he philosophy of the act, Albright succinctly stated: ôAmerica stands ready to help those African countries that help themselvesö(1998). The bill, Albright insists, is designed to encourage the governments of Africa to place their economies on a sound financial footing; duty free access to U.S. markets, two new Overseas Private Investment Corporation funds(which would allow for hundreds of millions of dollars of new investment), and special preferential access for textiles and other labor-intensive commodities(for those deemed ôreform-orientedö countries) would conspire toward this end of economic stability and growth (Albright, 1998).
Secretary AlbrightÆs impassioned speech had an effect, though not necessarily one that she had envisioned. By June of
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