A US lawmaker back from a visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has described the vast central African nation as “a ticking bomb,” calling on President George W Bush to make Africa a top foreign policy priority.
“The Congo is a ticking bomb,” Representative Frank Wolf told reporters, noting six African countries – Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia – have had troops fighting there for more than three years.
“It is, if you will, an African world war,” said the Virginia Republican, who met with the late DRCongo leader Laurent Kabila just days before he was assassinated.
Wolf said it was too soon to tell how the DRC’s new leader, Kabila’s son Joseph Kabila, would deal with the situation. The army major general, believed to be in his late 20s or early 30s, is due to be sworn in Friday.
Wolf called on Bush to create a task force to thoroughly review US policy toward Africa, work on debt relief for the poorer nations and appoint a special envoy to the region.
The envoy, Wolf said, had to be a high-profile diplomat “with a direct line to the president.”
US Secretary of State Colin Powell, however, has suggested many of the special envoy positions from the administration of former president Bill Clinton may not be renewed, which could include Jesse Jackson’s appointment as US Democracy envoy to Africa.
Bush’s administration also has yet to announce specific policies toward Africa.
Wolf, describing the toll that prolonged war, famine and AIDS are inflicting on sub-Saharan Africa, insisted the United States had to remain involved, particularly in the DRC and Sudan.
“We (US) have made a difference in Northern Ireland. We have worked to stop the violence among ethnic and religious factions in Eastern Europe. We are attempting to bring peace to the Middle East. It is time to focus on Africa,” he said. – AFP