There is a longstanding partnership program between the U.S. National Guard of specific States and specific countries.

One of the values I place on MCC compacts, threshold compacts and then full compacts, is it requires transparency, commitment to democracy, commitment to certain sort of core principles.

Progress has been made. In April of this year, a senate was elected. Of 100 senators, 20 are women and 18 are members of the opposition.

The more we can press that issue and the more that we can ensure that our corporations adhere to all of our rules and regulations and all the rules and regulations of Cameroon, the better the trade will be.

These are all positive steps forward towards what we hope will be a democratic process of transparency that will have the confidence of the Cameroonian people.

I think to the extent that the situation at home permits them to do that we need to encourage them to keep up that proud history.

It seems to me that we need to help them with their security response to Boko Haram.

I have had a number of heads of state comment directly, pointedly, to me that they feel the absence of an American investment in that kind of continent-wide convening.

I think we more or less said the right things at the right moments, but I remain very attuned to that.

I believe we can and should do much more to promote direct investment and trade with Africa.

I think that the Congo has a really great opportunity in 2016 to show and start establishing a legacy of smooth transitions.

I appreciate the sentiment. I do at times think we are in competition.