U.S. SEES AFRICA AS POTENTIAL MAJOR TRADING PARTNER
MUNCIE, Ind. -- President Clinton's recent six-nation tour of Africa sets the stage for a new relationship between the United States and the continent, says a Ball State University educator.
The U.S. now sees Africa as a large economic opportunity instead of a disaster zone, said Ray Scheele, a political science professor.
"More and more of the African nations are coming through a very difficult transition from governments run by dictators to democratic systems," he said. "They are now emerging as potential markets in a free market global economy."
Africa has long been neglected by the U.S. government and business leaders. Clinton is the first serving president to make a comprehensive tour of the continent.
In recent years, many African nations have shed dictatorships and embraced U.S.-style recipes for economic growth, which is based on private enterprise, open markets and fiscal restraints.
Since the mid-1990s, the growth rates of African economies have averaged about 4 percent annually, which is above the 3 percent general population growth.
This growth rate has attracted Coca-Cola and Microsoft to the continent. Both companies are expanding operations in Africa.
Scheele said Africa's transformation into a potential market for U.S. goods has changed America's view of the continent.
The trip also shows the Clinton administration believes Africa is not a disaster area. The U.S. exports more to sub-Saharan countries than to all the Soviet Republics combined, including Russia.
"Our role will change from that of being a bystander in many of the events in Africa to actually being engaged in an economic way," Scheele said. "This visit says that the U.S., which has a good track record in building democracies around the world, is committed to helping Africa."
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(NOTE TO EDITORS: Contact Scheele by E-mail at mailto:[email protected] or by phone at (765) 285-8780. Ball State's Internet home page is www.bsu.edu. An on-line experts service can be found at www.bsu.edu/cardnet. To receive news releases by E-mail, write [email protected] or call (765) 285-1560.)
M. Ransford 4/14/98
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