O’Neill Praises African Development Efforts

May 28, 2002

US SECRETARY to the Treasury, Paul O’Neill has criticised the negative portrayal of Africans by the West and said there are many positive developments on the continent.

By Jovita AjunaUS SECRETARY to the Treasury, Paul O’Neill has criticised the negative portrayal of Africans by the West and said there are many positive developments on the continent.O’Neill was touring the Kawempe village bank with Irish anti-poverty crusader and singer, Bono. African-American film star, Chris Tucker and US Under Secretary for Internal Affairs, J.B. Taylor were with them. O’Neill said Africans were struggling to develop and make an impact with meagre resources.“I have loved what I have seen in Africa. The way the Africans are negatively portrayed is not witnessed down here, it is the opposite,” he said.O’Neill, Bono, Tucker and Taylor visited the Kawempe Women’s Association, which benefits from FINCA, an American-funded small loans organisation at Old Mulago market.O’Neill praised the women for exhibiting seriousness and cooperation to become self-reliant using FINCA funds.“Women have portrayed a good use of the funds availed to them in trying to be self-reliant and multiply the scarce resources”, he said.O’Neill talked to Lukia Semanobe, the owner of Market View Restaurant. She was recognised as a faithful client of Kawempe Village Bank.The bank is one of 1,250 rural banks through which FINCA provides microloans in Uganda.Ends

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