‘You Can Only Squeeze so Much Out of an Orange’ – but – ‘Power Africa Provides a lot of Sunshine’: Africa Breakfast on the Hill

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Africa Congress, Ed Royce, Kamran Khan, Karen Bass, Library of Congress, MCC, Nigeria, Olufunke Osibodu, Oren Whyche-Shaw, Paul Hinks, Power Africa, Symbion Power, Tanzania, USAID

 

The back of the heads of many an African Ambassador are seen in the front row

Yesterday Morning, I attended what I believe was the fourth installment of Representative Karen Bass’ Africa Policy Breakfast Series at the Library of Congress.  This session focused on ‘Power: Eliminating a Barrier to Trade, Development and Growth in Africa.’  It featured representatives from Symbion Power, a key player in Obama’s new Power Africa Initiative, the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC), and a Nigerian power official.  Congressman Edward Royce gave opening remarks and Ms. Oren Whyche-Shaw, Principal Adviser to USAID’s Assistant Administrator for Africa, moderated.

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A South African History Lesson for the Office of Rep. Bass

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Africa fact check, Africa Rising, African growth, criticism of US Africa policy, Karen Bass, Obama Africa trip, South Africa independence, Tanzania

I recently gave Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA) kudos for her Africa Policy Breakfast series. I do however, have to comment on a recent email that I received from her office, ‘Africa Update: African Growth, POTUS Travels.’

There are brief country profiles on South Africa and Tanzania (two of Obama’s three destinations on his Africa trip), obviously intended for businesspeople with little knowledge of Africa.

South Africa is described as being “ruled by a white minority from independence in 1948 to the end of apartheid in 1994.”  While the National Party, which formally implemented the Apartheid system came to power in 1948, I am not aware of any means by which South African ‘independence’ can be traced to that year.

The profile on Tanzania reads as if it was lifted from a tourist magazine: “Known for its spectacular landscapes, coastal plains and highlands, Tanzania has the largest land area among its East African neighbors. Situated between Kenya and Mozambique, Tanzania is bordered by the Indian Ocean and boasts pristine sandy beaches and Africa’s highest and snow-capped mountain, Kilimanjaro.”

It may just be small errors and romantic talk like this that leaves the US with a small share of the ‘Africa rising’ pie.

It’s Official: Obama to Africa This Summer

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Barack Obama Africa trip, Obama Africa trip, Obama Kenya snub, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania

The press statement from the White House is below.  If Obama is serious about strengthening democratic institutions in Africa, it would be nice to see a shift in the dialogue on countries like Burkina Faso, Uganda, Congo, Gabon, Chad, and Mauritania.

I wonder if Kenya would be on this list, had Raila Odinga won the recent Presidential election.

One should note that all three of the countries Obama is venturing to were covered in earlier Presidential visits by George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

Statement by the Press Secretary on the President’s Travel to Africa

President Obama and the First Lady look forward to traveling to Senegal, South Africa, and Tanzania from June 26 – July 3.  The President will reinforce the importance that the United States places on our deep and growing ties with countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including through expanding economic growth, investment, and trade; strengthening democratic institutions; and investing in the next generation of African leaders.
 
The President will meet with a wide array of leaders from government, business, and civil society, including youth, to discuss our strategic partnerships on bilateral and global issues.  The trip will underscore the President’s commitment to broadening and deepening cooperation between the United States and the people of sub-Saharan Africa to advance regional and global peace and prosperity.

An American African in Tanzania, Bob Moses at Busboys & Poets Tonight

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Bob Moses, Busboys and Poets, Pan-African Skills Project, Tanzania

He’s not as sexy as Taiye Selasi, but Bob Moses will be reading from a recent book at Busboys and Poets tonight (7pm).

A MacArthur genius who became actively involved in mathematics, Moses first made his name as a Civil Rights activist in Mississippi in the 1960s.  He settled in Tanzania for several years in the 1970’s (where he also taught math).  I’ve read that he’s not a keen public speaker, but Bob Moses has lived a fascinating (and seemingly selfless) life and I imagine his remarks will be compelling.  If anyone attends, please comment on the reading.

http://www.busboysandpoets.com/events/event/a-conversation-with-bob-moses-and-junot-diaz

For anyone interested in post-independence black American settlers in Africa, I highly recommend this book by Kevin Gaines (Ghana).  Hopefully someone will soon write the history of the Pan-African Skills Project and similar movement to Tanzania.