Bush’s Mixed Legacy in Africa
February 15, 2008—Today President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush leave for a six-day visit to Africa to highlight the Administration's legacy on health, education, and economic development. In a speech today, President Bush stated that his Administration has "revolutionized the way we approach development" by ending what he called "paternalism."
"The President has scored impressive achievements in delivering AIDS treatment, and that's why it's so sad to see him putting that legacy at risk with his most recent actions," stated Dr. Paul Zeitz, Executive Director of the Global AIDS Alliance.
"Really ending paternalism would mean leveling with Africans about what his Administration is actually doing back in Washington," stated Zeitz.
"The sad truth is that while the President is shaking the hands of people living with HIV/AIDS, back in Washington his Administration and its allies in Congress are demanding flat-funding for AIDS programs for 2009-2013, along with a dramatic slow down in the expansion of AIDS treatment," stated Zeitz.
President Bush's proposal for $30 billion amounts to flat-funding because it is for $6 billion on a yearly basis, and that is precisely what the US is already spending on global AIDS and related programs this year.
"Flat-funding would devastate programs to meet the needs of orphans and vulnerable children, and it would dash any hopes for rapid progress in strengthening Africa's health systems," said Zeitz. "Instead, as a long list of African and other organizations made clear in a statement this week, a minimum of $50 to $59 billion is needed over five years for AIDS along with tuberculosis, malaria, and health system strengthening programs."
"Bush and his allies in Congress are trying to block critically needed reforms to the AIDS program, and last week he proposed cutting US support for maternal health, child health, and reproductive health programs for 2009," stated Zeitz.
"Incredibly, he has even proposed cutting tuberculosis programs, despite the fact that extremely drug-resistant TB is ravaging Africa and has been identified as a danger to the United States by the Department of Homeland Security," stated Zeitz.
In December 2007, a number of African civic organizations, including some from Tanzania, called for urgent reforms in the US approach to AIDS and health. "While civil-society organizations have been at the forefront of the fight against AIDS, we are not consulted or meaningfully able to contribute to US efforts, policies, plans, and priorities," stated the group. Their recommendations are posted online at http://www.globalaidsalliance.org/index.php/80.
In Benin and several other countries that the President will be visiting, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria has financed crucial malaria programs, yet President Bush has proposed a 40% cut in the US contribution to the Global Fund for 2009, which would cripple malaria programs. Benin is also supposed to benefit from the President's Women's Justice and Empowerment Initiative, yet Bush has not explained why this program has been delayed for three years since its purported launch in 2005.
The President's signature economic development initiative, the Millennium Challenge Account, has spent only a tiny fraction of the nearly $5 billion it has approved for projects around the world. These grants have been slowed to a near standstill by red tape and burdensome oversight. The program has also bypassed the education sector, even though it is crucial to progress in Africa.
Zeitz, along with experts on democracy and military issues in Africa, briefed the media about the Bush trip in a February 11 teleconference. A recording of that briefing is available at http://www.globalaidsalliance.org/newsroom/press_releases/press0211081/.