Africa is Strategic to American Interest Says Ambassador Andrew Young

The African continent inspite of its current multifarious problems offer the world including America the greatest strategic asset for development. Former United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Andrew Young made this assertion at the inaugural "Africa Society" lecture series which took place today November 12, 2002 at the new Chancery building of Embassy of Nigeria, Washington, United States of America.

Ambassador Young enumerated various potentials and resources in Africa which the world can only ignore at its own peril. He cited the example of Nigerian professionals holding their own in every spheres of American society including the Pentagon.

For America specifically he predicted that the West African (Gulf of Guinea) energy (oil) potentials offer the best alternative to her energy needs because of the volatile situation of the Middle East region. According to the former Mayor of Atlanta the Gulf of Guinea oil reserves are located offshore and therefore of less security concern. Apart from this, the quality and quantity far surpass that of the Middle East.

Ambassador Young enjoined American businesses to invest in Africa and seize the advantage of the continents' large population.

The 750 million to 1 billion population of the African continent offers enormous market potentials to American companies if only the United States would promote a policy of partnership and mutual development with Africa.

"Africa if properly tapped is the credible alternative to European and American current economic recession".

As a first step Ambassador Young advocated an aggressive "back to the motherland" programme by African-Americans. He called on African-Americans to visit the African continent with their children and grandchildren thereby promoting capital injection into the African economy. The Kruger Park project between South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia according to Ambassador Young will create the largest wildlife park in global tourism. Africa therefore has a lot to offer tourists.

Ambassador Young also called on Africans resident in the United States to lead the economic regeneration of their continent by spearheading capital inflow through business partnership with local African entrepreneurs. He jokingly remarked that "there is no poor African in America" to which the appreciable audience applauded in agreement.

Ambassador Young cautioned that Western development efforts must be predicated on local initiatives emphasizing that 80% of the African population depend on traditional medicine for their medicare and therefore for the survival of the global effort on the eradication of aids and other communicable diseases in Africa it must be anchored on connecting with local traditional medicine practitioners.

Other lecture series organized by the Africa Society and named after Ambassador Andrew Young in recognition of his valuable contribution to the development of Africa will examine critical issues affecting Africa.

Further speakers lined up to examine some of these issues include United States National Security Adviser, Condolessie Rice, eminent African scholar, Professor Ali Mazrui, US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Walter Kansteiner, former US Ambassador to Nigeria Walter Carrington just to mention a few.

Nigeria Information Service Centre
November 14, 2002.