Nigeria is implementing a bold transition to civilian, democratic rule. Mozambique, once embroiled in a bitter civil war, is recording the continent's most impressive growth rates. Yet despite important progress, we all remain painfully aware of the profound challenges facing the African continent and its people. The bombings of our embassies last August were a sobering reminder of the real threat we all face from global terrorism. New conflicts have erupted in West, East and Central Africa and fighting has returned to Southern Africa.
Humanitarian crises persist in Sierra Leone, Sudan and Somalia.
Indeed, one important way we can all contribute to Africa's future is to invest in developing the continent's vast human capital. Through President Clinton's Education for Development and Democracy Initiative and the newly endowed Ron Brown Institute, we are helping educate and train the African leaders and entrepreneurs who will make the continent more competitive in the next century. And many U.S. companies are doing well by doing good, as Secretary Brown used to say. Pfizer and Dupont are working to eradicate guinea worm disease and trachoma. Although we have all come far in recent years, much remains to be done to promote our mutual security and prosperity.