in January, the Assistant Secretary rebutted an assertion by a questioner, that the violence occurring in South Sudan, the Central African Republic (CAR), Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and Mali, suggested that the “Afro optimism rested on a shaky foundation.”
Optimism
With her address also centring on a review of the US’ efforts in CAR and South Sudan, she replied, “Absolutely not! I think that it is so clear that there is so much to be optimistic about on the continent of Africa. Yes we have some countries in Africa, where violence is taking place, but we are also having some successes in the countries you listed – Mali for example, in just a matter of a year it is able to have free and fair elections and start to move that country forward and have their reconciliation that we hope will cement the peace that the people of Mali deserve.”
Stating that Somalia, which had been in the state of despair for 20 years, had moved forward, she said the US had serious concerns about happenings in both CAR and South Sudan.
As a result of the concerns in CAR, the US had committed $100 million to peacekeeping efforts, out of which $75 million had been expended since the conflict started, $45 million contributed to humanitarian support, and an ambassador designated to work with the African Union to fight the crisis, she disclosed.
The Assistant Secretary, who was joined briefly by the US Secretary of State, Mr John Kerry at the start of the telecast, however opined that “The Security of CAR can only be addressed by the people of CAR” and therefore appealed to them to end the violence.
“But there are 40 plus countries in Africa, where there is not fighting, there is not war, and we need to build on the success of these countries, help those countries that are having problems get out of trouble,” she held.
Working with the AU and Ghana
On how the US was going to accomplish that, Mrs Thomas-Greenfield said “We are working closely with the AU, with regional organisations and we have our partners across the world. We hope that all of Africa can achieve peace in this decade.
“But at the same time we have to work with those countries where we’ve seen success. Ghana for example, and I know that Ghana is on camera today, and we look forward to work with Ghana. We look forward to working with Liberia, where I served as Ambassador for almost four years – a country that went through 14 years of war and a country that is now at peace, so I don’t think violence is the descriptive word that we can use to describe Africa. I think optimism is where we are, and we hope to build on that optimism, so that all the countries in Africa are infected with it,” she emphasised.
Mrs Thomas-Greenfield stated further, “We are working very closely with the African Union to address its own commitment to Africa’s future. The AU summit this year, focused on agriculture. We are very connected and involved in agriculture throughout the continent, because this is about building a future for Africa.
“Ghana has played a key role in the AU. Ghana continues to play a key role in the region. Ghana provides peacekeeping troops across the continent – they are in Cote d’Ivoire. Ghana has recently provided troops serving in South Sudan.
“We are having economic issues in the United States, but we are certainly supporting countries to help build their economy so that their economies can address some of the many issues they have,” she added.
The Assistant Secretary was answering a series of questions from the Daily Graphic on whether Africa was doing much in managing its own affairs, how she would rate Ghana’s performance in keeping the peace on the African continent, what more Ghana had to do and plans of the US government to help Ghana rescue its falling cedi.
The Assistant Secretary noted that there would be 14 elections in Africa this year alone and said the United States government looked forward to working with African governments and people, to ensure that all elections were free and fair and represented what the people of those countries wanted to achieve, citing Guinea, Madagascar and Mali as examples of countries where successful elections had already been achieved.
This story was first published by graphiconline.com on February 12, 2014
Writer’s email: Edmund.Asante@graphic.com.gh
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