Obama is planning a trip to Ghana for July 10-11. This trip shows how high a priority Africa is for the Obama administration because no other president has made a trip to Africa so early in his term. This is a big step forward in realizing how important relations between the US and the nations of Africa really are. It also demonstrates a real desire to make real change in the region.
Join Obama in recognizing that US policy in Africa needs to change. Exploitation, militarization and ineffective aid have been the paradigm for too long.
Add your name to this petition, organized by a coalition of African advocacy groups. The letter suggests four policy changes that could make a world of difference for the millions living in African nations:
'"1. REFORM STRUCTURES FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY TO REFLECT INTERDEPENDENCE AND COOPERATION RATHER THAN BLIND RELIANCE ON MARKET FORCES.
2. RESTRUCTURE U.S. FOREIGN ASSISTANCE AGENCIES TO FOSTER COOPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH OTHER COUNTRIES AND INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES TO CONFRONT GLOBAL PROBLEMS.
3. INTEGRATE REGIONAL COLLABORATION AND BILATERAL PARTNERSHIPS TO FOSTER AN INCLUSIVE APPROACH TO RESOLVE ISSUES WITHIN EACH REGION.
4. REDUCE U.S. MILITARY SPENDING AND INVESTMENT AND DEFUSE THREATS THROUGH COOPERATIVE SECURITY MEASURES, ARMS REDUCTION, AND MULTILATERAL PEACE INITIATIVES."
Sign the petition here.
-Stephen Donahoe
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