Incoming US ambassador to Zimbabwe Bruce Wharton has acclaimed Africa as a continent with a lot of potential for development, in an interview on Initiative Africa.
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| Incoming US Ambassador to Zimbabwe Bruce Wharton (picture courtesy of harare.usembassy.gov) |
Wharton was in Paris to promote the 50th anniversary of the Africa Regional Services, where he acknowledged, Africa to be a rich continent with a lot of potential for development, citing that Africa was the new frontier for development.
“I see another side of Africa, which is much more positive and making progress at a much faster rate. There is much more hope, dynamism and opportunity in Africa than any place in the world,” he said.
Wharton applauded the work done by the Africa Regional Services, in building understanding and relationships between America and Africa.
The Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs believes engaging Africa in constructive mechanisms could propel the continent to greater heights highlighting that Ghana, South Africa and Kenya had done well.
“Demographics in Africa are compelling, it’s vital that they be given the tools, voices and the platform to talk about their dreams” highlighting that AGOA was the primary platform for development investors in Africa.
One of the mechanisms, Wharton referred to was the Fulbright program, an international educational program sponsored by the United States government.
Wharton shares the same sentiments on youth development as his predecessor Charles Ray, "We have great relationships with most of the African leaders, but we need to reach out to the next generation of African leaders,” he said.
Asked about his interest in Africa, Wharton responded saying that he has family roots where in Africa, his father was born in the former Belgian Congo. He added that it was about being useful to the planet and his own country as well.
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is a United States Trade Act that significantly enhances U.S. market access for (currently) 40 Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries.
