Opinion
It is not far-fetched to suggest that a
significant part of Obama's special assignment in Africa in 2013 was to
clear the way for American bio-tech companies to move along the path of
least resistance. Tanzania under Kikwete is an important foot soldier in
that broad strategy
In June-July 2013, US President Barack Obama embarked upon his first official trip to Africa. He made three regional stops: Senegal (West Africa), South Africa (Southern Africa) and Tanzania (straddled between East and Southern Africa.) But even before he departed, Obama's itinerary had become contentious in that it excluded Kenya.
Kenya is by far East Africa's power-house, economically and otherwise. The US president claimed to be coming to Africa to enhance US-Africa interactions and build business partnerships.
By all accounts, Kenya was a more convincing nerve center of action than Tanzania. In addition, Kenyans were losing lives in neighboring Somalia in a war against Islamic terrorism, a deeply significant issue in US foreign policy. Why was Tanzania prioritized? Was there an inside-story that we were not being told? We backtrack to Obama's initial run for the US presidency to read between the lines.
OBAMA'S-GMO STIGMA
When Baraka Obama first entered the American national scene in early 21st century, he stepped into a volatile public debate between genetically modified organisms (GMO) protagonists and GMO antagonists. To a politician, many critical votes were at stake here; Obama had to take a stand on what had become an agitated dialogue-of-the-deaf.
Candidate Obama confirmed early his campaign that he was mindful of the risks of vesting too much power in the hands of multi-national corporations (MNCs), especially in regulatory government agencies.
Additionally, regarding the divide between consumers and the food giants, he was decidedly on the side of the former. His presidency would not allow the Department of Agriculture to be transformed into the department of agribusiness.
On assuming office, however, Obama made a surprising u-turn by suddenly becoming an ally of big agricultural businesses. Quickly, there were 'loud whispers' that the new US president had transformed into the most visible 'convert' of the biggest of the agri-businesses, the much-despised Monsanto Company.
In June-July 2013, US President Barack Obama embarked upon his first official trip to Africa. He made three regional stops: Senegal (West Africa), South Africa (Southern Africa) and Tanzania (straddled between East and Southern Africa.) But even before he departed, Obama's itinerary had become contentious in that it excluded Kenya.
Kenya is by far East Africa's power-house, economically and otherwise. The US president claimed to be coming to Africa to enhance US-Africa interactions and build business partnerships.
By all accounts, Kenya was a more convincing nerve center of action than Tanzania. In addition, Kenyans were losing lives in neighboring Somalia in a war against Islamic terrorism, a deeply significant issue in US foreign policy. Why was Tanzania prioritized? Was there an inside-story that we were not being told? We backtrack to Obama's initial run for the US presidency to read between the lines.
OBAMA'S-GMO STIGMA
When Baraka Obama first entered the American national scene in early 21st century, he stepped into a volatile public debate between genetically modified organisms (GMO) protagonists and GMO antagonists. To a politician, many critical votes were at stake here; Obama had to take a stand on what had become an agitated dialogue-of-the-deaf.
Candidate Obama confirmed early his campaign that he was mindful of the risks of vesting too much power in the hands of multi-national corporations (MNCs), especially in regulatory government agencies.
Additionally, regarding the divide between consumers and the food giants, he was decidedly on the side of the former. His presidency would not allow the Department of Agriculture to be transformed into the department of agribusiness.
On assuming office, however, Obama made a surprising u-turn by suddenly becoming an ally of big agricultural businesses. Quickly, there were 'loud whispers' that the new US president had transformed into the most visible 'convert' of the biggest of the agri-businesses, the much-despised Monsanto Company.
No comments:
Post a Comment