Obama to seek return for investment in Africa

[Tx4obama]

Obama to seek return for investment in Africa

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama's upcoming weeklong trip to Africa will mark his most significant personal investment in the developing region since taking office.

The White House is hoping the return on that investment will be an increased foothold for U.S. businesses on a continent where China and other emerging economies are already major players.

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"There are other countries getting in the game," Rhodes said. "If the United States is not leading in Africa, we're going to fall behind in a very important region in the world."

China in particular has poured significant resources into the region in recent years. Official figures from Beijing put China's trade with Africa at nearly $200 billion last year, up from $10 billion in 2000. The rapid increase has been driven largely by Chinese demand for oil and investments in infrastructure, including telecommunications grids.

According to the office of the U.S. Trade Representative, U.S. trade with sub-Saharan Africa totaled about $95 billion in 2011.

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Full article here: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_AFRICA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-06-21-19-26-31

[Scootaloo]

1. Just what the nations of Africa need

[jberryhill]

2. It's about time we started exploiting African opportunities!

[dipsydoodle]

3. Read "return for investment in Africa"

as US bases there. Africa needs those about as much as untreatable herpes.

China may well have got in early with the footholds but try and find a Chinese base in Africa.

US motives for almost anything have become increasingly suspect.

[The Link]

4. Exploiting Africans for U.S. gain.

Thats a first.