Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 4 November 1999 — Page 3

The Muncie Times, November 4, 1999, page 3

Senate begins debate on Lugar’s Africa trade bill

The U.S. Senate has began debate on Sen. Dick Lugar’s Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, as part of a broader trade package. The bill encourages transformation of U.S. foreign policy towards Africa to one based on trade and private sector investment, rather than solely on foreign aid. “The African Growth and Opportunity act will start a new era in U.S. African relations—based less on bilateral aid ties and more on business relationships, less on paternalism and more on partnership, and one that builds upon the long-term prospects of African societies, rather than on short-term reactive policies,” said Lugar, who is the ranking Republican member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and chairman of the Agriculture Nutrition and Forestry Committee. “We have an historic opportunity to help integrate African countries into the global economy, to re-think dependency on foreign assistance and to help strengthen civil society and economic and political institutions,” said Lugar. “As African countries pursue meaningful economic and political reforms, it is important to provide trade and investment incentives. A stable and economically prosperous Africa will contribute to U.S. commercial and security interests.” “To achieve sustained economic growth and political stability in Africa,

the private sector must be more fully engaged because it has the investment capital and the skill to take calculated risks abroad. The private sector will be more interested in investment capital and the skill to take calculated risks abroad. The private sector will be more interested in investment and trade with Africa if countries undertake sustained economic reform and maintain acceptable human rights,” Lugar said. The African C*rowth and Opportunity Act: ■ Provides transition from aid to greater economic self-reliance for subSaharan countries committed to economic and political reform; ■ Endorses negotiations for seeking a Free trade Area to increase U.S.-sub Saharan African trade and encourages private sector development in the region; B Helps American consumers by increasing access to U.S. markets for African textiles and other products; ■ Establishes a trade and economic cooperation forum, and greater attention on Africa; and 8 Provides incentives for economic and political reform in Africa. The African Growth and Opportunity Act has the support of the Administration nearly all African Ambassadors and large part of the American business community. U.S. House of Representatives passed similar legislation on July 16, by a vote of 234-163.

Village Pantry opens in Village

MUNCIE—Village Pantry, a subsidiary of Marsb Supermarkets, Inc., has reached an agreement to acquire the “Campus Corner” convenience store located at 1524 West University Ave., Muncie. This location began operating as a Village Pantry store on October 15. “We look forward to servicing the Ball State campus and Muncie community with this new location,” said Don E. Marsh, chairman and

CEO of Marsh Supermarkets. In addition to standard merchandise and fast, friendly service, this 24-hour store features fried chicken, deli sandwiches and Marathon gas. Marsh Supermarkets operates 70 Marsh Supermarkets, 22 LoBill Foods stores, 1 Savin*$, and 177 Village Pantry convenience stores in central Indiana and western Ohio.

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