[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 100 (Wednesday, June 30, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H5270-H5272]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONGRATULATING 17 AFRICAN NATIONS ON 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 1405) congratulating the people of the 17 African
nations that in 2010 are marking the 50th year of their national
independence, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1405
Whereas in the year 2010, 17 African nations will celebrate
the 50th anniversary of their independence from France,
Italy, or Great Britain, including Cameroon (January 1,
1960), Togolese Republic (April 27, 1960), Republic of Mali
(June 20, 1960), Republic of Senegal (June 20, 1960),
Republic of Madagascar (June 26, 1960), Democratic Republic
of the Congo (June 30, 1960), Somalia (July 1, 1960),
Republic of Benin (August 1, 1960), Republic of Niger (August
3, 1960), Burkina Faso (August 5, 1960), Republic of Cote
d'Ivoire (August 7, 1960), Republic of Chad (August 11,
1960), Central African Republic (August 13, 1960), Republic
of the Congo (August 15, 1960), Gabonese Republic (August 17,
1960), Federal Republic of Nigeria (October 1, 1960), and the
Islamic Republic of Mauritania (November 28, 1960);
Whereas contemporary United States ties with Sub-Saharan
Africa today far transcend the humanitarian interests that
have frequently underpinned United States engagement with the
continent;
Whereas there is a growing understanding among foreign
policy experts that economic development, natural resource
management, human security, and global stability are
inextricably linked;
Whereas cooperation between the United States Armed Forces
and Africa is growing, with United States and African forces
routinely conducting joint exercises;
Whereas African governments are steadily taking a larger
role in the provision of security and peacekeeping on the
continent, due in part to United States security assistance
and training;
Whereas Africa's growing importance is reflected in the
intensifying efforts of China, Russia, India, Iran, and other
countries to gain access to African resources and advance
their ties to the continent; and
Whereas a more comprehensive, multi-faceted regional policy
is essential for the United States to operate effectively in
this increasingly competitive environment: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) congratulates the people of the 17 African nations that
in 2010 are marking the 50th year of their national
independence;
(2) honors the lives of the ten of thousands of patriots,
including innocent civilians, who died, were imprisoned, or
otherwise dedicated their lives, often at great personal
sacrifice, to achieving African political independence;
(3) commends the socioeconomic and political progress being
made by these nations, while acknowledging the associated
challenges that many still face;
(4) recognizes Africa's significant strategic, political,
economic, and humanitarian importance to the United States;
and
(5) renews the commitment of the United States to help the
people of sub-Saharan Africa to foster democratic rule,
advance civic freedom and participation, and promote market-
based economic growth, and to alleviate the burden of poverty
and disease that so many in the region continue to face.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Watson) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
General Leave
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent for all Members to
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution
and yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Rush for introducing this resolution
that recognizes the 50th anniversary of independence for 17 African
countries.
In the scramble for Africa between 1880 and the First World War,
European countries extended their political and economic rule over the
vast territory and resources of Africa. The colonizing powers saw this
as an opportunity to continue commerce between Europe and Africa
following the end of the slave trade.
At the Berlin Conference of 1884, the European powers carved up
Africa among themselves to suit their demand for gold, diamonds,
minerals, and spices. The age of European imperialism ravaged the human
and natural resources of the African continent.
In 1941, President Roosevelt introduced the principle of the Economy
of Imperial Colonies to Prime Minister Winston Churchill and started
the debate over British and eventually all European imperialism. In
1957, sub-Saharan Africa's post-colonial era began with the
independence of Ghana. Over the following several decades, all other
African countries won their independence and joined the international
community of sovereign nations.
Now, this resolution congratulates the people of the 17 African
nations who celebrate their 50th year of national independence in 2010.
The American people have benefited greatly from our relations with
African nations during the past 50 years.
African countries remain among our strongest allies in the world. We
enjoy strong economic and political ties with many African countries,
and we are the beneficiaries of strong cultural and social ties to
Africa's people.
{time} 1945
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this important
resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 1405,
congratulating the people of 17 African nations on 50 years of
independence and recognizing the importance of Africa to the United
States.
Fifty years ago, 17 African nations threw off the yoke of colonialism
and established themselves as independent nations. Unfortunately, the
past half century has been anything but peaceful or joyful for all too
many of these states.
Only two of the 17 nations we celebrate today--Mali and Benin--are
considered to be free. One, Somalia, is virtually a collapsed state,
and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a brutal civil war that
continues in the east has claimed millions of lives and has spawned
some of the worst human rights atrocities known to man. Yet there have
been some successes, Mr. Speaker.
African economies are growing at rates reminiscent of the great Asian
tigers. Citizens are becoming increasingly aware of their rights and
are demanding a greater stake in their economic and political futures,
demanding accountability and driving the ``Big Men of Africa'' from
office. Still, in Africa, independence has proven to be a necessary but
insufficient condition for freedom.
At a battlefield in Gettysburg, the great Abraham Lincoln honored the
fallen by stating, ``We here highly resolve that these dead shall not
have died in vain--that this Nation, under God, shall have a new birth
of freedom--and that the government of the people, by the people, for
the people, shall not perish from the Earth.''
