Secretary Condoleezza Rice African Growth and Opportunity Forum (PODCAST)

Technorati Tags: Secretary Condoleezza Rice and African Union Peace and Security Council or State Department and Foreign Minister Gadio of Senegal, or African and African Global Competitiveness Initiative, or African Growth and Opportunity Act, and Africa, or Millennium Challenge Corporation, and Emergency Plan for AIDS relief,

Remarks at the African Growth and Opportunity Forum 2006, MP3 file format for PODCAST, running time is 11:22, Secretary Condoleezza Rice, Loy Henderson Conference Room, Washington, DC, June 6, 2006 (9:05 a.m. EDT), UPDATE VIDEO In Windows Media Format, running time is 11:22.

Secretary Rice addresses the opening plenary session of the African Growth and Opportunity Act [AGOA] Forum. State Department photo by Michael Gross. Loy Henderson Conference Room, Washington, DC, June 6, 2006.

SECRETARY RICE: Thank you very much. Since Jendayi told you something about me that you might not know, I have to tell you something about Jendayi that you might not know. Jendayi, in fact, was my student at Stanford University when she was a sophomore. And she was sitting in the back of the class and she already had a strong interest in Africa and over the years I want to say that I've learned more about Africa from her than probably she has from me. Jendayi, thank you for your leadership. (Applause.)

Unless you think that this connection ends with Jendayi, I want to just recognize Dr. Cindy Courville, who is the NSC Special Assistant and there's a connection there, too, because Cindy and I were classmates at the University of Denver. So you see I've had very, very strong training about Africa all my life.

Well, welcome everyone to the State Department. It's a great pleasure to have you here in Washington for this year's Forum for the African Growth and Opportunity Act. I'd like to welcome the many African ministers, who are joining us today, especially Foreign Minister Gadio of Senegal. I know I speak for everyone here, Mr. Minister, when I say how much we enjoyed last year's Dakar forum and how much we appreciated the hospitality and the generosity of the people of Senegal.

On behalf of President Bush and all of the American people, let me express my deep gratitude to all who have made the long journey from Africa to join us here today. You carry with you the hopes and dreams of millions of men and women and children from every corner of the African Continent. People who simply want to better their own lives build their own prosperity and take ownership of their own development. America shares and supports your aspirations and we are committed to helping you realize them. Our policy toward Africa is rooted in partnership not in paternalism, in doing things with the peoples of Africa not for the peoples of Africa. A keystone of our approach is this African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, which represents America's strong bipartisan support for Africa's development and prosperity.

AGOA is founded on irrefutable facts about how to fight poverty effectively. It is a fact that real development is only possible when economies are expanding and creating jobs. It is a fact that economic growth is driven by hardworking entrepreneurial citizens who are free to compete and trade in open markets. And of course, though the state cannot create economic growth, it is a fact that the government can and must ensure the political conditions of prosperity: transparent and accountable governance, the rule of law, property rights and investment in people.

These are the requirements for membership in AGOA, requirements that have been met by the 37 sub-Saharan African countries who are gathered here today. As a result of AGOA, the United States and Africa are prospering together. The United States remains Africa's great partner in trade and in assistance. While oil remains a source of our expanding trade relationship, last year we also saw impressive growth in sectors like agriculture and machinery and electronics. These gains were driven in part by our African Global Competitiveness Initiative, a $200 million program which President Bush announced last year to help African companies reach their full potential through free trade.

One such company from Kenya is called Kenana Knitters. Because of AGOA and our African Global Competitiveness Initiative, Kenana Knitters has won deals to export its wool and apparel to several high-end American clothing companies. In just two years the business has more than doubled its workforce, all of whom are women. Now to expand the opportunities and benefits of trade even further, we both have important obligations. For our part, President Bush made bold commitments last September to eliminate all U.S. barriers that prohibit the free flow of goods and services as long as others' nations do the same. This is a promise that we aim to keep.

In the current Doha round, being negotiated as we speak, the United States is at the forefront of a worldwide effort to increase market access for developing country products, including agricultural goods. We in Washington must also do more to help African farmers expand their exports by increasing their capacity to meet U.S. agricultural standards. We've made good progress on this front frequently -- recently and we are determined to expand our efforts even further.

