The Overlooked Continent

President Clinton's visit to Africa has focused attention on a continent largely neglected by both American foreign policy and the media. His six-nation trip (March 22 -April 2) is the first official state visit an American president has made to sub-Saharan Africa in twenty years.

The roster of presidential visits south of the Sahara is sparse:

1992-93-- George Bush visited U.S. troops in Somalia over the New Year, but he did so to rally the troops and not as a diplomatic mission.

1978--Jimmy Carter made official state visits to Nigeria and Liberia.

1943--Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Liberia following the Casablanca Conference (CE) in Morocco.

Liberia's distinction as the only sub-Saharan country visited by two American presidents comes from its status as a former U.S. colony. It had been settled by freed American slaves before the Civil War.

Following is some background on the six nations on President Clinton's itinerary.

Ghana
· History
· Statistics and Current Events

Uganda
· History
· Statistics and Current Events

South Africa
· History
· Statistics and Current Events

Botswana
· History
· Statistics and Current Events

Rwanda
· History
· Statistics and Current Events

Senegal
· History
· Statistics and Current Events

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