A Worthy Initiative
This is very good news as Africa desperately needs to enlarge its electric infrastructure. The story goes on to say,
The U.S. and its private sector partners will initially focus its efforts on six African countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, and Tanzania, where Obama will wrap up his trip later this week. Former President George W. Bush, who supports health programs throughout the continent, will also be in Tanzania next week, and the White House did not rule out the possibility that the two men might meet.
Obama will also highlight U.S. efforts to bolster access to food and health programs on the continent. His advisers said the president sees reducing the poverty and illness that plague many parts of Africa as an extension of Mandela's example of how change can happen within countries.
Private companies, including General Electric and Symbion Power, are making an additional $9 billion in commitments with the goal of providing power to millions of Africans crippled by a lack of electricity.
Having now read the Reuters and Fox versions of the story, neither explains what type of power generation is planned: Coal, hydroelectric, natural gas, nuclear? Regardless, this is good news.
Mike: I have followed your blog for a long time and certainly have a great deal of respect for you and the excellent information you consistently bring to your readers! However, after reading this post I am wondering how bad of a bump you had to your head this morning......did you not hear or read about the speech that Obama gave at Georgetown last week? He wants to "parch Americans into repeal" of the use of the very thing he is now proposing giving the Africans.
ReplyDeleteAfter you recover from your apparent head injury maybe you can refresh your memory of how the "warlords" in Africa pilfer all of the aid given to the nations there and then leave the poor wallowing in squalor.
Respectfully
Jerry L Smith
Ashburn, Virginia
Jerry,
ReplyDeleteI was at the AMS conference in Nashville last week and was very busy. Yes, I heard about the President's global warming plan. I even went to the White House website and read part of it. It is very discouraging. Parts of it don't even make scientific or economic sense.
And, yes, there is a long history of theft of American aid. But, in order for Africa to ever be able to lift itself up they MUST have adequate electric power. So, I want to cheer the President on in this particular initiative in hopes that good will come of it.
Mike