Russ Feingold: “It is no secret that Africa has not been high on Congress's priority list historically. This is due to a number of…”

“It is no secret that Africa has not been high on Congress's priority list historically. This is due to a number of reasons including that African issues have not generated the same kind of public passion and constituent attention as closer-to-home subjects like health care or education. But this is beginning to change. Interest in Africa is at its highest level in recent memory-- perhaps ever. I am concerned, however, that because the bulk of this attention is focused on humanitarian tragedies and grave violence we are depicting a continent caught in a downward spiral, which offers little motivation for long-term U.S. engagement. Funding relief efforts in response to crises--while an important element of U.S. policy--does not address fundamental issues such as the development of democratic institutions and civil society, good governance, security and justice sector reform, and regional security arrangements. We must provide more focus on these underlying concerns--and to do so requires consistent, long-term engagement, collaboration, and commitment from national governments, regional and international organizations and, of course, bilateral donors like the United States. Sporadic engagement that is devoid of a long- term strategy is like sticking a band aid on a gaping wound instead of taking a trip to the hospital.”