The real reasons for Hillary Clinton's trip to Africa.
A single scene in the movie Dave, a political comedy about an imposter in the White House, probably does the best job of summing up most American political trips to Africa. In his first appearance, halfway through the movie, a dour-looking Ben Kingsley, playing the vice president, appears in the Oval Office bearing fertility beads from Togo and a giant hat from the people of Burundi. He had been sent on an extended tour through the continent by a president determined to strip him of all power and influence. "They know hats in Burundi," the president responds. Africa is a punch line. It may be a place where do-gooders can make a difference; it's just not where the big dogs make their mark.
But the Obama administration is putting Africa front and center this summer, hoping to demonstrate that the continent will no longer be sidelined in American foreign policy. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton touched down in Nairobi on Tuesday night, kicking off a seven-country tour of Africa's major capitals. That comes on the heels of Obama's address last month in Ghana, which, as administration officials keep telling us, marks the earliest and biggest commitment of U.S. diplomatic attention to the region of any modern presidency.
On the surface, there's reason to take them at their word; Hillary Clinton has long been outspoken on causes like development, health, poverty, and gender violence. Plus, far from doing a diplomatic happy tour, she has chosen to visit some of the region's most volatile hotspots. But will words translate to actions, or is this just about image control for the administration? Here is an unscientific survey of Clinton's objectives at each stop on the trip.
source of : www.Newsweek.com
