Tillerson's trip shows how US misreads Africa
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has described his five-nation African visit, which started on Wednesday, as a "listening tour". The purpose of the visit, he said, "is to listen to what the priorities of the countries here on the continent are and see where there is good alignment".
It's a welcome attitude that can help mend US-African ties after President Donald Trump's disrespectful remark toward African countries in January. But a little homework might have made his fact-finding trip more productive, given his tight schedule.
African people have made clear what they consider to be the priorities. For a continent that is home to 75 percent of the world's poorest countries, and where more than 1 million people, mostly children under the age of 5, die every year from malaria, what is needed is economic development, improved infrastructure, more jobs and health programs.
