[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
[February 17, 2008]
[Pages 218-225]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
The President's News Conference With President Jakaya Mrisho
Kikwete of Tanzania in Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania
February 17, 2008
President Kikwete. Mr. President, welcome. I stand before you with a
deep sense of gratitude and satisfaction to once again welcome you, Mr.
President, and your entire delegation to our dear country, Tanzania. The
outpouring of warmth and affection from the people of Tanzania that you
have witnessed since your arrival is a genuine reflection of what we
feel towards you and towards the American people.
Welcome, Your Excellency, and your great wife Madam Laura Bush, as
enduring partners for our empowerment as we struggle to pull ourselves
to prosperity and back from backwardness and undevelopment, infested by
poverty, disease, and deprivation of basic social and economic services.
We welcome you, Mr. President, as a supportive and understanding partner
as we take the necessary measures to promote democracy, human rights,
and good governance. You are a dependable partner, indeed, in the
pursuit of ensuring national, as well as regional, peace and stability
in the African Continent.
Mr. President, you have shown great compassion for Africa and its
people. You have personally reached out using different initiatives,
instruments, and moral leadership to support Africa's efforts to improve
governance, to fight poverty, to seek shared prosperity, to resolve
conflict, to improve security, and jointly to fight the scourge of
terrorism. Tanzania has been and is committed and poised to continue
being an important partner and beneficiary of your empathy and support
towards the African peoples.
Mr. President, we thank you for your deep understanding and empathy
for the challenges we face on the African Continent. And we truly
appreciate what you have done to support us where we needed support for
the sake of welfare and dignity of our people.
Ten days ago in Washington, DC, at the 56th National Prayer
Breakfast, the keynote
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speaker and a close friend of Africa, Ward Brehm, Chairman of African
Development Foundation, spoke eloquently of the fourfold increase in
various forms of support to Africa under your administration. There was
immediately an extended applause and standing ovation from the 4,000
people in the audience from the 155 countries. Today I want you to know
that we in Tanzania, who have benefited and are continuing to benefit
from your commitment to Africa, join in that thunderous applause and
standing ovation.
President Bush. Thank you, sir.
President Kikwete. Mr. President, today, there are thousands of
women and children who have--would have died from malaria that are alive
in Tanzania and all over the country thanks to your malaria support
program. I can give the example of Zanzibar. In 2004 in the outpatient
clinic, 500,000 malaria patients were treated; in 2007, only 10,000. In
2004 in Zanzibar, 40 percent of the patients tested positive for
malaria; in 2007, only 5 percent. When the blood slide is taken, 35
percent tested positive for malaria in 2004; in 2007, only 1 percent.
I can go on and on and say and mention examples, but this is only a
very brief press briefing. Today, there are thousands of children who
have managed to avoid joining the already long list of orphans and who
continue to enjoy the love, guidance, and support of their parents who
are alive because of the AIDS care and treatment they get with the
support of PEPFAR initiative. Mr. President, thank you. Today, as a
result of PEPFAR, parents with AIDS are able to take care of their
children.
And here today we have signed the Millennium Challenge compact, the
largest ever. This funding will go a long way towards addressing some of
our critical infrastructure challenges, which have for a long time been
an obstacle to our growth and development. We very much thank you, Mr.
President. We thank your esteemed Government for agreeing with us to
give the infrastructure sector the priority it deserves.
Your decision that this compact should be signed here in Dar es
Salaam today speaks volumes about how deep you have Tanzania in your
heart. We are also grateful to the United States Congress for accepting
your administration's request to fund the Tanzanian compact package. We
also thank the MCC Board and the very able leadership of Secretary Rice.
We appreciate the tremendous efforts of Ambassador Danilovich and his
staff in making this day possible.
Let me end by saying that different people may have different views
about you and your administration and your legacy, but we in Tanzania,
if we are to speak for ourselves and for Africa, we know for sure that
you, Mr. President, and your administration have been good friends of
our country and have been good friends of Africa.
I know you leave office in about 12 months' time. Rest assured that
you will be remembered for many generations to come for the good things
you have done for Tanzania and the good things you have done for Africa.
