DAR ES SALAAM, 16 February: US President George W. Bush received an enthusiastic welcome in Tanzania, when he arrived Saturday evening at Julius Nyerere airport in Dar es Salaam, where he was greeted by President Jakaya Kikwete, BBC online and local Tanzanian news sources report.
Bush arrived for the first state visit ever by a sitting American president to this East African nation. His huge “Airforce One” touched down at 6.35 pm, with the hallmark United States of America running all the length of the plane.
President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush alighted from the plane at 6.45 pm and waved to the huge waiting crowd that waved back as ladies responded with traditional ululation. The US President and his wife, followed by the Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice walked off the Airforce One onto a red carpet.
The US first couple were later welcomed by thousands of people lining the road, which was decorated with banners saying “we cherish democracy” and “thank you for helping fight malaria and HIV”.
But there have also been protests in the country by Muslims opposed to the so-called US “war on terror”. During his four day state visit Bush will tour a hospital in Dar es Salaam, another hospital in Arusha as well as a textile mill (som fremstiller imprægnerede moskito-net) and girls school.
For a president whose foreign policy has been defined by Iraq, this visit to Africa is an opportunity to show the more compassionate side of his legacy. America has spent 15 billion US dollar fighting Aids overseas since 2003, and Mr Bush has recently asked Congress to double that amount.
More than one million people in sub-Saharan Africa have life-saving anti-retroviral drugs thanks to the policy. But the policy has been criticised by some for focusing on encouraging people not to have sex in order to stop the spread of Aids – unrealistic critics say.
However, international aid agencies have said US trade policy in Africa may undermine struggling African economies. Benin relies on cotton production, for instance – but cannot compete with US cotton because of the large subsidies paid to US farmers.
Analysts say Mr Bush may also be concerned with countering the influence of China – which has been doing billions of dollars worth of trade deals in Africa.
Bushs African journey brings him to Benin in West Africa, Tanzania and Rwanda, where he will visit the genocide memorial as well as to Ghana and Liberia.