So, Mr. Speaker, on this 50th anniversary of independence for no less
than 17 African nations, we stand in solidarity with the people who won
their independence but who continue in their struggle for freedom.
I urge my colleagues to support this timely and important resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Illinois, Bobby L. Rush.
[[Page H5271]]
Mr. RUSH. I would like to begin by thanking Foreign Affairs Committee
Chairman Howard Berman, Africa and Global Health Subcommittee Chairman
Donald Payne, and my good friend Congresswoman Diane Watson. I also
would like to thank Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and Congressman Ed
Royce for their constant leadership on African issues.
This year, Mr. Speaker, 17 African nations are celebrating the 50th
anniversary of their independence.
1960 was an important year for those former French, British, and
Italian colonies and protectorates. The triumphant march of a series of
hard-fought victories that led to independence started on January 1
with the nation of Cameroon, and it ended on November 28, 1960, with
the nation of Mauritania's securing its independence from France.
The resolution I am bringing to the floor today will honor the
sacrifices of the founding fathers of these African nations. Little did
they know then that a proud and supportive USA would today enter into
our Nation's permanent history this well-deserved tribute to the
thousands of unsung men and women who gave their lives based on the
simple dream of freedom and on a desire to assert their self-
determination over the lives that only God could give them.
We in the USA know something about that freedom and that
determination.
Chief among these visionary African leaders are Amadou Ahidjo in
Cameroon; Kwame Nkrumah in Ghana; Patrice Lumumba in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo; Leopold Senghor in Senegal; Thomas Sankara in
Burkina Faso; Felix Houphouet Boigny in Cote d'Ivoire; and Julius
Nyerere in Tanzania.
This resolution also commends the socioeconomic and political
progress being made by these nations while acknowledging the associated
challenges that many still face today. Many of these nations have
become democracies and are striving to break the links to past
oppressions. Men and women of good faith work tirelessly to overcome
the remnants of colonialism, neocolonialism, structural adjustments,
internal and regional wars, and their own bureaucratic hurdles. They
also face serious challenges beyond their control, which have been
exacerbated by growing threats from the global financial crisis,
climate change, and terrorism.
Despite numerous challenges, many of the African nations we salute
today are becoming economically, politically, and strategically
important to the United States. Our Nation simply cannot afford to take
Africa for granted nor can it afford to mistakenly see Africa as a
desperate continent forever in need of charity from our Nation.
Africa's growing economic importance is reflected in intensified
efforts by China, Russia, India, Iran, and other nations which seek to
gain access to Africa's vast natural resources.
Some say we may need Africa more than Africa needs us, and it is
clear that many African leaders are beginning to think the same way.
Both sides are mistaken. We need each other now more than ever. It is
time to solidify our economic and strategic partnership.
I and others who support this resolution commend President Obama for
his leadership in making our mutually beneficial partnership a reality
by signing a binational commission agreement with South Africa, with
Angola, and with Nigeria. We hope that the United States will soon
adopt a similar strategic agreement with the entire Gulf of Guinea
region.
The White House has announced that President Obama will be hosting
these 17 African heads of state and a group of younger, emerging
leaders within these nations at a celebration that will mark the 50th
anniversary later this summer. I would like to take this opportunity to
commend our President for calling this summit. It was long overdue. I
hope the invitation will be extended to other African nations as well.
As Professor Paul Collier wrote in a recent article, entitled ``The
Case for Investing in Africa,'' ``The continent is now growing much
more rapidly than the OECD nations. It may well be on the cusp of a
reversal of fortune.''
It is time to revisit our relationship with the continent of Africa
and to define a more comprehensive approach.
I would encourage the administration to also establish a commission
that will create a platform where human rights groups, the civil
society, U.S., and African governments, financial institutions, the
private sector, and the diaspora can formulate and implement a mutually
beneficial and coordinated policy framework that advances democracy,
economic growth, and prosperity in Africa.
It is worth noting that the U.S. has already taken several steps that
underline Africa's increasing importance. Our economy and its recovery
are far more dependent on Africa than we have acknowledged to date, and
so, too, is our national security.
For these reasons, I urge you to vote for H.R. 1405, which celebrates
the 50th anniversary of 17 African nations, recognizing that Africa is
of significant strategic, political, economic, and humanitarian
importance to the United States. It will renew the commitment of the
United States and will help the people of the sub-Saharan Africa to
foster democratic rule, to advance civic freedom, to promote market-
based economic growth, and to alleviate the burden of poverty and
disease that so many in the region continue to face.
This is only the first step, Mr. Speaker, to Africa's much needed
transition into a global economy. However, this step is the right one
as we undertake the long overdue transformation and our own approach
toward Africa and our own belief in the African people and in the
African continent.
Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1405, a
resolution celebrating 50 Years of African Independence. The seventeen
African countries celebrating their political independence are:
Cameroon, Togo, Mali, Senegal, Madagascar, Democratic Republic of
Congo, Somalia, Benin, Niger, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Chad,
Central Africa Republic, Congo, Gabon, Nigeria and Mauritania.