Your legacy will be that of saving hundreds of thousands of mothers' and
children's lives from malaria, preventing new HIV infections and giving
hope to those infected through care and treatment, and helping millions
of young men and women get education. Last but not least, the legacy of
assisting African nations and peoples build capacity for their own
growth and development.
And today with the signing of the MCA compact, you are making it
possible for the people of Tanzania to chart a brighter future
underpinned by growth, opportunity, and democracy. We owe it to you and,
indeed, to the American people that this compact meet its objectives and
becomes a source of pride and satisfaction for our two governments and
peoples.
We owe it to you, Mr. President, and indeed, to our people, that in
governing
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this dear country of ours, we act in a manner that will justify this
tremendous trust and confidence you have shown in us. This is my
promise. I thank you, and welcome.
President Bush. Thank you, sir. Thanks for your very generous
comments. Vipi mambo?
President Kikwete. Poa! [Laughter]
President Bush. For the uneducated, that's Swahili for, ``Howdy, you
all.'' [Laughter]
Mr. President, I thank you for your invitation. It's a real pleasure
to set foot in your beautiful country. Laura and
I are honored that you invited us, and we're so grateful for the warm
welcome we received last night. It was very moving, for those of us
racing through the streets of Dar es Salaam, to see thousands of people
there greeting us. And I really do want to extend my thanks.
Mr. President, I stand next to you advocating to our people strong
initiatives on behalf of the people of Tanzania, because you're a strong
leader. I'll just put it bluntly: America doesn't want to spend money on
people who steal the money from the people. [Laughter] We like dealing
with honest people and compassionate people. We want our money to go to
help the human condition and to lift human lives. We act not out of
guilt, but out of compassion, Mr. President. And that's why we're in
your beautiful country. I also appreciate the fact that you're--have
been elected the Chairman of the African Union; it speaks to your
leadership.
We are partners in democracy. We believe that governments ought to
respond to the people. We're also partners in fighting disease,
extending opportunity, and working for peace. Mr. President, I mentioned
I was proud to sign, along with the President, the largest Millennium
Challenge Account in the history of the United States here in Tanzania.
It will provide nearly $700 million over 5 years to improve Tanzania's
transportation network, secure, reliable supplies of energy, and expand
access to clean and safe water.
My hope is that such an initiative will be part of a effort to
transform parts of this country to become more hopeful places, Mr.
President. We join you in this because of your Government and your
personal commitment to fight corruption, to invest in the education and
health of your people, and to accept and expand marketplace economics.
Those are the conditions of the Millennium Challenge Account. Oh, in the
past, countries would give aid and hope for the best. America believes
that people can achieve high standards, and therefore, our support to
you is based upon our belief and your performance when it comes to
achieving high standards.
The United States and Tanzania are working together to fight
disease. As the President mentioned--that our efforts are really focused
on HIV/AIDS and malaria. Since I've been the President, the number of
antiretrovirals extended to people on the continent of Africa have grown
from 50,000 to over 1.2 million people. And I tell people in America,
that's great, that's good. We've measured it, and it's successful. But
it's only a start, Mr. President.
And therefore, I've gone to our Congress to get them to double the
amount of HIV/AIDS money for the continent of Africa. The plan we put in
place, the strategy we put in place is working. And Congress needs to
make sure that this HIV/AIDS plan, PEPFAR, gets reauthorized for a 5-
year period of time. We don't want people guessing on the continent of
Africa whether or not the generosity of the American people will
continue.
I appreciate very much your focus on malaria as well. It breaks my
heart to know that little children are dying needlessly because of a
mosquito bite. I also fully understand, like you do, Mr. President, that
this is a soluble problem. It takes some money, but it also takes
organization. It takes the
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willingness to distribute nets and insecticides and education to the
people, and that's what you're doing.
I appreciate the fact that you brought up the example of Zanzibar.
It is an example for all on the continent of Africa of what can happen.
I mean, this is a place that had been sorely affected by malaria. Today,
as Mr. President pointed out, the number of infections have declined
dramatically, and that ought to make the people of Tanzania feel good.
