OPINION:
The recent saga of unrest and instability in West and Central Africa is a sobering reminder of the threats to peace and security that we face. Those threats come on the heels of other formidable challenges that our continent is facing, such as the Ebola outbreak, the ongoing struggle to rescue the kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls, and other acts of terrorism that threaten both the interests of countries in the region and of the United States.
My country, the Togolese republic, may be small, but we are strategically located, and our people and strong vision for the future make us an important leader and valued partner to our neighbors. In this regard, I was selected by our regional leaders to coordinate our collective response to the Ebola epidemic — a challenge that I am proud to accept. While we have made great strides over the past decade, our efforts to continue our growth and development could be greatly multiplied with the help of the United States — which we consider our neighbor despite the ocean that separates us.
Recently, I sent an official delegation to Washington to meet with our American counterparts to discuss ways we can partner to protect our future. The urgency and enormity of recent developments in the region necessitated this visit because, despite our collective efforts and those of the international community, we have been left behind the curve. Deeper partnerships are that ounce of prevention that saves us from the pound of cure.
One such partnership is the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which provides valuable foreign aid to countries with a demonstrated commitment to fighting poverty. The corporation is unique because it does not blindly throw money at difficult situations; rather, it bases country eligibility on factors that will ensure that the money is well spent, such as democratic development and fighting corruption.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation is founded on the principle that if we help countries build the necessary infrastructure and framework today, they will be better equipped to face their own challenges when they arise tomorrow. The Millennium Challenge Corporation is a wonderful example of that American vision that goes beyond partisan ideology and ever-changing political dynamics. It is an initiative begun by President George W. Bush that has improved the lives of millions all over the world and continues to do so under President Obama. For those of us who look at the United States from afar, it is this type of cooperation and partnership that rises above political cleavages and demonstrates the uniquely American approach to provide targeted and effective foreign aid.
In Togo, we share that philosophy because we believe that a people without a vision perish. We have undertaken a bold plan called Vision Togo 2030, which will focus on four primary areas: economic development and technology, policy and governance, cultural promotion and human development. We have enacted economic reforms aimed at equipping our citizens, particularly women and young people, with the tools they need to become entrepreneurs and pursue business and educational opportunities that were far out of their reach just a few years ago.
We have also heavily invested in the port of Lome, in our capital city, which is the only deep seaport in West Africa and is the most secure major shipping port in the region. In recognition of our efforts to promote security and fight maritime piracy and trafficking, Togo was chosen by the African Union to host the international conference on maritime security in October 2015. Furthermore, just last week, our government decided to create an official anti-corruption body, and wide-ranging proposed legislation aimed at not only prevention, but also the promotion of a culture of transparency and integrity, will soon be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration.
We are keenly aware that no country can prosper under the constant threat of terrorism and conflict, which is why Togo has and continues to play a key role in United Nations peacekeeping missions in Africa in Mali, Ivory Coast, the Darfur region of Sudan and Guinea-Bissau. Our strategic location can be valuable to protect U.S. interests in the region, and we look forward to increasing this security cooperation with our American partners.
President Obama’s recent U.S.-African Leaders Summit was another example of America’s commitment to Africa. Like the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the summit and the fruits that it will bear build upon Mr. Bush’s well-known and effective efforts in Africa to fight HIV/AIDS and malaria and to resolve deeply entrenched conflicts.
Let’s use this trying time to come together and find ways to harness our collective responses into effective proactive strategies. Hindsight may be 20/20, but we cannot afford to waste our time and energy looking backward and lamenting on what we could have done together to save and protect the lives of millions.
Faure Gnassingbe is president of the African nation of Togo.
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