African Governments also have important obligations in order to fully liberate the entrepreneurial spirit of their people. In most African countries, ambitious citizens still pay too many fees and wait too many days and negotiate too much red tape to start a business. African governments must also do more to enable their countries to trade with their neighbors. Seventy percent of all trade in the developing world is between developing countries. So helping Africans trade more freely together represents a powerful source of development.

Finally, it is vital for African nations to continue diversifying their economies. The AGOA Diversification Fund which we launched last year is beginning to help our African partners make steady gains toward the important development in this goal. Increasing free trade is a great challenge indeed. But it is not our only challenge. As a matter of justice of morality and of strategic interest, we must help all citizens, especially the most disadvantaged, to gain an equal opportunity to participate in growing economies. This is the job of foreign assistance. And under President Bush's leadership America has launched a development agenda with Africa that is the worthy heir of the Marshall Plan for Europe.

In the past five years with strong support from our Congress, President Bush has tripled foreign assistance to the countries of Africa and we are on pace to double it again by the year 2010.

I imagine that most of you knew Randall Tobias as our Global AIDS Coordinator. Now he is our new administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, as well as our new director of foreign assistance here at the State Department. And I'm pleased that he could join us here this morning. (Applause.)

The United States has also taken historic steps to free many developing countries, most of which are in Africa from the crushing burden of foreign debt. Under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative, which the United States worked tirelessly to secure, 14 African countries are now receiving over $30 billion of debt relief. Our ultimate goal is to extend this initiative to 19 other African countries in Africa, forgiving more than $10 billion of additional debt.

At the same time, our Millennium Challenge Corporation is now signing development compacts with countries that govern justly, advance economic freedom, fight corruption and invest in their people. Right now 12 African countries are eligible to apply for MCC grants and four African countries, Madagascar, Benin, Cape Verde and Mali have signed compacts with the MCC worth a total of nearly $537 million.

Finally, the United States is rightfully standing with the people of African in their fight against diseases like Malaria and HIV/AIDS. Now in its third year, President Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS relief is on pace to meet our five-year, $5 billion commitment for prevention, treatment and care. The path to defeat AIDS will be long, but each step along the way represents one more person who understands the threat, one more orphan who finds a home and one more individual who can live with the disease.

Ladies and gentlemen, the United States does not view Africa as the sum of its problems nor as an object of international pity. No. We view the men and women of Africa as authors of their own destiny, as individuals of agency and dignity who have the right to flourish in freedom and who bear responsibility for their own successes. We believe that this success rests in the strength and the spirit of African citizens and we reject what President Bush has called the "soft bigotry of low expectations."

Africa has given so much to America -- more than anyone. It was the stolen sons and daughters of Africa who lifted up the body of America, brick by brick, field by field, city by city. More than anyone, it was the quiet righteousness of African Americans, men and women like my parents and my grandparents, sons and daughters of the American South who helped to redeem America at last from its original sin of slavery. (Applause.)

America will never, America cannot forget the deep historical ties that bind us to the peoples of Africa. And we are committed to building a shared future of hope and opportunity and freedom for all.

Thank you for making the trip here to Washington. Thank you for participating in this important forum. And I look forward to seeing you all again next year.

Thank you. 2006/593, Released on June 6, 2006

White House: Africa Policy State Department: Sudan

Related: Keywords: Africa, Tuesday, May 16, 2006 Implementation of Darfur Peace Agreement, Monday, May 01, 2006 Status of Darfur Peace Negotiations in Abuja, Saturday, April 29, 2006 President Meets with Darfur Advocates (VIDEO), Thursday, April 06, 2006 Inauguration Thomas Yay Boni of Benin, Wednesday, March 29, 2006 President Bush Welcomes President Obasanjo of Nigeria, Monday, March 27, 2006 President Bush to Welcome Nigerian President, Thursday, March 23, 2006 President Welcomes President Sirleaf of Liberia (VIDEO), Thursday, March 16, 2006 President to Welcome President of the Republic of Liberia, Wednesday, January 18, 2006 First Lady After Liberia Inauguration,

OIC Secretary General official visit to Moscow

Technorati Tags: Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and Organization of the Islamic Conference or Sergey Lavrov and Russian Federation, or Muslims and Putin, or Russia, and diplomatic staff of Russia in Iraq, or G8 summit and Chechnya or Jerusalem

The OIC Secretary General starts 4 days official visit to Moscow

Prof. Dr., Dr.h.c. mult. EKMELEDDIN IHSANOGLU, THE SECRETARY GENERAL, OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE.