It also ought to make the American people feel good, to know that their
taxpayers' dollars are going to save human lives. And it's in our
interests, it's in our moral interest that we continue to do so.
And so, Mr. President, we're so proud of the efforts that you and
your Government and the people at the grassroots level have made to
distribute nets and insecticides, all in the aim of answering a
universal call to protect the most vulnerable amongst us. And we're
proud to be your partner.
We also talked about international affairs. I appreciate the
President's strong advice. One reason he was elected to be the head of
the AU is, he knows what he's talking about. Therefore, it's important
for me to listen to him, which I have done. [Laughter]
We talked about Zimbabwe. There's no doubt the people of Zimbabwe
deserve a Government that serves their interests and recognizes their
basic human rights and holds free and fair elections. That's in the
interest of the people of Zimbabwe. It happens to be in the interest of
the world as well.
We discussed the genocide in Darfur, and America provides a lot of
food aid to the people in Darfur. We're trying to help them. But the
truth of the matter is, there are obstacles to peace in Darfur. And that
is one of the reasons we've imposed tough sanctions, real, meaningful
sanctions against those who are stopping progress toward alleviating the
human suffering in Darfur.
I do want to appreciate the fact--to express my appreciation, Mr.
President, that you've committed a battalion of Tanzanian troops to go
to Darfur. And we're proud to have worked with you to help them train up
for the mission.
So we've had a great visit so far, but, like, this is just the
beginning of the visit. And I'm looking forward to having dinner with
you tonight, looking forward to traveling to parts of your country to
see firsthand the great compassionate works that are taking place. And
again, I want to thank you for your hospitality. You're a good man, Mr.
President, and I'm proud to call you friend. [Laughter]
Moderator. I thank His Excellencies. Thank you. Thank you very much
for those excellent statements. And now with your permission, we will
invite questions from the media. As we said, it will be two questions
from both sides, and I will start with the Tanzanian side. And I will
call on--[inaudible]--to ask the first question. Mr.--[inaudible]--
please.
President Bush. You better use the mike--[inaudible]. I'm a little
old these days. [Laughter] I'm not hearing very well.
U.S. Role in Africa/President's Visit to Africa
Q. My question goes to you, Mr. President. Your visit has come
rather late, during the end of your Presidency. And I would like to
know, why is it Tanzania and Africa in general so important now?
President Bush. Yes. Thanks, yes. Africa has actually been important
from the start of my administration. I'll never forget having a
conversation with then my--my then-National Security Adviser Condoleezza
Rice. It was early on in the
administration, and we were talking about priorities and matters of
emphasis.
And she asked me whether or not I
really cared about Africa, and my answer to her then is the same answer
I will give to you now: Absolutely. It's in our national
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interests that America help deal with hopelessness, and it's our moral
interests that we help brothers and sisters who hurt. It's been the
policy of the Bush administration since day one. That's why, in the
first 4 years of my administration, I went to Congress, and I asked them
to double foreign aid to Africa. And then, as I began the second half of
my administration, I asked them to double it again. Why? Because it's in
our interests to work on issues such as malaria and AIDS.
It also appalled me very on, sir, in my administration to realize
that an entire generation of people could be lost to HIV/AIDS and that
those of us who were comfortable weren't doing much about it. I'm a man
who believes in certain principles, and I refuse to yield from those
principles. And one such principle is that to whom much is given, much
is required. And a lot has been given to the United States of America.
We're a blessed nation. And therefore, I felt all along it was incumbent
upon us to help deal with this pandemic that was--could have literally
wiped out an entire generation of Africans and left thousands and
thousands of boys and girls orphaned.
And so this has been a priority of mine. Why finally getting to
Tanzania? I don't have many excuses, except I've been a pretty busy guy.
[Laughter] And secondly, it seems like a fortuitous time to come. After
all, the results of our efforts are becoming more and more tangible, and
there's no better place to come than a place where people achieve
results.
