In response to your request of June 22, 1973 for additional information
on the Secretary’s proposal for the formation of a Presidential
Commission on African Development, I am enclosing the attached
material.
Attachment 1
Background Paper
Washington,
undated
FURTHER BACKGROUND ON SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF
THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT
(1) Expansion of U.S. markets in Africa
We intend that the prestigious membership of the Commission,
including business and banking leaders, will lend their names to
efforts to promote U.S. trade with Africa, setting an example in
their own institutions that others may follow. Promotional
activities could include: conferences on African-American trade in
particular sectors, such as engineering services, heavy machinery
supply, construction and mining; high-level trade missions to
Africa; reception by Commission members in the U.S. of key African
commercial and investment officials; representation at African trade
fairs by Commission members.
(2) Long-term economic policy
recommendations
We need a fresh look at U.S. policy on commodity agreements, trade
agreements, stockpile disposals, investment promotion and
guarantees, European-African economic relations, etc., and how these
policies affect African-American relations. A group of senior
non-governmental people, stimulated by the reports of technical
sub-committees and the views of senior governmental personnel should
make an important contribution to such a policy review.
(3) Expanded access to African natural
resources
There is insufficient awareness in the United States of the
importance to us of Africa’s natural resources. Africa has
significant quantities of the world’s reserves of phosphate rock,
copper, cobalt and other minerals. Africa’s iron ore reserves are
twice those of the United States and two-thirds those of the USSR. Libya and Nigeria are among the
top oil producing countries of the world. Algeria produces great
quantities of natural gas. Access to these resources is important to
the United States and to other friendly powers. With the spread of
industrialization, these resources will become increasingly
critical. The Commission can help to generate greater American
awareness of the importance of sharing in the development of these
minerals.
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(4) Stimulation of more development resources
for Africa and better overall use of existing resources
Most of our foreign policy objectives in Africa can be met through
participation in the national and regional development efforts of
the Africans themselves. Economic development has become the primary
objective of almost every African leader—because of the growing
expectations of his people. Yet, the level of our public and private
sector assistance to Africa has remained modest compared with other
donor countries. In terms of GNP we rank twelfth. We believe that
the Commission can help to stimulate further support for aid to
Africa, and can encourage its effective use by Africans. Hopefully,
the Commission will be able to focus greater attention on specific
problem areas such as: the transfer of technology from American
industry to Africa; the search for long-range solutions to chronic
drought in the Sahel; the creation of African awareness of the
interaction of environment on development; encouragement of more
regional planning and coordination among groups of African
countries, without which many of them cannot hope to develop; and an
appraisal of the impact of rapid population growth on economic
development.
