[SUMMARY OF THE REPORT ON THE CONGO AND WEST AFRICA]

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R003600070054-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 14, 2002
• Sequence Number: 54
• Publication Date: September 23, 1960
• Content Type: REPORT

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Averell Harriman
Summary of the Report on the Congo and '.Jest Africa to
Senator John F. Kennedy by '1'. ~,Ivere
During the past month I visited eight of the African
states - Republic of Senegal, Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast,
Ghana, Nigeria, Congo Republic (the former French Congo) and
the Republic of the Congo (former Belgian Congo). In each
country I talked at length with the principle political leaders
and other government officials, as well as the representatives
of France, Britain, and other countries.
I was accompanied by Ernest Dunbar, John ""A rcum, and Ulric
Haynes. Each of them is experienced in African affairs.
i-iy companions and I had the opportunity to meet a number
of individuals of various backgrounds, educators, business men,
representatives of philanthropic and other activities, local
and foreign.
On my return I stopped at London and Paris at the request
of the British and French governments. I called on Lord Home,
the Foreign Secretary, and kr. Edward Heath, Lord Privy Seal.
In Paris I called on President De Gualle, E. Couve de Murville,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, and I 'vi. Foyer, iiinister of the
French Community.
I wish to express my appreciation for the assistance
and courtesy shown me by our missions in each of the
countries I visited.
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THE CONGO
In spite of the kaleidoscopic changes on the Congo scene,
certain factors can be clearly defined:
1. The Soviet Union has been shrewdly at work undercutting
the United Nations with the objective of attaining domination
of the Congo. To achieve this Lumumba has been used as its
tool and given direct aid outside United Nations channels.
He har been surrounded by left-wing Belgian and French advisors
on his personal staff, with the Soviet and Czech Ambassadors
constantly at his side.
2. Lumumba is emotionally convinced that it is his mi3sinn
to unify the Congo through a strong centralized government. He
believes he is the only man who speaks for the Congolese people.
He is a powerful demagogic speaker and a shrewd manoeuverer.
If the United Nations dies not do his bidding, he denounces it
as a new form of colonialism. His Congolese opponents, he
charges, are agents of the Belgians. To achieve his ambition
for the establishment of a centralized government, he is prepared
to plunge the country into civil war which he believes he can
win, providing the United Nations disarms the forces of his
apponents and he has the aid and logistic support of the Soviets.
3. President Kasavubu is convinced that a federal system of
government is the only practical and feasible form of government
for attaining stability in the country at this time. He believes,
and there is evidence to confirm this, that he has the support
of the regional leaders for such a program. Although he has
not the wiliness of Lumumba for manoeuver, he has confidence
that his policies are sound, and are the only solution to the
problems which face his country. He has the sup, ort of the
Abako Party which includes the majcrity of the population in
the Leopoldville area.
4,, The economy ?f the Congo is rapidly deteriorating. Its
exports, on which its prosperity is based., are declining.
Government employees, teachers, etc, are not being paid.
The payment of the Force Publique by the United Nations
forestalled difficulties from that source. The $100 million
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asked for by Secretary General Hammarskjold is undoubtedly
needed promptly to turn again the wheels of commerce. Little
or nothing can be achieved, however, without a stable government.
Full support must be given to the United Nations to
fulfill its mission, and unilateral action by individual nations
must be ended. In this we should concert our policies with the
new West African states. At best the Congo will need help from
the United Nations for technical and financial assistance for
some time, and we should be prepared to see the situation
through with patience, understanding and generosity. The
United Nations mission in the Congo must succede at all costs
Failure cannot be contemplated.
WEST AFRICA
In the West African countries that I visited, with the
exception of Guinea the transition from colonial status to
independence has been achieved with a minimum of difficulty
and with a maximum of cooperation between the firmer colonial
governments and the duly elected leaders of the new states.
There is a high degree of good will between the officials and
the people of the new states and their former British and French
rulers.
Even though there is a respect for European traditions,
the African leaders are determined that Africa should be developed
by Africans, for the benefit of Africans, and in an African manner*
The European example will not be followed in some xspects in
the development of their social and economic life. In our
dealings with them this must be understood and accepted.
Although there are strong family, communal, tribal, and
national loyalties, there is a pride in Africa as a whole and
a desire to develop Pan-Africanism. The difference of conditicns
in each county, and the personal rivalries between leaders,
will postpone any political confederation for a long time to
come, but the countries of Africa can be expected to support
comL,cn African objectives.
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It is significant to note that most of the countries of
Jest Africa have one dominant political party - and that the
effective opposition to government policies comes from the left,
whether within the dominant party or outside it. I found that
President Tubman of Liberia is highly regarded by the new leaders
as a wise elder statesman.
Without exception the African leaders expressed to me their
desire to keep the cold war out of Africa. All of them are
concerned lest Russia obtain a dominant influence in the Congo.
