The Foreign Service Journal, March 2003

F O C U S O N P O W E L L ecently, former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young was introducing Secretary of State Colin Powell at a newly appointed ambassador’s State Department swearing-in ceremony: “I’m a Democrat,” the former Carter administration diplomat, who is still actively engaged with Africa, said, turning toward the Bush administration’s Powell, “but I sleep better because you are here.” For a split second, eye contact and almost impercepti- ble nods were exchanged between many of the African diplomats present in the crowd. They recog- nized in Ambassador Young’s words a subtle but pointed refer- ence to the loud sound of war drums beating in many quarters of official Washington. Young’s words resonated with their own worried concerns. And they, too, had vested some hope that Secretary Powell and his State Department could ease them. This comes back to me while trying to think about Secretary Powell and Africa, because at this same event, when I asked an African diplomat what he thought of current U.S. Africa policy, he told me emphatically that as far as he was concerned, the more Colin Powell is involved, the better: “It should be Mr. Powell’s policy!” The department’s role in trying to facilitate Sudan peace negotia- tions as well as its role in the hunt for Rwandan war criminals come immediately to mind as reflecting an unexpected engagement with Africa, he said. Since taking office, Powell has prodded the adminis- tration to put more money into Africa. He’s also pushed African governments to create a better climate for trade and investment, even convening a sovereign credit ratings conference for two dozen African central bankers and finance ministers at the State Department last April. He links competence and honest government as the stabiliz- ing factors that will slow and finally turn around the flight of investment from Africa. “Money is a coward,” he fre- quently says. “Powell’s Policy” There is much about Africa policy under the Bush administra- tion that has surprised many in Africa. Not much was expected at first. Many on the continent remembered and worried that that when he was a congressman, Vice President Dick Cheney consistently opposed sanctions against apartheid South Africa and, in 1986, voted against a reso- lution calling for the release of Nelson Mandela. Candidate George W. Bush hadn’t seemed much interested in Africa either. “Honest indifference,” was how one writer described his attitude. There are raised expectations now. Although obviously more is involved than just his own efforts, Powell gets the credit for a changed tone that articulates offi- cial proactive interest in Africa. “That’s Colin Powell!” an African R C ONSIDERING C OLIN P OWELL AND A FRICA S ECRETARY P OWELL GETS CREDIT FOR THE CHANGED TONE AND UNEXPECTED ENGAGEMENT WITH A FRICA . B UT A RFICANS REMAIN UNSURE OF U.S. GOALS . B Y C HARLES C OBB J R . M A R C H 2 0 0 3 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 29