[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 121 (Friday, September 6, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10012-S10013]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           WHY AFRICA MATTERS

  Mrs. KASSEBAUM. Mr. President, I have been speaking a number of times 
on why Africa matters to the United States. I spoke before the recess 
on infectious disease and environmental concerns and how what is 
happening in Africa can affect the rest of the world, and the United 
States as well.
  Today, I would like to address a broader point about environmental 
issues--what happens to the natural world in Africa holds consequences 
for Americans. Even as we struggle to find reasonable, responsible 
solutions to domestic environmental problems, we must remember that our 
future is closely intertwined with the preservation and sound 
management of the environment around the world--particularly in Africa.
  Today much of Africa today is caught in a cycle of environmental 
degradation, poverty and humanitarian crises. Battles over scarce 
resources can lead to political conflict, which in turn results in 
forced migration, and further environmental destruction. As a result, 
the international community feels the effects of not only global 
environmental changes, but also refugee flows, instability, and sagging 
trade revenues.
  Mr. President, the evidence of environmental degradation on the 
African continent is overwhelming. From deforestation to land 
degradation, the shrinking diversity of African plant life to the 
increasing number of endangered species, the African environment 
affects the United States.


                             deforestation

  Let me begin with the most shocking of all the environmental problems 
sweeping the continent--deforestation. Consider the following:
  In 1900, forests accounted for 40 percent of the highlands in the 
Horn of Africa. By 1990, only 4.4 percent of these forested highlands 
remained.
  In 1961, as much as 60 percent of the west African nation of Sierra 
Leone was covered by primary rainforest. Today, that figure has dropped 
to 6 percent.
  These are but two examples of what is an all-too-familiar pattern on 
the continent. And because Africa's population is projected to increase 
by over 50 percent as early as 2010, the pressures on remaining forest 
lands are likely to grow as people seek new land to live on, new fields 
to cultivate, and new sources of firewood for cooking and heating.
  The immediate consequences of deforestation are soil erosion and 
flooding. Combined with other forms of land degradation, these trends 
lead to food shortages and massive displaced populations. Some experts 
believe that severe desertification will affect more than 100 million 
people on the continent by 2010. Already, food shortages threaten 22 
million people in sub-Saharan Africa. Trapped in a cycle of poverty and 
need, these people will continue to destroy their natural environment 
in a desperate effort to survive.
  Unless we recognize the larger environmental factors that create and 
exacerbate crises, the United States will continue to operate in a 
reactive mode, addressing tragic and costly emergencies and famines 
after they occur, and watching potentially strong societies and markets 
descend into disaster.
  The consequences of ignoring environmental issues in Africa extend 
beyond humanitarian and economic concerns. Africa's forests, like those 
in South America, act as carbon sinks--absorbing harmful carbon 
emissions. As global population rates grow, rural-to-urban migration 
continues, and more and more people drive cars, our capacity to manage 
air pollution here in the United States and around the world may depend 
on the survival of these forests.


                              biodiversity

  Mr. President, in addition to these disturbing trends in land 
quality, biodiversity depletion in Africa also impacts our future--
particularly in the field of medicine. Over and over again, researchers 
have found highly effective cures in the forests of Africa:
  Some may smile at this. But this is scientific research that shows, 
as a matter of fact, that the rosy periwinkle that grows in Madagascar 
is highly effective in treating Hodgkin's disease and leukemia.
  Bark from the African plum tree has proven successful in treating 
enlarged prostate glands. Yet, in the 1980's, environmental 
mismanagement in west Africa brought the region's plum trees 
dangerously close to extinction.
  We cannot know what other cures may be contained in Africa's rapidly 
disappearing forest lands--and never will unless more is done to combat 
the environmental destruction sweeping the continent.
  Mr. President, just as environmental degradation puts the future of 
medical research at risk, we cannot begin to guess at what agricultural 
breakthroughs may never occur as the diversity of African crops is lost 
to environmental crises. For example, we have already learned:
  Germplasm from African crops may help the rest of the world to adjust 
to climate changes by breeding drought-resistant varieties of grain.
  Researchers at the National Academy of Sciences have identified pearl 
millet, which grows mainly in west Africa, as a potential jewel for 
genetic research, due its natural genetic diversity, robust nature, and 
quick maturation.
  The African Continent may be home to other, lesser known agricultural 
breakthroughs that will contribute to global well-being, provided they 
do not fall victim to the environmental devastation.
  Mr. President, in recent years, the international community and 
Africans have become increasingly concerned about threats to animal 
kingdom diversity. Poaching, human encroachment on animals' natural 
habitats, and ineffective wildlife management continue to endanger 
several unique species. While African elephants appear to be making a 
comeback, black rhinos remain in danger, as do cheetahs, mountain 
gorillas, and other magnificent species of wildlife. A basic respect 
for life and an appreciation for its diverse forms demands that we 
recognize and address the problem of endangered species on the African 
Continent.
  Mr. President, all of these trends, as well as the relationship 
between environmental upheaval and emerging diseases that I discussed 
earlier, make the case for a thoughtful and engaged foreign policy 
toward Africa.
  Responsible and creative environmental policies in Africa--including 
land management, agroforestry initiatives, pollution reduction, and 
biodiversity preservation--serve U.S. national interests. With patience 
and engagement, we gain new cures for painful diseases and new crops to 
feed our children into the 21st century. We preserve the magnificent 
diversity of animal life for our grandchildren. And we help bring 
stability, development and economic growth to the African Continent.
  We can't do this all by ourselves. That would not be successful 
policy in and of itself. But we should be mindful of the fact that it 
does influence the United States and other nations and other continents 
around the world. And that is why we should be concerned.

[[Page S10013]]

  Both Africans and Americans have a great deal to lose--and perhaps 
even more to gain--by addressing environmental issues on the African 
Continent. These are not easy issues, but we must proceed as we would 
with any long-term security concern--with sensitivity, determination, 
and wisdom. If we do so, generations of Africans--and Americans--will 
benefit from a sustainable, diverse, and thriving natural world.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor and appreciate the opportunity to 
speak on this issue at this time.
  Mr. DORGAN addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to proceed for 20 
minutes in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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