Now, there's still a lot of conflict here on this continent; I
understand that. I was asked yesterday, ``Well, how come you're not
going to the places of conflict?'' Well, one reason you go to places of
success is to show people what's possible. I am going tomorrow [Tuesday]
* to a place that had been in serious conflict, however, and that's
Rwanda. And one of the reasons I'm going there is to show that after
this horrible situation that occurred, there's life and there's hope and
there's progress. And one way to make sure that situations like that
don't occur, however, is to deal with the human condition. And that's
what this trip is all about. It's heralding good leadership, it's
heralding honest government, and it's focusing our help on local folks'
efforts to deal with malaria and AIDS. And so thanks for the question.
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* White House correction.
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Q. Jennifer Loven of Associated Press.
President Bush. Yes, Jennifer.
Q. [Inaudible]
President Bush. Oops, that's not going to work. Okay, well, you
block everybody's view then. [Laughter]
Q. Sorry. It's kind of awkward. Thank you.
President Bush. You're handling it well, though.
President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief/Senator Barack Obama
Q. I'm trying. On PEPFAR----
President Bush. Yes.
Q. ----there are many Democrats, as well as some medical experts,
who say that the abstinence provision--spending such a chunk of the
money on abstinence programs is too inflexible and should be dropped.
Would you consider doing that?
And then to President Kikwete, I'd like to ask you about American
politics. There seems to be a lot of excitement here in Africa and in
your country about Barack Obama. And I wonder what you think it says
about America, that we might elect a black President with roots in
Africa?
President Bush. It seemed like there was a lot of excitement for
me--wait a minute. [Laughter] Maybe I--maybe you missed it.
Anyway, look, my attitude toward Congress is, look, see what works.
PEPFAR is working. It is a balanced program. It is an ABC program:
abstinence, be faithful, and condoms. It's a program that's been proven
effective. And I understand there's
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voices on both ends of the political spectrum trying to alter the
program. I would ask Congress to listen to leaders on the continent of
Africa, find--analyze what works, stop the squabbling, and get the
program reauthorized. One of the worst things that can happen is,
there's uncertainty. You got a lot of faith-based providers and
community organizers here wondering whether or not America will keep its
commitment.
And so I--you know, I can understand debates, and those are fine.
But they need to end the debates, adopt a reasonable policy--I happen to
think the current policy is reasonable; after all, it's working--and get
it done.
You want to answer the American political--[laughter]. See, she
didn't ask me it because she knew I wouldn't answer the question.
[Laughter]
President Kikwete. Well, I don't think I can venture into that
territory either. Of course, people talk with excitement of Obama. Well,
our excitement is that President Bush is at the end of his term and the
U.S. is going to get a new President. Whoever that one is, for us, the
most important thing is, let him be as good friend of Africa as
President Bush has been.
President Bush. Thank you. Yes.
Moderator. We will now take the second and final question from the
Tanzanian press.
President Kikwete. Of course, if I can--maybe let me just say about
PEPFAR, let me just make an appeal: Let PEPFAR continue. This is a
passionate appeal from us. It has been quite useful, as I was saying in
my speech. There would have been so many orphans to date had it not been
for PEPFAR, the care and treatment--so many parents now who have been
infected can live. And some of them can live as many years as possible,
as long as they adhere to the ABCs of the person infected with HIV
living on ARVs.
So can you imagine if this program is discontinued or disrupted?
There would be so many people who will lose hope, and certainly, there
will be death. You create more orphans. My passionate appeal is for
PEPFAR to continue. Through PEPFAR, you know, we did nationwide testing.
In 6 months, we have been able to have 3.4 million people tested, and
through PEPFAR, we got 2 million test kits. Had it not been for PEPFAR,
we would have done less than that. So it's for us--really, for PEPFAR
not to continue, well, it's a recipe for disaster for us. That's what I
can say.
President Bush. Yes. Thank you.
Q. Thank you, Mr. President.
Moderator. A final question from the Tanzanian side, and I would
want to recognize Richard from the Citizen.
