What Russ Feingold can do for Africa — and America
JOHN NICHOLS | The Capital Times | jnichols@madison.com
The U.S. State Department faces a challenge.
Activist groups that seek to address poverty, disease and violence want the United States to develop a more serious and focused role in responding to the challenges and aspirations of Central and Eastern Africa.
Oxfam America is campaigning to deepen the U.S. government's commitment to making poverty-reducing foreign aid more effective in countries such as Tanzania.
The Friends Committee on National Legislation wants a greater focus on human rights abuses in Kenya.
Actor Ben Affleck, who founded the Eastern Congo Initiative, recently appeared before the House Armed Services Committee to ask for greater U.S. engagement with efforts to bring peace to war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo. Affleck proposed four concrete steps:
— U.S. support for a comprehensive strategy to protect women and children.
— More U.S. funding for election monitors and other electoral structures.
— The appointment of a special U.S. envoy to the region.
— Developing a comprehensive approach to dealing with the issue of conflict over minerals and with armed groups, including rebels from neighboring countries, local militias and the Congolese military, that fight to profit from the mining.
"It is clear to me that the pursuit of durable peace in Congo is not hopeless, quite the contrary in fact,” Affleck said. “The solutions are not new, or particularly complex. But without persistent, high-level leadership by the United States, the key players will not come to the table and do their part.”
The call for a special envoy has been taken up by a number of engaged individuals and groups. It makes great sense, as special envoys such as former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell have historically played an outsized role in defining U.S. relations with troubled regions — and in easing the troubles.
The question is who could best fill the role in eastern and central Africa? It has to be someone who knows the region, of course. But also someone who knows Washington. Someone with bipartisan respect. And a history of global engagement.
Someone like former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold.
Read more: http://host.madison.com/news/opinion/
