About the Campaign
President Clinton’s Enduring Commitment to Africa
When President Clinton made his first trip to Africa in 1998, he was the first American president to see the challenges facing the continent in 20 years.
Each village and city he visited had its own story – its own challenges, its own opportunities. But each of them had hope that with the world’s help they could lift themselves from circumstance and benefit from the prosperity of global interdependence.
Inspired by his visit and the words of Nelson Mandela, President Clinton forgave debts for nations so they could reinvest in health care, education, and poverty alleviation. He announced an initiative to increase funding and research for lifesaving vaccines. He convened meetings of African ministers and American leaders to strengthen relations. He signed The African Growth and Opportunity Act into law, which dropped quotas and tariffs to zero on 6,500 products from 35 African countries.
He also carried this commitment into his post-presidency, focusing the work of his Foundation on turning the tide of AIDS, empowering farmers and communities, and averting the calamitous consequences of climate change.
Over the years, President Clinton has returned to the continent 10 times – revisiting places that have left an indelible mark on his life and traveling to new places where his Foundation now works. He’s met farmers benefiting from Foundation programs in Rwanda and Malawi, siblings receiving antiretroviral medicines and care thanks to the Clinton Health Access Initiative, young people in South Africa mentoring students through City Year Johannesburg, a young woman who works in a Foundation-supported clinic in Lesotho after receiving lifesaving treatment, among others who have been touched by his presidential and Foundation work.
President Clinton has carried these stories with him as he expands his post-presidential work, with the vision that all of our stories are connected, and that it is the job of those who are fortunate to create happier endings for all.
This year, President Clinton will return to Africa, traveling to Tanzania, Malawi, and South Africa. His trip will culminate in a speech at the Mandela Foundation in South Africa as the World Cup continues to focus the world's attention on the progress and future of not just South Africa but people across the continent.
We hope you’ll join us as we provide updates on President Clinton’s trip and the work of his Foundation through blogs, photos, and news updates. With all eyes on Africa, we can build a better world.
