[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 12 (Monday, March 23, 1998)]
[Pages 466-467]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Videotaped Address to the People of Africa

March 19, 1998

    To all our friends in Africa, let met me say how very much I'm 
looking forward to my upcoming trip. I'll travel to Ghana, Uganda, South 
Africa, Botswana, and Senegal. It will be a real privilege for me to be 
the first American President to visit those countries.
    This journey will be my opportunity, and yours, to help to introduce 
the people of the United States to a new Africa, an Africa whose 
political and economic accomplishments grow more impressive each month. 
I want to see for myself what America can learn from Africa and how we 
can work with you as partners to build a better future for all our 
children.
    As I visit your countries and meet your leaders and citizens, I'll 
have in mind four central goals for us to work toward together. First, 
we want to support Africa's democracies, those with long and proud 
histories and those that are newly emerging. Together we can create a 
global community of nations that respect and promote human rights, 
tolerance, and broad participation in public life.
    Second, we want to increase trade and investment with Africa. When 
it comes to economic development, America and Africa can help each 
other, opening markets, building businesses, creating jobs on both 
continents. A prosperous future awaits us if we strengthen the economic 
ties between our countries and give all our people the education and 
training they need to succeed in this new global economy.
    But democracy and prosperity are threatened where there is violence, 
so our third goal is to look for ways to work in partnership with the 
nations of Africa to prevent armed conflict. Ethnic and political 
violence continues to plague parts of Africa. Together we can, and we 
must, find solutions.
    Fourth, the United States wants to play a role in preserving 
Africa's majestic natural beauty and wildlife and ensuring sustainable 
development of Africa's natural resources. The nations of the world must 
continue to cooperate and avoid environmental destruction and to leave a 
rich heritage to our children.
    There are many other areas where we can progress as partners: 
improving nutrition and health care, eradicating diseases like AIDS and 
malaria, empowering women, fighting crime and drugs, expanding civic and 
cultural ties across the ocean. With the 21st century fast approaching, 
Africa, the cradle of human civilization, is forging a vibrant future 
for itself with new leaders, new opportunities, and new hope. The core 
values that are driving Africa's renaissance--democracy, diversity, free 
enterprise--those are the value that the United States shares.
    My wife, Hillary, my daughter, Chelsea, the entire United States 
delegation, and I

[[Page 467]]

look forward to being with you and sharing our experience with the 
American people.

Note: The address was videotaped at approximately 2:30 p.m. on March 5 
in the Roosevelt Room at the White House for later broadcast on the U.S. 
Information Agency WORLDNET, and it was released by the Office of the 
Press Secretary on March 19. A tape was not available for verification 
of the content of this address.