Americafrique?

So which is it? Americafrica? Chinafrica? Francoafrique? France has been the old-school colonial influence over Africa's economy. China has poured billions into its Africa economic stake, with special avarice for its resources. Is America now in the game?

U.S. President Obama's recent visit to Ghana cemented widely held warm feelings toward America held by Africans. Many Africans have long seething resentments toward the French. New found resentments toward the Chinese are growing. Witness recently the backlash of the Mourides to the French television's prejudiced portrayal of Senegalese merchants as akin to black gypsies, worse (to the French), black gypsies with religious faith.

Obama's good will is but a further step in the vigorous march of American presidents to Africa. Clinton's drum performance at the Meridian in Dakar was followed by President Bush's successes against AIDS and malaria, as well as aggressive trade initiatives.

But for all that, America's trade with Africa still pales compared to that of France and China. The United State is making no strong plays for natural resources there. We send some Caterpillar tractors, maybe export a few cars, import some clothes. But that's it.

Nor was Obama's visit a foundation for deeper economic connections. Continued foreign aid perhaps. Continued good will for diplomatic partnership. But why, with all the good will, can't the U.S. turn the Africans into Chevy-driving, Ipod-listening Mac users? Lord knows the Africans would want to. Why can't American oil interests build a refinery in Dakar, or craft mining deals?

My "Visit Senegal" recommendations

Friday, April 18, 2008

We sat tonight under a full moon in the courtyard of Mamemor’s mother’s compound. Later we walked by the Mbacke family mosque, the towers glowing under the moonlight. A side street along the way was filled with drum-driven singing, and I could see the people filling the street dancing in the Senegalese fashion, wide aggressive stepping punctuated with wild rhythmic arm waving and body movements. At one point much of the group danced in loose unison in a single direction to the beat… It’s Friday and drumming, loudspeakers and crowds were fairly commonplace, although I have avoided the gatherings. But when Mamemor mentioned that the group dancing in the street was Baye Fall, I asked excitedly about going over to watch. “No, you don’t want to do that,” he said. “Those kids can get crazy.”

With our plans for Saint Louis abandoned due to delays leaving, I settled back comfortably in Le Baol, attended to very well by the hotel manager “C.D.”. The baol are fashioned after the thatch bungalows inhabited by the rural, pastoral Senegalese…

Tourism came up repeatedly today. The hotel’s owner, M. Mbaye, is a friend of Mamemor’s. I was introduced and caught pieces of their conversation about M. Mbaye’s efforts to promote Senegal tourism. Mamemor’s concerns about the conflicts between the religious population here and the values of tourists came up. Later, this evening, while sitting with Mamemor’s family under the moon, with a perfect cooling breeze keeping away the mosquitoes, while drinking the delicious, milkshake-like juice of the baobab tree, the conversation turned to what-should-be Senegal’s appeal to tourists—the beaches, the welcoming, smiling people, the culture. The main obstacles, I commented, seem to be two: promotion and garbage. Some Americans, well-traveled or curious like my friend Ron, know of Senegal and its culture, usually through the music. But a mass-media Senegal tourism promotion campaign in the States is needed to change the common American misperceptions of Africa, especially of Muslim Africa. I think African-Americans would especially enjoy Senegal. Mamemor doesn’t think so; he thinks they are even more wary of Africa than most Americans—“they want to go to Europe like everybody else.” Maybe, maybe not…

The garbage is another matter. The beauty of the beaches is utterly ruined by the garbage. A person’s first impression of the town of Diourbel is the sea of garbage strewn at its gateway. The Dakar golf course at Technopol will never be what it could when ringed by a wall of garbage. If American tourists came here, the garbage would unfortunately confirm the pre-impressions of backwardness and poor services.

So—a “visit Senegal” ad campaign, clean up the garbage—viola, a multi-million-dollar tourism industry. And one more thing: wireless modems. The tourism ministry would do well to ship in a few containers of Linksys wireless modems to distribute and install in all the hotels. And keep the DSL up!