World

Clinton Addresses African Summit

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

February 17, 2000 / 3:20 PM EST / CBS

President Clinton sees Africa as a continent of "thousands of triumphs, large and small." But he's pressing African governments to do more to halt ethnic bloodshed, fight poverty and halt the spread of AIDS.

In Washington Thursday, Mr. Clinton spoke before the National Summit on Africa, a meeting of African leaders, experts and lobbyists. The president was welcomed to the summit in a traditional African way: Three men in long striped robes with drums strapped across their chests paraded through the auditorium, pounding the drums with their hands.

Insisting that "Africa does matter to the United States," Mr. Clinton urged Congress to help pay for a U.N.-led peace-monitoring mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

"We have learned the hard way in the United States, over decades and decades, that the costliest peace is far cheaper than the cheapest war," the president said.

He also urged Congress to finish work on the African trade bill. Differing versions have been passed by the House and Senate but passage of the bill bogged down in negotiation.

On AIDS, Mr. Clinton diverted from his prepared text and said he realized there are "cultural and religious factors" that made it hard to tackle the spread of the disease with preventive methods.

"We have to change behaviors, attitudes. And it has to be done in an organized, disciplined, systematic way. And you can do more in less time for less money in a preventive way to give the children of Africa their lives back," he said

The president brought up five points in helping Africa.

Building world trade.
Debt relief.
Education.
Fighting Disease.
African Leadership.

The president, whose trip to Africa two years ago brought high hopes of greater U.S. involvement there, defended his administration's record in Africa. He said he has worked on peacekeeping, education, and more since the visit.

But Mr. Clinton pointed toward the leaders of Africa to put the best interest of the people in front of political matters.

The president also said that behind the often disturbing headlines, Africa is making progress toward democracy and open markets. He added that much work still remains to be done.

Today's summit was funded by the Carnegie and Ford Foundations, as well as businesses and others. Organizers hope to unify the lobby for Africa in America and to improve its image in the U.S., as well as to improve U.S. policy toward Africa.