By John Kerry

Washington, DC — Last May, I shared in an extraordinary moment. I had the privilege, together with many leaders from across Africa, of bearing witness to the first peaceful, democratic transition of power between two parties in Nigeria.

I traveled to Lagos earlier this year to emphasize that for the United States, Nigeria is an increasingly important strategic partner with a critical role to play in the security and prosperity of the region. I also said that it was imperative that these elections set a new standard for democracy across the continent.

There is no question that this is a decisive moment for democracy in Africa. Later this month, four countries – Guinea, Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, and the Central African Republic – are scheduled to hold presidential elections, and soon after we hope to see elections in Burkina Faso. People across Africa must seize this opportunity to make their voices heard; and leaders across the continent must listen.

The challenges are real. For decades, poverty, famine, war, and authoritarian leadership have held back an era of African prosperity and stability.

These and other challenges should not be underestimated, but neither should we ignore the gains that are being made.

In Africa, as elsewhere, there is a deep hunger for governments that are legitimate, honest, and effective. We should have no doubt that progress in democratic governance will lead to gains in every other field about which we are concerned.

In Burkina Faso, brave and determined citizens twice asserted their will in successfully opposing efforts to curtail the democratic process: last year, when the former president sought to alter term limits and extend his 27 years in office; and again last month, when Burkinabes rallied against a failed attempt to seize power by elements of the Presidential Security Regiment.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we have seen citizens speak out, sometimes at great personal risk, to push for transparent, timely, and credible elections.

And we have seen that same hunger for democracy outside of Africa. Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Panama all recently held inclusive, well-organized elections that brought new leaders to power and strengthened democratic institutions.

The challenge in Africa’s upcoming elections is to meet this demand for democracy and live up to the standards that Africans expect and deserve. The countries scheduled to go to the polls vary widely in their history and circumstances, but each has an opportunity to enhance its democratic credentials and advance economic growth and shared prosperity.

Côte d’Ivoire can put a difficult and violent election in 2010 firmly in its past and resume its position as a regional leader.

Tanzania is preparing for its fourth transition of power between elected Presidents since independence. By respecting the Tanzanian constitution’s two-term limit and stepping down from office, President Jakaya Kikwete is creating a dynamic and healthy competition among potential successors.

Guinea is emerging from the scourge of Ebola, but its citizens are also calling for an electoral process that allows their voices to be heard.

Meanwhile, the transitional government in Burkina Faso is working towards cementing its commitment to democracy through timely and transparent elections.

Elections are vitally important, but make no mistake: elections cannot be the only moment for citizens to shape their future. People must be able to engage with their government and with their fellow citizens in political discussion and debate not just on Election Day, but every day.

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Thirty-three out of Africa’s 54 countries have shown improvements in the way they are governed over the last four years, research has found.

But the researchers behind the Ibrahim Index of African Governance say progress “is stalling”.

The index measures changes in development, human rights, security and economic opportunity.

Mauritius and Cape Verde are the top-ranked countries, and South Sudan and Somalia are at the bottom of the index.

The Sudan-born mobile phone magnate Mo Ibrahim, who funds the research, said that it is hard to make generalisations because “Africa is not a country”, and the research reveals huge differences within the continent.
Overall, Ivory Coast has shown the most improvement since 2011 as it moved away from the conflict that was sparked by a disputed election the year before.
Top five-ranked countries

Mauritius
Cape Verde
Botswana
South Africa
Namibia

South Sudan, the world’s newest country, has shown the greatest deterioration in governance – in part because of the civil war which began in December 2013.

Zimbabwe is also listed as a country which has shown big improvements over the last four years, but nonetheless is ranked 44th on the continent.

Ordinary Zimbabweans told the BBC’s Brian Hungwe in the capital, Harare, that they were surprised to hear that things were improving, despite the political situation becoming more peaceful.

“That’s totally outrageous,” one man said, “people are suffering because of the economy and there is not enough food on the table.”

