President George W. Bush has appealed Congress and his successor to keep an eye on Africa, stressing the "extraordinary potential" of the continent.

Addressing a symposium sponsored by the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation on Feb. 26, Bush recapped his five African country tour in mid-February that included Benin, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana and Liberia.

“Congress needs to make America's commitment clear by fully and promptly funding our development programs. And presidential candidates of both parties should make clear that engagement with Africa will be an enduring priority of the United States," Bush told a symposium sponsored by the pro- African U.S. organization.

“Americans should feel proud, mighty proud, of the work we're doing in Africa," Bush said of his latest African tour, the second of its kind since he became U.S. president in January 2001.

“In schoolchildren waving flags on dusty roadsides, to nurses caring for their patients at busy clinics, to artisans selling their products in scorching heat, we saw people who have been given great challenges -- and responded to them with clear eyes and big hearts, " he added.

The U.S. is on track to increase total assistance to Africa to $8.7 billion by 2010, double the level of assistance in 2004. Since 2001, African exports to the U.S. have totaled over $50 billion – more than six times since Bush came into office, while US exports to sub-Saharan Africa have doubled, totaling over $14 billion, according to data from the White House.

Bush is to leave the White House in January 2009 after a quadrennial presidential election due to be held in November this year.

The late Rev. Leon Sullivan long promoted American investment in African nations through the biannual African-African-American summits. The Sullivan Foundation, established in 2002, is continuing the effort to expand on American investment in Africa.

Source: TNJ/Wires