At the recent G-8 summit, the leaders promised $20 billion in aid money for a three-year investment in African farmers. The U.K. and U.S. emerged as key supporters of increased aid, while Italy and France have fallen short of targets to double aid to Africa between 2005 and 2010. Yet the G-8 is united in its demand that African governments be held accountable for the aid they receive. This was a step in the right direction; food aid should not be provided as a handout, but should foster self-sustainability. Yet the international community is still loathe to forcefully address the continent's political environment.
Luckily, President Obama seems to be signaling a new approach with his pick of Ghana for his first sub-Saharan visit. Ghana has had a strong democratic record since the 1990s, unlike more obvious picks such as Kenya or Nigeria. Johnnie Carson, U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs, hopes that Obama's show of support for Ghana will be a "catalyst for others to also adopt democratic norms." The people of Ghana itself are welcoming the president as a superstar, much as Russians did last week. Yet despite the optimistic appearances, advocacy group Africa Action is wary, suggesting that it could be oil interests bringing Obama to Ghana.
Activists are looking for Obama to focus his visit on supporting reproductive health, human rights, and food sustainability. But if he really wants to foster change on the continent, the president needs to come out strong against government corruption in his speech tomorrow. After President Bush's support of questionable leaders such as Ethiopia's Meles Zenawi, the U.S. needs to step up to the plate if we are going to defend our claim of democracy promotion.
--Christine Anderson
Christine Anderson is a Prospect intern.
Photo of Ghanaian women by Flickr user Edward Barnieh.