Among other countries, Ghana is ranked seventh on the index, with a small decrease in its score for governance, Ethiopia comes 31st, with an increase in its score and Nigeria came 39th, also with an increase.
Bottom five-ranked countries

Eritrea
Sudan
Central African Republic
South Sudan
Somalia

Looking at the continent as a whole, Mr Ibrahim did have concerns about the pace at which things are changing.

He said, while launching the index, that Africans are “healthier and live in more democratic societies” compared to 15 years ago but “recent progress in other key areas on the continent has either stalled or reversed”.

He added that this was “a warning sign for all of us”.

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If the renewal process is delayed to Agoa’s expiration date of September 30 of this year, it will undermine much of what the legislation has achieved, especially in the apparel sector.

Apparel and footwear companies are the largest supporters of the several hundred thousand direct jobs that Agoa has created in Africa—not to mention the many more indirect jobs. Though, with the uncertainty surrounding the renewal of Agoa as well as the now-crunched timeline, these investments and jobs are in jeopardy.

U.S. apparel and footwear companies plan production lines and place orders months in advance so that shirts from Lesotho and jeans from Kenya, for example, will be on the shelves in American stores in time for the next shopping season. As the deadline looms closer, these companies will face too much uncertainty to place their orders from the continent.

Uncertainty about when Agoa will be renewed similarly leads to uncertainty by U.S. companies about whether to invest in African companies. This is a detriment to development on the continent and threatens to undermine the goodwill that Agoa has created for the U.S. in Africa.

Importantly, Africa is not the only beneficiary of this key trade legislation. According to the United States Trade Representative, exports to Africa support more than 120,000 jobs in the United States. Without predictability in the U.S.-African commercial relationship it will be difficult to grow, let alone sustain, this number.

Agoa renewal must come first; enhancements, while welcome now, can come later.

The broad bicameral and bipartisan support that Agoa enjoys in Congress makes it quite unique. It is encouraging that new committee chairs, such as Rep. Paul Ryan of the House Ways and Means Committee and Senator Orin Hatch of the Senate Finance Committee, have spoken out in support of an Agoa extension. The African diplomatic corps in Washington is in full support of Agoa’s extension as are an array of non-governmental organizations, businesses, think tanks and faith-based organizations, which make up the so-called Agoa coalition.

To its credit, the Obama administration called for a 15-year extension of Agoa, through September 30, 2030, in the budget it sent to Congress last week.

Members of Congress need to approach a long-term Agoa renewal with a sense of urgency. If the administration and Congress can agree on enhancements for the legislation, that would be welcome. However, the time has long passed for protracted negotiations on enhancements and new conditionalities.

Given Africa’s growing importance to the U.S., symbolized vividly by last year’s successful Africa Leaders’ Summit, surely it is possible to address enhancements to Agoa later in this session of Congress without having to wait for the legislation’s renewal at some point in the future..

At the same time, various members of the Agoa coalition have views about whether the legislation should be extended on its own or as part of a larger trade package. That’s fine, but a very near-term extension should be the priority, one way or another.

How might the trade relationship change post-Agoa renewal?

Once a renewed Agoa is in place, there is a need to begin a conversation with our partners on the continent about how we transition from Agoa to a more reciprocal trade relationship that provides more benefits and protection to American investors and exports.

With the European Union having established the framework for free trade agreements with 35 African nations, known as Economic Partnership Agreements, the U.S. is in danger of being placed at a long-term competitive disadvantage in most African markets. It is already beginning to happen in South Africa, which has had an FTA with the EU since 1999.

The U.S. and the 40 countries in sub-Saharan Africa that participate in Agoa are increasingly important to each other for reasons that relate to commerce, security, governance and heritage, among other factors. Extending Agoa as soon as possible is vital to ensuring that the U.S.-African relationship remains relevant and as strong as possible.

