Incentives Would Push Africa Trade Clinton Urges Market Reforms With Bipartisan Proposal

Just days before the summit meeting of the major industrial nations in Denver, President Clinton joined with bipartisan members of Congress on Tuesday to promote a series of trade measures with Africa designed to encourage free-market reforms of the continent’s most promising economies.

Clinton marshaled a group that spanned the ideological spectrum from New York City’s former Democratic Mayor David Dinkins, to Jack F. Kemp, the defeated Republican candidate for vice president, to demonstrate support for an Africa policy designed to turn countries from dependents into trading partners.

Clinton plans to call on the nations gathered at the summit later this week to take steps to help Africa, including urging the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to forgive some of the international debt burdening some of the poorest nations. Uganda recently qualified for about $385 million in such debt relief.

Africa had received sporadic attention during the first four years of the Clinton administration. But Hillary Rodham Clinton visited the continent this year and in the past few months the White House has been working with Congress on legislation, involving little new spending, that would lower tariffs for African countries that are reforming their economies and promote private investment in Africa.

“Our initiative opens the door to real positive change,” Clinton said.

“Only nations carrying out serious reforms will reap the full benefits. Those who strengthen their democracies and invest in their people will see their efforts pay off in increased trade that will create new jobs, increase wages, spur growth and improve the quality of lives of people who have suffered some of the world’s worst poverty.”

White House officials said the measures supported by the president would complement traditional foreign aid for Africa. Such aid amounted to $655 million in the current fiscal year and Clinton has called for it to rise to $700 million in the coming fiscal year.

Clinton indicated that he was working with lawmakers of both parties to pass legislation that would give the poorest countries in Africa duty-free access to American markets for an additional 1,800 products.

In addition, a bill sponsored by Rep. Philip Crane, R-Ill., and Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., would grant further tariff reductions on additional products for countries that are liberalizing their economies. The measure is expected to be considered in the fall.