February 15, 2008

Bush & Rice Head Into Africa

President Bush embarks on a tour of five African countries tonight and, as the New York Times puts it, the trip will "thrust himself into the role of peacemaker" as he tries to help international leaders address recent crises in the region.

He won't be alone: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will be in Kenya, one of the administration's greatest areas of concern. In Nairobi on Monday, Rice will meet with former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who has been in the country since mid-January to try to mediate a bloody conflict sparked by Kenya's contested presidential election at the end of last year.

Annan said today that a deal between the two rival factions was "very close," but that a final solution about a power-sharing government had not yet been reached.

But Bush, for his part, is sticking to friendlier territory: Benin, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana and Liberia. At a speech yesterday at the Smithsonian's African Museum of Art, the president offered a rosy view of the five nations: "Each of these countries is blessed with natural beauty, vibrant culture, and an unmistakable spirit of energy and optimism. Africa in the 21st century is a continent of potential.... It's a place where democracy is advancing, where economies are growing, and leaders are meeting challenges with purpose and determination."

Bush is facing criticism for playing it safe on his visit, with some experts speculating that he dispatched Rice to Kenya to counter charges that his own trip is only looking on the bright side.

He did address some strife-torn regions during a reporters' roundtable yesterday. He expressed frustration with the pace of the peacekeeping force deployed to Darfur, saying that the Sudanese government and others are to blame for not putting enough pressure on the U.N.-African Union force.

In an interview with BBC News, Bush defended his decision not to send troops to Darfur and called it a "seminal decision" not to intervene with force.

Posted at 12:15 PM
Posted to: Africa, Bush Administration, Condoleezza Rice, Kenya, President Bush, Sudan
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