Witney Schneidman is a nonresident Fellow at the Africa Growth Initiative at Brookings and Senior International Advisor for Africa atCovington & Burling LLP. He also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African affairs. The piece originally appeared on the Brookings Africa Growth Initiative blog Africa in Focus.

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African women like women around the world are VERY SERIOUS about their hair.

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Adwoa Amea Gyambibi, a senior reporter and head of research with the Daily Dispatch newspaper in Ghana, says that she’s been interested in “how the diversity of American views contributes to a dynamic and resilient political system that includes fair elections.”
As one of an Africa Policy Breakfast Series hosted by Representative Karen Bass of California, the standing-room-only event showcased young leaders from a number of countries, including Ghana, Togo and Rwanda. Policy wonks, foreign policy professionals, African ambassadors, students and activists were among those attending.

Manasse Fatonzoun from Togo, is a youth advocate who provides public speaking training and confidence-building to young Togolese. “In Africa,” he said “we focus much more on the present. I’ve learned that America uses the past to inspire a better present and to provide for the future.” To critics who decry Africa’s sometimes slow progress he says, “Democracy is a process. We are on the way. With the new, young generation we are going to move forward.”

But the young African leaders received sustained applause when they made the point that “America has a lot to learn from Africa.” Dialogue with the audience included issues concerning conflict, global health challenges, natural resource management and, in particular, trade versus aid opportunities.

Congresswoman Bass told the gathering that “it’s important to have a dialog with the next generation of leaders from the continent and to support young African leaders as they develop.”

Noluthando Crockett-Ntonga, reporting as Phyllis Crockett, covered the White House for National Public Radio and was based in sub-Saharan Africa for more than 10 years working on development issues.

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In 2009 a news investigation by London’s Sunday Times highlighted human rights abuses by a Gap contractor in the southern African country of Lesotho. Young children and others were suffering with breathing problems and rashes due to toxic materials the contractor dumped into landfills and the nearby river.

A June 2011 article in the MIT Sloan Management Review, is a case study on how a global company’s proactive engagement with its stakeholders—including workers, human rights organizations and governments—can result in “win-win” scenarios. A panel discussion at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, organized by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) examined ways that could result in more such positive outcomes in development, at the intersection of global business and human rights.

“Virtually everyone around the world is touched by business activity related to human rights,” said Dr. David W. Yang, Director USAID Office of Democracy and Governance. “The recent UN Human Rights Council endorsement of the “Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights” drafted by the Special Representative John Ruggie, illuminates the importance of an integrated approach to business and human rights in development, and the relationship to economic growth and poverty reduction. There are obstacles, but development practitioners are in a unique position to build bridges to such an approach,” Yang said.

The UN framework recognizes a nation’s duty to protect against human rights abuses, the corporate responsibility to respect human rights, and greater access by victims to effective remedies.

Chris Avery is the Director of the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, which tracks the positive and negative impacts of more than 5,100 companies in 180 countries. “There are several emerging trends on the landscape,” said Avery. “More NGOs are examining private sector conduct and they are taking steps to prevent the ‘oil sector curse’ in Africa”. Among the positive outcomes Avery cites is that many companies are now adopting human rights policy statements and seeking NGO partners. Avery is quick to point out that serious problems remain with some companies talking the talk but supporting business organizations that actively lobby against measures to support human rights.

The issue of business and human rights came to the fore on the global policy agenda in the 1990s, reflecting the dramatic worldwide expansion of the private sector at the time and heightening social awareness of businesses’ impact on human rights.

Melike Yetken, Division Chief, Business & Human Rights in the U.S. State  Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor said, “the new global rules are not yet written. The Rule of Law is extremely important in promoting multi-stakeholder dialog.”

Bennett Freeman, Senior Vice President, Sustainability Research & Policy at Calvert Investments said that the Ruggie Principles validate the importance of business to human rights, and throws down a challenge to global companies.

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