Editorial
The Real Value of Obama’s Trip to Africa
To his credit, President Obama seems to appreciate his position in history. While he has to grapple with internal U.S. politics, he’s also fully aware that the over 1 billion people in Africa are looking to him, alongside their own leaders, for a small piece of the American dream.
Also, the fortunes of America in Africa may, coincidentally, rest on a joint strategy between the U.S. and the EU.
Illustratively, while AGOA is about exports from Africa to the U.S., the EU’s economic partnership agreements (EPAs) place beneficiaries like South Africa in a pickle since one cannot expect American exporters to sit on the sidelines while European goods receive more preferences in Southern Africa. This, and other actions in the world trade organization (WTO) make Obama’s hopes for Africa’s regional integration even more arduous a task than it already is. Nonetheless, the first African American president seems to have taken all these aspects into consideration. He has put Froman to the task – and Ambassador Froman is known to deliver. If this comes in the form of more market access and a truly unified Africa, then an Obama legacy in Africa will be sealed.
The Habari Network Editorial Board
July 13, 2013
