Africa's rising stars: on a troubled continent, Ghana and Botswana stand out for their political and economic progress. Can other nations follow their lead?

AuthorSmith, Patricia
PositionINTERNATIONAL

When President Obama went to Africa in July, it's no coincidence that his destination was Ghana. And when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton toured the continent a month later, it wasn't surprising that her itinerary included Botswana.

Ghana and Botswana are the kinds of success stories the Obama administration is trying to encourage across Africa. Unlike many African nations, they've both made real strides in establishing democratic institutions with relatively little corruption, and open economies that are attracting foreign investment.

"The African continent is a place of extraordinary promise as well as challenges," Obama said just before his visit. "We're not going to be able to fulfill those promises unless we see better governance."

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Indeed, Africa is known more for its failures than its successes. It has suffered from corrupt dictators like Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and Liberia's former President Charles Taylor. Other problems include famines, ethnic conflicts in places like Darfur and Rwanda that have killed millions, and the rampant use--and abuse--of child soldiers. In some countries, there's also been a reluctance to deal seriously with AIDS, which has decimated an entire generation of Africans.

But countries like Ghana and Botswana are helping to create a new image of Africa as a place in which power can change hands peacefully, free-market policies can boost economic growth, and education is widely available.

As a point of departure for thousands of slaves bound for the Americas, Ghana has a special, if sad, connection to the United States. This west African nation of 23 million people gained its independence from Britain in 1957. It has a function-ing democracy that has managed several peaceful transitions of power. Its diversified economy includes gold mines and cocoa production, and its people are well educated.

A FAVORITE STOP

The rock star Bono, who has made Africa's progress a personal cause, has called Ghana "the new face of Africa."

All this has made Ghana a favorite stop for American Presidents. Obama's predecessors, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, also visited.

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Obama received a warm welcome in Ghana. His face was everywhere, from billboards to T-shirts, with thousands of people lining the streets and watching from rooftops to get a glimpse of America's first black President. As the son of a one-time Kenyan goat-herder who came to the U.S. as a student, Obama was in a good...

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