Republican presidential candidate Sam Brownback urged students to visit Africa and help the poor population through humanitarian projects last night at the Boston University Trustee Ballroom.
Though the candidate also stressed the presence of al-Qaida in Africa and emphasized how stronger U.S. relations with the continent could improve national security, students said they were disappointed he did not discuss specific policies of his campaign.
“We’re not putting nearly enough money into clean-water projects, food projects and medicine projects,” the Kansas senator said. “We need to listen more than we talk. We need to hear what [the African people] have to say.”
Brownback said the most pressing need for the African people is money for medication, especially treatments for malaria, which is mostly unavailable.
“I want to urge you to just go, go take a trip to Africa,” he said. “You will be different after the experience.”
The subject of the senator’s speech is unique, said Charles Stith, a former U.S. ambassador to Tanzania who now works at BU as the director of the African Presidential Archives and Research Center, which coordinated the event. The goal is to get presidential candidates to discuss how Africa affects U.S. interests, Stith said.
Brownback, who has been to Africa four times and has advocated aid for the violence in Darfur, supports medical drug companies finding cures for neglected diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Stith said.
“This is historic in that in no other presidential campaign has there been a forum whereby candidates are expected to address Africa-U.S. relations and its impact on U.S. economic and security interests,” Stith said.
While some students were skeptical about Brownback’s policies, others said they strongly agreed with the senator that Africa needs aid on many different levels, and the U.S. should boost its involvement in the continent.
“I like his ideas about what to do [in Africa],” said CAS junior Laura D’Amato. “For example, [he advocates] using the U.S. market to invest in drug research for diseases in Africa.”
Students said Brownback did not elaborate on his policies to the extent they expected.
“I thought his speech was very surface-level,” said College of Arts and Sciences senior Allison Chan. “Although, he did put the message out there to students that learning about Africa, going there and all the different issues regarding Africa are very important.”
“I got a slightly broadened perspective on Senator Brownback, and what he’s doing for Africa relations,” said School of Management junior Josh Stickler. “But other than that, I didn’t get that much. He seems sincere, but frankly I don’t really think many of the actions he’s going to take are going to be that effective.”