Obama et l'Afrique

L'élection du premier Président noir de l'histoire américaine, un Président ayant des origines africaines, avait soulevé l'enthousiasme des africains et plusieurs croyaient qu'on assisterait au début d'une nouvelle ère. Retour à la dure réalité cinq ans plus tard, les chinois sont beaucoup plus présents que les américains et Obama ne fait pas de l'Afrique une priorité.

 "“There was certainly huge enthusiasm, but as the years have gone by that has dampened quite a bit, though not completely, as people found he really was not that into Africa,” said Deborah Bräutigam of Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. “He’s not made it a priority at all. He’s actually paid less attention to Africa than George W. Bush. So, I think there’s been disappointment in this administration.”

The feeling that Obama and the country he leads have given Africa short shrift hasn’t turned public opinion south of the Sahara in an anti-American direction, but it has fueled concern that the United States may be effectively ceding much of the continent to a looming geopolitical rival: China.

 “If you compare [Obama’s] visits with Chinese leaders’ visits, it’s minimal. They travel a lot and really rack up the frequent flyer miles,” Bräutigam said. “Their foreign minister goes to Africa for the first visit of the year every year. They’re just much more engaged, constantly bringing over delegations trying to find business opportunities.”

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/12/obama-and-africa-still-a-work-in-progress-100850.html?hp=t1_3