Clinton tells Africa investors want good governance

[Heidi]

Source: Reuters

Wed Aug 5, 2009 4:08am EDT

NAIROBI (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday investors will shun African states with weak leaders and economies riddled with corruption and crime.

U.S. President Barack Obama, whose father was born in Kenya, said in a speech in Ghana last month that Western aid must be matched by good governance and African leaders had to do more to end war, disease and stamp out graft.

"True economic progress in Africa ... also depends on responsible governments that reject corruption, enforce the rule of law and deliver results for their people. This is not just about good governance, this is about good business," Clinton said.

"Investors will be attracted to states that do this. And they will not be attracted to states with failed or weak leadership, or crime and civil unrest, or corruption that taints every transaction and decision," she told a U.S.-African annual trade meeting in Kenya.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE5741QY20090805

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We're lecturing Africa about the importance rejecting of corruption and enforcing the rule of law? Seems to me the Bush administration isn't exactly ancient US history.

[NEOBuckeye]

1. Exactly n/t

[La Lioness Priyanka]

2. the thing is that in the US thing are not corrupt on the surface

i dont know about most african countries, so i will use my point of reference: india. on the higher echelons in US society, we are all vaguely aware that there is corruption and bribery ummm lobbyists but to get simple day to day tasks done you typically dont need to bribe people. thats not really the way in india. things have improved significantly but generally speaking there is a day to day sense of needing to bribe people to get stuff done: cops, telephone repair, rations, passport office. This is i think what they are referring to. making sure the bribery etc remains in the rarified levels of govt and not the day to day lives of people.

not saying they are right. just saying the way bribery works is different here and in india.

[lsewpershad]

3. Good Governance

To us Americans this means following our dictates.
Allow American businesses to thrive and make as much profits as possible.
It's OK when we bribe govt officials so we can achieve 1&2 above.