US-Africa: The Time For Charity Has Passed

In July 2009, after the second and last trip to Africa by Barack Obama as president of the United States, African media became downright skeptical about his desire to really change the current relationship between the two sides of the Atlantic Ocean. It must be said that the twenty-two hours he spent in Ghana were not likely to reassure the media. The White House inhabitant made the trip to deliver a speech criticizing corruption and repression – two themes already addressed by his predecessors, who have not heralded change. A sense of disappointment has dominated minds on the African continent, especially because expectations for the first African-American head of state were great. The lack of ambition in Washington has left the door wide open for other countries, like China. Not only has the latter emerged as a major trading partner for Africa, but it has also increased its political influence on the continent. Already shoulder-to-shoulder with Beijing in Asia, Americans are not reassured by the rise of the Chinese in Africa, especially because this part of the world, with its wealth yet largely untapped, has potential that companies across the Atlantic cannot ignore.

“And from cell phone entrepreneurs to small farmers, Africans have shown the capacity and commitment to create their own opportunities.”. This sentence, uttered by Barack Obama during his visit in Accra, went more unnoticed than others, but it involved an implicit recognition of the creativity and entrepreneurship in Africa. Behind this compliment was no doubt a desire expressed by the U.S. president to see the companies in his country become more engaged on the African continent, as in his eyes, the time of charity has passed. He seems to have been understood directly: U.S. investment in Africa increased by 40 percent between 2008 and 2010, ending the wait. Large groups and investment funds went on the offensive, refusing to pick up the pieces. For the White House, it is essential to further strengthen the involvement of the private sector, including in the field of public aid. On the eve of the 38th G8 summit, which was held from May 18 to 19 at Camp David, Barack Obama revived the idea of a new stage of the food aid plan in Africa with the support of roughly 45 large companies. “As the wealthiest nation on earth, I believe the United States has a moral obligation to lead the fight against hunger and malnutrition,” he said, noting the $3 billion (2.4 billion euros) provided by companies such as Cargill, who will invest in two large projects in Mozambique.

Just a few months before the presidential election, after which he should retain his seat, Barack Obama is responding to all those who might question his interest in Africa. If re-elected, it would be in his interest to spend more than twenty-two hours on the continent so that his interlocutors could say, “Good morning, Mr. President.”