African development: an administration perspective - John C. Whitehead's address before the Carnegie Corp. on May 7, 1987 - transcript

US Department of State Bulletin, July, 1987

African Development: An Administration Perspective

Address before the Carnegie Corporation on May 7, 1987. Mr. Whitehead is Deputy Secretary of State.

I appreciate the opportunity to participate in this retreat devoted to African development to present our views on several aspects of African development, particularly sub-Saharan Africa.

The United States has an interest in a strong, healthy Africa which can be an effective partner strategically, politically, and economically. Let me cite just a few of our ties.

One in eight Americans can trace his or her roots to Africa. Africa is, therefore, important to us in cultural and historic terms.

Africa's 51 countries comprise almost one-third of the members of the United Nations, the most cohesive voting bloc in the United Nations. These countries play an increasingly significant role in the formation of UN positions and policies in areas of great importance to the United States--on terrorism, for example, on human rights, on refugee affairs, and on Middle East peace talks, to name just a few.

Africa has vast hydroelectrical, agricultural, and mineral resources. Its current mineral production is essential to U.S. industry and commerce; it is virtually the only non-Soviet source of several strategic minerals.

We have a strong interest in furthering democracy and human rights in Africa so that Africans can live in more peace and security.

And, lastly, we have an interest in seeing that the countries of Africa succeed in their current efforts to move away from statist economic policies-- which have proven to be failures--toward market-oriented economies, which will provide a better basis for economic growth. Our goal is to help Africa help itself. This is one of the most important aspects of U.S. policy toward Africa. Possibly the most significant development in Africa in the past half-dozen years has been the growing recognition among Africans that they need to come to grips with the financial and human costs of misguided economic policies.

In countries beginning to take the first brave steps toward a reordered and reinvigorated economic process, these changes will not be easy to make and are not without political risks to the governments involved. But without solid economic policies and well-managed, market-oriented economies, Africa's development aspirations will not be realized.

Social Development

Economic development and social development go hand in hand. Let me touch on a few of the most important areas where the two intersect: population growth, health, and education.

Population. The current rate of population growth of around 3% a year threatens Africa with disaster. Should a burgeoning population outstrip economic growth, living standards will decline and the African environment will be further degraded as more and more people try to eke out a living from marginal land.

African countries have become increasingly aware of the burden which high population growth rates place on their resources. Many are beginning to develop national population policies. The United States has been supplying over $20 million a year in family planning assistance to Africa, relying heavily on nonprofit, private voluntary agencies to deliver family planning products and services. Africa needs continued international support in this area.

Health. Africans have the lowest life expectancy in the world--50 years--and the highest infant mortality rate. These and other quality-of-life indicators have shown improvement in the past 20 years. But, clearly, there is a lot of room for further improvement.

Child survival clearly must have a very high priority. In 1986, over 2.5 million African infants under 1 year of age and over 8 million under 5 died. One African child in five will not live to see his or her fifth birthday. This is a truly tragic situation, one we must all work to correct through better health services, better living conditions, and education. This is a challenge for the Africans themselves. But here, too, they need and deserve our support.

Education. In many developing countries, improving educational quality and expanding access to education are among the best investments which can be made. In the context of health, education of women is especially important. Studies have shown that educated women are far more receptive to family planning and tend to be healthier. Healthier mothers are more likely to have babies who survive and enjoy good health. Lower mortality, in turn, reduces the incentive to have more children.

Unless Africa can accelerate its economic growth rate and reduce birth rates, education will be under tremendous pressure because the resources to educate the rapidly growing school-age population will simply not be available. In the 15 years between 1985 and 2000, the number of children in the 5-14 age group is projected to grow by 5% in the developed world; by just under 30% in Latin America and the Caribbean; but by as much as 60% in Africa.