Ghana
US Treasury Secretary learning in Ghana

afrol News, 22 May - The US Treasury Secretary Paul H. O'Neill is currently on a highly profiled Africa tour to "see for himself" what are the development problems faced by the continent. In Ghana, O'Neill wanted to "witness first hand the efforts underway to engage all the people of Africa in creating a brighter future."

- I come here to learn, O'Neill stated in Ghana. "To hear from entrepreneurs, investors, farmers, artisans and vendors in the market. I want to hear their hopes and dreams and I hope they share with me their insights into how best to eliminate the obstacles to Africa's prosperity. I come here with an open mind," he added.

The Bush administration has been accused of widely ignoring the problems of Africa, in contrary to the higher profile of the previous Clinton administration. The US Treasury Secretary's visit to Africa - taking him to Ghana and South Africa accompanied by a middle-aged rock star - is a part of the US administration's efforts to break down this negative image. O'Neill also reminded the Ghanaians that President Bush had "committed to an 18 percent increase in funding for the African Development Bank." 

The most interesting novelty in O'Neill's speech was perhaps that he had been determined "to reform the way in which the World Bank and the other multilateral development banks do business" since he became Treasury Secretary. "They must improve the effectiveness of their assistance," he stated. He didn't give details.

The Treasury Secretary made another stunt to secure media coverage by visiting the Makola market in Ghana's capital Accra. Noting the displays of colourful textiles exposed all over the market, O'Neill said they were 'Made in Ghana' products one could sell anywhere. "You could make micro-loans to people like these, and they could be on their way," proposed O'Neill, again advocating private enterprise's role in reducing poverty and creating jobs.

US media meanwhile have focused on rock singer "Bono's" performance at the side of the US civil servant. The musician had had his own opinions on the needs of poor Ghanaians, not equal to O'Neill's, leading US media reported. The views of poor Ghanaians about their own situation however seemed absent in this analyses. 

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