U.S. Foreign Policy in Africa
Q. Thank you. President George Bush, you are here with President
Kikwete, who was recently elected as the head of African Union. Can you
promise the people of Africa--how will you support President Kikwete
next 12 months to make sure that the long-end crisis in Darfur, Somalia,
and the recent tribal clashes in Kenya are solved effectively?
President Bush. Well, thank you. We have been actively engaged in
diplomatic efforts on the continent of Africa for a long period of time
and very engaged since I've been the President. You might remember,
Liberia was an issue early on in my Presidency. We engaged both
diplomatically and, to a certain extent, militarily, in that I sent U.S.
marines off the USS Iwo Jima onto--into Liberia to help stabilize the
situation. As a matter of fact, I'm going to Liberia as my last stop on
this very important trip to support the President, the first elected woman President on the continent of
Africa, and to remind her that the U.S.'s help will be constant and
enduring.
And so step one, you can be assured that we're interested in the
affairs of Africa. All you have to do is look at the--at what we've done
in this administration.
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Secondly, I've always believed that we ought to support African
leaders and not impose our views on African leaders. I mean, there's a
certain amount of trust that goes with good foreign policy, and we trust
your President to make the right decisions to help resolve some of these
conflicts, and we'll be active in the process.
So you mentioned Kenya. As a matter of fact, we spent a fair amount
of time dealing with Kenya. The President informed me about his
discussions with Kofi Annan, and we support the
Annan missions very strongly. And to that end, our Secretary of State,
Condoleezza Rice, will be going to Kenya
tomorrow. And it's just--I find it interesting--I think you ought to
find it illustrative--that prior to her trip, she and I spent time
discussing a mutual strategy with the President: How best can we help
the process? Not what we should do to dictate to the process, but what
can America do to help the process move along?
And so our position--and by the way, when it comes to AU efforts in
areas where it requires--which requires peacekeepers, we've been very
strong about helping to train and transport or arrange transportation
for peacekeepers into troubled areas. And so our record speaks for
itself, and it--the way we've conducted our foreign policy with Africa
is, one, it's been a priority, and two, as I say, we come to the
continent not out of guilt but out of compassion. And we come to the
continent with confidence that there are leaders here who are very
capable of charting the way forward to peaceful resolution of conflicts.
Q. Toby Zakaria [Tabassum Zakaria] of Reuters, please.
President Bush. It's the old reporter shuffle here.
Kosovo/Darfur
Q. Mr. President, do you support Kosovo declaring independence from
Serbia? And would the United States recognize it as an independent
state?
And, Mr. President, as head of the African Union, how do you get
more peacekeepers into Darfur?
President Bush. Well, first, on Kosovo, our position is that its
status must be resolved in order for the Balkans to be stable. Secondly,
we have strongly supported the Ahtisaari
plan. Thirdly, we are heartened by the fact that the Kosovo Government
has clearly proclaimed its willingness and its desire to support Serbian
rights in Kosovo. We also believe it's in Serbia's interests to be
aligned with Europe, and the Serbian people can know that they have a
friend in America. Finally, the United States will continue to work with
our allies to do the very best we can to make sure there's no violence.
And so those are the principles going into the Kosovo issue.
Q. But will the United States recognize it?
President Bush. I suggest you study the Ahtisaari plan. Not to be, like, the, you know, grumpy guy.
President Kikwete. Well, how to get--how do we get more peacekeepers
into Darfur? Of course, what has been delaying getting more peacekeepers
has been the lack of understanding between the U.N. and the Government
of Sudan on the status of forces agreement. Now that one has been
signed, I think it has cleared the way. There are many volunteers, and
as Chair of the African Union, we certainly seek out more and more
volunteers as they are needed. We use our good offices to see more and
more African countries contribute. We have volunteered to contribute one
battalion. If there is need for another one, we will certainly do that.
Note: The President's news conference began at 10:29 a.m. at the State
House. In his remarks, he referred to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of
Liberia; former Secretary-General Kofi Annan of the United Nations; and
former President Martti Ahtisaari of Finland, United Nations Special
Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Future Status
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Process for Kosovo. President Kikwete referred to John J. Danilovich,
Chief Executive Officer, Millennium Challenge Corporation.