WASHINGTON -- Africa is a continent "in transition, confident of its capabilities and chances of success," Burkina Faso's minister of foreign affairs, Youssouf Ouedraogo, told participants at the "U.S.-Africa Ministerial: Partnership for the 2lst Century" here on March 16.

Addressing fellow ministers from 46 sub-Saharan African nations and ranking U.S. officials, Ouedraogo, chairman of the council of ministers of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), made plain that "it is important for our foreign partners to focus on this new order, rather than allow themselves to be diverted by a pessimism about Africa, skillfully orchestrated by circles that are misinformed with regard to the realities of our continent."

In the field of trade and investment, he added, African nations have exerted a "considerable effort" in moving toward market economies, "since we are convinced that we cannot hope for sustained growth and sustainable development without increasing our exports and attracting as much direct foreign investment as possible."

At the same time, however, he acknowledged that Africa's share in world trade "remains marginal, scarcely 1 percent. Furthermore, vital sectors, such as infrastructure, transportation, communications, energy, health, and training, are suffering from a level of investment that is desperately inadequate."

A major stumbling block to Africa's growth, he noted, has been a heavy debt burden, which has stymied "noticeable improvement in the living conditions of our urban and rural populations. The results of growth, Mr. President, are still absorbed in large part by debt repayment. It is time, then, to go to the heart of the matter: debt cancellation. We salute, in this regard, President Clinton's welcome initiative [of March 16] to forgive sub-Saharan Africa's bilateral debt."

Also of "major concern" in Africa is environmental protection, he pointed out. With the continent "perpetually subjected to natural disasters, such as drought and desertification, which make us almost permanently dependent on outside sources for food," he called on the "international community as a whole" to find adequate solutions to these problems.

"We hope, therefore, that the United States will ratify in the very near future the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification," he said.

Africa also has vital political and security concerns -- and, "indeed, the conflicts that are now brewing on our continent constitute a serious threat to development and subregional and regional integration, and are a major handicap to bringing Africa into the world economy," he said. And again, he called on the United States and the international community to help solve these conflicts.

"This assistance," he said, "could be in the form of substantial support for regional and subregional mechanisms for conflict prevention and management in Africa, especially in the areas of logistics, expertise, addressing humanitarian issues, and promoting human rights."

In concluding, Ouedraogo pointed to the phenomenon of globalization, which "gives other continent-wide scourges a dimension that deserves greater attention from the international community. In this regard, Africa is prepared to develop a constructive partnership with the United States in many areas, such as the fight against narcotics trafficking, terrorism, arms proliferation, infectious diseases such as malaria and AIDS, and illiteracy, to mention only a few."

Speaking for all delegates present, he said, "I would like to assure you that we are prepared to work for the success of this conference as the starting point of a renaissance in U.S.-Africa relations."

Following is the text of Ouedraogo's remarks as prepared for delivery:

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Statement by His Excellency Youssouf Ouedraogo Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) At the Opening Session of the USA-Africa Ministerial Meeting Washington, D.C., March 15-18, 1999

(Statement on behalf of the Delegations of the OAU Member Countries)

His Excellency the President of the United States, Representatives of the United States Government, Members of the African Delegations, Ladies and Gentlemen:

By designating me to speak on their behalf, the African countries here today would first like to extend their sincere thanks and deep gratitude to the government and the people of the United States for having invited them to participate in this important meeting, and for the warm welcome they have received since arriving on American soil.

I should also like to convey to you the greetings, encouragement, and wishes for success of His Excellency Blaise Compaore, President of Burkina Faso and current President of the Organization of African Unity.

This meeting is, beyond any doubt, an important "first," and will forever mark, in a positive way, the history of relations between the United States and Africa. Upon closer examination, however, it is, more than anything else, a reunion, for we Africans still remember those intense moments in our struggle for emancipation, when we were able to rely on the valuable support and solidarity of the government and people of the United States.

Friendship and solidarity are also the context in which President Clinton's visit to Africa last year must be placed and interpreted, and we pay him resounding tribute for his personal commitment and that of his government to our continent.

We also welcome with much satisfaction the draft legislation on trade and investment in Africa, which will open new vistas in relations between the United States and Africa. It is our fervent wish that this bill will soon become law.

Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen: Africa in 1999 is a continent in the midst of change. Against every type of adversity, it is courageously and resolutely pursuing the broad-based economic, political, and social reforms initiated in the early 1990s.

The firm resolve to opt for democratization and a multiparty system and the progress achieved in the observance of human rights have made it possible to unleash new energies capable of accelerating the continent's development. Efforts to streamline the management of public finance, reductions in government spending, and the privatization of State-owned companies have given new impetus to the economies of our States.

By implementing rules of good governance and structural adjustment measures, espousing transparency in public management, and according priority to the law and special importance to the process of economic integration, an unprecedented climate of trust has been established that is well suited to attract new, direct foreign investment.

The positive results of these actions are now starting to be felt -- in recent years, economic recovery has been confirmed and has accelerated on our continent, as it has spread to more of our countries.

The Gross Domestic Product has grown by an average of 4 percent, for the first time exceeding the rate of population growth, which is approximately 2.8 percent. In some countries, the GDP has even grown by more than 6 percent.

Africa, then, is a continent in transition, confident of its capabilities and chances of success.

It is important for our foreign partners to focus on this new order, rather than allow themselves to be diverted by a pessimism about Africa, skillfully orchestrated by circles that are misinformed with regard to the realities of our continent.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: Although there is always hope, Africa is still experiencing major difficulties that I would like to discuss with you.

In the field of trade and investment, we have made considerable effort, particularly by moving toward a market economy, since we are convinced that we cannot hope for sustained growth and sustainable development without increasing our exports and attracting as much direct foreign investment as possible.

Despite these efforts, however, Africa's share in world trade remains marginal, scarcely 1 percent. Furthermore, vital sectors, such as infrastructure, transportation, communications, energy, health, and training are suffering from a level of investment that is desperately inadequate.

We are, therefore, encouraging every action and initiative that might increase the flow of trade between the United States and Africa, the most important of which are adoption by the Congress of the draft legislation on trade and investment and making available to all African countries the opportunities offered by institutions such as Ex-Im Bank.

The debt issue, raised by African States in international fora on numerous occasions, is well known and does not require further comment.

Nonetheless, I would like to point out that the economic growth observed here and there on the continent has not contributed to noticeable improvement in the living conditions of our urban and rural populations. The results of growth, Mr. President, are still absorbed in large part by debt repayment. It is time, then, to go to the heart of the matter: debt cancellation. We salute, in this regard, President Clinton's welcome initiative to forgive sub-Saharan Africa's bilateral debt.

Mr. President: Environmental protection is also a major concern in Africa. Our continent is perpetually subjected to natural disasters, such as drought and desertification, which make us almost permanently dependent on outside sources for food.

Since environmental problems are borderless, the international community as a whole must mobilize to find adequate solutions. We hope, therefore, that the United States will ratify in the very near future the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

But Africa also has concerns in the political and security area -- I almost said especially in that area -- since we need peace, stability, and security to work calmly for the economic and social development of our continent.

Indeed, the conflicts that are now brewing on our continent constitute a serious threat to development and subregional and regional integration, and are a major handicap to bringing Africa into the world economy.

Hence the necessity for Africa to work harder to achieve peace and stability. In this effort, we would hope to be able to rely on the assistance of the international community as a whole and particularly on that of major powers like the United States.

This assistance could be in the form of substantial support for regional and subregional mechanisms for conflict prevention and management in Africa, especially in the areas of logistics, expertise, addressing humanitarian issues, and promoting human rights.

Mr. President: Africa today, as we sadly note, is marginalized and left to its own devices in its search for peace, security, and stability. This situation is particularly unfortunate since, in a period of globalization, seemingly local or regional conflicts can very rapidly degenerate into international conflicts if they are not controlled in time.

The phenomenon of globalization gives other continent-wide scourges a dimension that deserves greater attention from the international community. In this regard, Africa is prepared to develop a constructive partnership with the United States in many areas, such as the fight against narcotics trafficking, terrorism, arms proliferation, infectious diseases such as malaria and AIDS, and illiteracy, to mention only a few.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: On behalf of all African delegations present here, I would like to assure you that we are prepared to work for the success of this conference as the starting point of a renaissance in U.S.-Africa relations. Thank you.

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