At the beginning of his official visit to the Russian Federation from 5 to 8 June, 2006, Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, met H.E. Mr. Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister of Russian Federation, on 5 June, 2006 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting the Foreign Minister expressed his gratitude for the acceptance of Russia as an Observer to the OIC and confirmed his participation in the upcoming Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers to be held in Baku from 19-21 June, 2006, which would be first of its kind since Russia became an Observer.

The Minister also thanked the Secretary General for his personal involvement in according Russia the observer status on an exceptional basis. Both the Secretary General and the Foreign Minister agreed that the association of Russia, a traditional supporter of the just causes of the Muslims, as an Observer with the OIC, would pave the way towards more support, cooperation and coordination in matters and issues of mutual concern and interests to Russian Federation and the Muslim world.

Current issues like the question of Palestine, situation in Iraq, and Iran’s nuclear file were raised during the meeting. Both the parties found themselves in line with each other regarding resolution of these issues. They both emphasized the importance of achieving peaceful solutions through negotiation and cooperation.

In this connection, the Secretary General briefed the Minister about his recent visit to Iran and his discussions with the Iranian high officials. The Minister, in his turn, briefed the Secretary General about the recent Western initiative on the Iranian nuclear file crisis.

The Secretary General expressed his sadness over the killing and kidnapping incident that targeted the members of the diplomatic staff of Russia in Iraq. He condemned all forms of terrorism and terrorist activities.

Evoking the issue of Chechnya, the Secretary General reiterated the OIC’s explicit stand which respects the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Russian Federation. The Secretary General expressed OIC’s willingness, stemming from a peaceful and humanitarian point of view, to provide help in different aspects of the problem. The Foreign Minister welcomed the proposal. He mentioned that many constructive steps are taken in Chechnya and also encouraged the OIC to send fact finding missions to see the current situation on the ground.

During his official visit to the Russian Federation, the Secretary General met also His Holiness Alexy II, the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, at the latter’s residence on 5th of June.

The Secretary General thanked His Holiness the Patriarch for his audience and the warm welcome. He also mentioned the long history of peaceful co-existence between Islam and the Orthodox Church in Russia which has never witnessed any conflict. The Patriarch thanked the Secretary General for his insight of the history.

The Patriarch announced that a summit of religious leaders of different faiths from all over the world would be held in St. Petersburg on the eve of G-8 Summit. The main objective of the summit would be to attract the attention of the governments of the world to the necessity of ensuring the peaceful coexistence of different faiths. The Patriarch extended an invitation to the Secretary General to participate in the said Summit. The Secretary General thanked the Patriarch for the invitation and assured him of highest possible level participation of the OIC in the summit.

The question of the status of the holy city of Jerusalem was raised among other issues of mutual concern during the discussion and the Secretary General urged the Orthodox Church of Russia as well as the Patriarch himself to play more active role in preserving the historic status of the holy city of Jerusalem where Christianity, Judaism and Islam could coexist and flourish as ever before.

Jeddah: 6 June 2006.

Related: Keyword Muslims, Wednesday, January 11, 2006 Presidential Message: Eid Al-Adha, Friday, November 04, 2005 Eid Al-Fitr Presidential Message, Tuesday, October 18, 2005 President Hosts Iftaar Dinner (VIDEO), Tuesday, October 04, 2005 Presidential Message: Ramadan, Sunday, May 15, 2005 On Respect for the Holy Koran Secretary Condoleezza Rice, Saturday, January 22, 2005 Presidential Message: Eid Al-Adha,