Facing Africa's Predicament: Academe Needs to Play a Stronger Role

By RICHARD A. JOSEPH

In his recent State of the Union address, President Bush announced an ambitious plan to combat AIDS in Africa and the Caribbean. The commitment was unexpected, but it represents just one facet of a significant increase in attention to African concerns. Before Iraq and North Korea consumed the administration's attention, Mr. Bush had scheduled a trip to Africa for January. Although that was postponed until later this year, the drumbeat of policy pronouncements that take aim at Africa's