This resolution is important because democratic principles have
flourished in many African countries over the past decade. Indeed, more
than two-thirds of sub-Saharan African countries have held democratic
elections since 2000. Moreover, several nations, from Senegal to
Tanzania, and from Ghana to Zambia have seen successful power changes
over the past decade. The Unites States Department of State has
expressed its commitment to supporting African efforts to fortify
government accountability and overall good governance, which is crucial
to the continent's future growth and global influence.
The resolution commends the socio-economic and political progress
being made by African countries, while acknowledging the associated
challenges that many still face. According to a June 2010 McKinsey
Global Institute report entitled `Lions on the Move: The Progress and
Potential of African Economies,' over the past decade ``Africa's
economic pulse has quickened, infusing the continent with new
commercial vibrancy.'' Africa's combined consumer spending in 2008 was
$860 billion, and America is committed to partnering with African
nations to foster economic development, entrepreneurship and trade in
the continent.
Kofi Annan, Chair of the Africa Progress Panel (APP) recently noted
that `Africa's future is in its own hands, but that success in managing
its own affairs depends on supportive global policies and agreements.'
H. Res. 1405 comes at a time when the world is taking notice of
Africa's great progress in recent years and it reaffirms the United
States' commitment to growth and prosperity in Africa.
I commend the House for passing this important resolution.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res.
1405: ``Congratulating the people of the 17 African nations that in
2010 are marking the 50th year of their national independence.'' As a
cosponsor of this resolution, I am proud to acknowledge the progress
made by these 17 nations as well as the other African nations that
gained independence in the early 1960s. The 17 African nations that
gained independence in 1960 are:
The Republic of Cameroon (January 1, 1960);
The Togolese Republic (April 27, 1960);
The Republic of Mali (June 20, 1960);
The Republic of Senegal (June 20, 1960);
The Republic of Madagascar (June 26, 1960);
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (June 30, 1960);
Somalia gained its independence on (July 1, 1960);
The Republic of Benin (August 1, 1960);
The Republic of Niger (August 3, 1960);
Burkina Faso (August 5, 1960);
The Republic of Cote d'Ivoire (August 7, 1960);
[[Page H5272]]
The Republic of Chad (August 11, 1960);
The Central African Republic (August 13, 1960);
The Republic of the Congo (August 15, 1960);
The Gabonese Republic (August 17, 1960);
The Federal Republic of Nigeria (October 1, 1960); and
The Islamic Republic of Mauritania (November 28, 1960)
When the nations in Africa gained independence during the 1960s and
1970s, there was an expectation that the end of colonialism would usher
in a new era of representative government in which the people of these
new nations could freely choose a government that represented their
interests. Fifty years after independence, however, the progress of
these nations has been mixed at best. In many nations, progress has
failed to match expectations as the people of these new nations
struggled to shed the yoke of their colonial legacies. These legacies
include inorganic borders and inherited systems of patronage.
Although many African nations were dealt a difficult hand, the
continent's new leaders, by in large, sought to consolidate and retain
power rather than embrace political systems defined and strengthened by
their diversity. Since independence, transfer of political power has
consistently been a thorn in the side of side of most African nations.
Although many of the challenges of broadening and democratizing
political participation in Africa rests in the hands of a few `big
men,' there are also significant challenges at local levels. Today,
millions of people in Africa are stateless. Some because their births
were never recorded, others because they belong to the `wrong' ethnic
group. Civil conflicts in Cote d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of
Congo and numerous other countries have been fuelled if not created by
pernicious citizenship policies that sever the link between certain
parts of the population and the state. As rebel leader in the Ivory
Coast reportedly exclaimed, ``Give us our identity cards and we hand
over our Kalashnikovs.'' This, to me, captures both the tension and the
stakes in play. The people of Sudan, the DRC, Guinea, and others have
long since passed the point where they can afford to be at war. It is
imperative that we work to end conflicts and facilitate governments
that reflect the will of the people.
While we must remain vigilant in our scrutiny of those leaders who
stifle democracy, we must also recognize leaders who promote democracy
even if it imperils their own political position. Last summer, I
visited Ghana and saw a democracy that is heading in the right
direction. During the December 2008 Presidential elections, John Atta
Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won the election in an
extremely narrow victory that required a run-off with Nana Akufo-Addo
of the former ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). Domestic and
international observers deemed the election free and fair. Facilitating
mature democracies requires us to find ways to encourage leaders to
relinquish power, and I think we can improve our use of these
`carrots.'
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this
resolution and renew the commitment of the United States to help the
people of sub-Saharan Africa to foster democratic rule, advance civic
freedom and participation, and promote market-based economic growth,
and to alleviate the burden of poverty and disease that so many in the
region continue to face. We must also remember to keep ``fifty years of
independence'' in context. Fifty years may seem like a long time, but
consider America's own history when, fifty years after independence,
the country had not yet had experienced its civil war.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1405, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
____________________