African Treasure

President Clinton will open a new chapter in U.S. foreign relations Sunday when he leaves on a visit to six African nations. He will preach democracy, of course, but the real mission of the White House will be to negotiate a relationship that emphasizes trade, not foreign aid, profit margins rather than rescue missions.

Clinton, the first U.S. president since Jimmy Carter to make a major visit to African heads of state, will try to brighten the American view of a continent in crisis. A turnaround can’t be done in 12 days, but the president and the flock of aides and business executives traveling with him can direct international attention to democratic and economic success stories.

Five of his stops are in relatively peaceful and prosperous nations: Ghana, a democracy in West Africa; Uganda, one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, risen from the ashes of dictator Idi Amin’s rule; economic powerhouse South Africa, where Clinton is expected to cheer on Nelson Mandela and the next generation of leaders; Botswana, one of the few African nations with a budget surplus, thanks to its diamond industry and tourism, and Senegal, a stable democracy whose troops fought with the Western coalition in the Gulf War.

The only trouble spot on this ambitious itinerary is Rwanda, which continues to suffer the aftermath of a 1994 ethnic genocide. Clinton isn’t going near such important but undemocratic nations as Nigeria and Congo.

If Clinton succeeds even incrementally, American businesses might capitalize on Africa’s emerging markets, which hold the potential of 600 million new customers. But profits are never guaranteed where poverty is rampant, and business costs in some African nations can be high. Washington also seeks to increase political stability on a continent where the number of democratic governments has more than tripled in the past decade. Greater peace would reduce the need for the United States to ride to the rescue with relief missions during coups and civil wars, leading causes of famine and misery.

U.S. tax dollars flowed freely to Africa during the Cold War, when Washington, in a head-to-head geostrategic contest with the Soviet Union, aggressively courted national leaders without regard to their human rights records. After the Cold War ended, U.S. aid for sub-Saharan Africa dropped from a peak of $1.4 billion in fiscal 1992 to $965 million in 1997.

Congress controls these purse strings. The White House had hoped Congress would pass an Africa trade bill before Clinton’s departure. The legislation, by eliminating U.S. tariffs on African textile imports and granting various trade preferences, would reward African democracies that are moving toward free-market economies and abatement of corruption. The bill has passed the House, but there’s been a delay in the Senate because even though the overall deal helps U.S. businesses, some lawmakers fear it would siphon jobs from American textile and garment workers.

Exporting U.S. jobs is not the president’s intent. Clinton wants to encourage peace and prosperity in Africa for many reasons, chief among them a big payoff for American businesses and workers. caption: Nations that Clinton will visit.