Because we have never been a colonial power in Africa they
look to us as a friend and are counting on our understanding
and support. However, reports of racial discrimination in
the United States act as a barrier to full confidence. For
example, on my arrival in Accra, Ghana, a local newspaper had
a front page headline "Negro Children Starving In America''
followed by an account of 20,000 illegitimate children who had
been taken off the relief rolls in Louisiana. I cannot under-
line too strongly the need for progress in the elimination of
discrimination in our country as an essential to the development
of full friendship and confidence between our country and the
new African states.
Both Britain and France intend to continue to assist their
former colonies in their social and economic development.
However, their needs are beyond the resources available.
When I asked the leaders of each country what their most
pressing requirements were, in every case their request was for
aid in education. They ask for aid for the training of
teachers, and then for secondary and technical schools and
universities. also for scholarships for some students to study
in the United States. They recognize that their first require-
ment is to develop their human resources.
In addition they want technical aid in improving their
agriculture, especially food production. Considerable
quantities of food are imported at the present time. Since the
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rural population is now 80 per cent of the total population,
it is recognized that as their agricultural production imprcves,
people will migrate to the cities. This migration must be
planned far, not only in providing housing but particularly in
jobs.
I found a universal desire to attract private foreign
capital for the development of industry and a recognition that
to achieve this a climate favorable for private investment
must be provided.
Each country also has at least one large project for the
development of power, irrigation, navigation and mineral
resources. A number of these are probably economically sound
and we should encourage their development by a combination of
public and private f inancing g as is the case with the Volta
River project. In this conneccion, the development of mining
industries such as iron ore and aluminium will be of future
importance both to our own and European industry.
The recent dramatic events in the Congo should not permit
us tc over3ock the needs of these countries. Concern is felt
that we will not be interested in a country unless a communist
threat exists. In fact, in two of the countries -- Senegal and
Nigeria - - I was asked the direct question "We have no
communis.ts and intend to prevent their infiltration. Does this
exclude us from American aid?" This unfortunate impression
should be eradicated by policy statements and by definite
action by our government.
I found a difference of opinion between countries as to
whether they would prefer to have our aid channelled as much
as possible through the United Nations or directly on a
bi-lateral basis.
For example, in Nigeria, which is by far the largest of
the Wesc African scates, they are anxious to have direct contact
with us and would prefer aid from us on a bi-lateral basis.
They respect America and believe they can learn much from us.
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I talked wi l-h several of the represen ca Gives of the
Israeli government in Africa. They-are giving technical
assistance in several countries. Students are being taken to
Israel for technical training. In addition, cooperative farming
as it is being worked out in Israel, has an appeal to the West
Africans where land ownership has been traditionally on a
communal basis
In a number of the countries I visited the leaders indicated
they did no c wish to obtain aid from the East. They trust the
motives of the West, whereas they are fearful of the imperialist
motives of the Soviet Union and particularly China. They know
of the population pressure in China, and some expressed fear that
the Chinese might be attracted to Africa because it is an under-
populated area.
On the other hand, both Guinea and Ghana have accepted aid
from the East. President Nkrumah believes that he can take aid
from the East wi thrut any political danger. Guinea of course
was forced to turn to the East as France abandoned her .
and the Eri ti sh and the United States failed to offer aid in the
early months of their independence. President Sekou Toure
assured me that he was not a Communist and chat he hoped to
develop relations with the West in order that he might maintain
what he calls 'positive neutrality.' Other leaders in the French
Gor.;r,_uni ty with whom I talked believe that Sekou Toure is sincere
in this desire.
In offering aid the Soviet Union gives almost a blank
check, and is not concerned whether the aid is useful or
damaging; - whereas we must of course have a sense of responsi-
bility and be satisfied that our aid is used for constructive
purposes. It is important however that our programs of
assistance provide for greater flexibili':y, lar`er suers, and are
for a longer period than at present, in order to deal with the
problems of these new nations promptly as they become evident.
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I strongly urge that the State Department speed up the
establishment of adequate missions in each of the new countries.
In Abijan, Ivory Coast, we have a former counsel with two
assistants and a female clerk. He is accredited as Charge to
four of the new countries, and we have no officer in the other
three republics, the Upper Volta, Niger, and Dahomey. In
Brazzazille the same situation prevails except that the Charge
has even less staff - only one assistant - and there is no
officer in Gabon, Central Africa, or Chad. These men are
competent and are doing good work under difficult conditions -
but we should arrange promptly for representation in each of
these countries and authority to begin to discuss what
assistance we might be able to offer them at the critical
period of achieving independence.
The -,est .~Srican countries are taking great pride in being
admitted to the United Nations and have a keen sense of world
responsibility. I believe that if we have adequate representa-
tion in each country and attempt to understand their problems
we can establish sound, permanent, friendly relations with these
new nations.
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