811.05170/2–2052

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Officer in Charge of West, Central, and East Africa Affairs ( Feld )

Participants:

  • Ford Foundation—Mr. Carl B. Spaeth
  • Mr. John Howard
  • Mr. Howard Tolley
  • AF —Mr. Bourgerie
  • Mr. Feld
  • Mr. Meier
  • DRN —Mr. Brown
  • NEA/P —Mr. Fisk
  • Mrs. Sloan

Messrs. Spaeth, Howard and Tolley of the Ford Foundation came to the Department on Wednesday, February 20, 1952, to discuss in general terms the Foundation’s interest in extending its overseas activities to Africa.

Mr. Bourgerie began the discussion by pointing out that, due to political considerations and suspicion of American motives, it appeared unlikely that much could be done in Portuguese possessions, and perhaps to a somewhat lesser extent, in Belgian and French possessions, although in each case for slightly different reasons. Broadly the Portuguese have not favored our sending American government or private experts to Angola and Mozambique for fear of the effect of their presence on the native populations, and it was for this reason that the Portuguese were not particularly interested in technical assistance programs. The French have also been suspicious of Point 4, and although they have accepted a considerable amount of ECA assistance in their African territories, they have been extremely [Page 2] reluctant to give the United States credit publicly in these territories for this assistance. The political situation in French North Africa is such that American technical assistance programs are not particularly desired. The Belgians feel they do not need American technical assistance for the Congo and have already done more than almost any other government in Africa to provide vocational training, public health facilities, etc. in the Congo. They have, however, requested ECA aid and World Bank loans.

This leaves only the independent countries, namely, Libya (which has virtually no resources and needs every kind of help, public and private), Ethiopia, Liberia, the Internat’l. Zone of Tangier, where the French cannot interfere with outside efforts, and the British territories, particularly British West Africa (the Gold Coast and Nigeria) and, to a lesser extent, British Central Africa (the Rhodesias and Nyasaland), and East Africa (Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika). In Ethiopia, Liberia and Libya we have Point 4 programs but there are many opportunities for further assistance from private sources.

Mr. Bourgerie then specified certain general fields of activity which the Departmental officers concerned believed the Foundation should consider if it decided to extend assistance to the more promising and receptive African countries. Among these, Mr. Bourgerie mentioned vocational training, especially at the lower level, community programs for urban and rural populations, the great need for elementary and secondary schools throughout Africa, the need to support research institutions, especially in the British territories and Liberia, where research institutions exist but in most cases are completely inadequate in staff and funds to do the important work required.

In response to Mr. Bourgerie’s suggestion Mr. Spaeth then proceeded to outline the type of activities in which the Ford Foundation has been engaged in South Asia (India, Pakistan, Afghanistan) and gave some indications of the Foundation’s general policies in these areas. He stated that the Foundation was supporting in India a wide scale program of agricultural extension at the village level, a woman’s college in Pakistan, a community project for untouchables at Delhi, a project to train industrial workers in Pakistan, etc. The Foundation is also generally interested in community development work in South Asia, as well as in the Students’ Exchange Program everywhere, especially in technical and vocational fields.

The Foundation is now on the point of sending a team to the Middle East to survey the countries in that area with the idea of undertaking projects similar to those in South Asia, but, looking ahead, it also wants to find out what it can do in Africa. It is convinced of the urgency of getting started in all these areas as soon as possible in view of the political and social tensions which recent events clearly indicate [Page 3] have been building up against the West, and which are spreading in Africa, having already erupted in French North Africa. Mr. Spaeth mentioned in this connection that whenever the Foundation’s officials discussed programs in various parts of the world they were constantly asked, “What do you have in mind for Africa?”

Mr. Spaeth also indicated the relationship of the Foundation’s activities to governmental programs, such as Point 4, MSA, etc. He stated that generally the Foundation does not normally wish to duplicate or to be too closely involved in the work already being undertaken by these programs in such areas as South Asia, the Near East and Africa; however, it judges individual projects on their merits. In certain instances in India the Foundation has provided assistance to projects in which the American and Indian Governments are also participating. Mr. Spaeth explained that although the Foundation normally does not provide funds for the purchase of capital equipment, the construction of buildings to house projects, etc., it will do so if necessary to assist in bringing worthwhile projects to fruition. He cited instances in India where the Foundation has in fact assisted by providing funds for capital expenditure.

In response to a question from Mr. Howard regarding the work of the Educational Exchange Program, Mrs. Sloan outlined in considerable detail the system now in effect with regard to West African students in the United States and indicated that these students are now being carefully selected to receive a certain type of education in the United States with certain definite job requirements in mind in their home territories after they have finished their studies abroad. The jobs are usually connected with the development schemes of the countries concerned, namely, the Gold Coast, Nigeria, and, to a lesser extent, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Mrs. Sloan defended the procedure of bringing West African students to the United States for advanced technical training on the grounds that the countries from which these students come are desperate for specialists and that these specialists, once trained, will be able to assist greatly in the development of technicians at a somewhat lower level when they return to their home countries.

In the discussion that followed, the Departmental officers present described to the Foundation representatives the special needs and requirements of various African territories, it being generally agreed that the approach that the Foundation was taking in other areas, such as South Asia and the Near East, was a sound one for Africa as well. The Departmental officers indicated that developments in Africa were such that persons trained in vocational and in technical fields and in community development in its broader aspects could be fully utilized throughout Africa and would be in a position to make an important contribution to the development of their respective territories. However, [Page 4] it was pointed out that the contribution the Foundation could make in these particular fields would probably be limited in certain of the African territories because of sensitivities involving political and other considerations.

At the conclusion of the meeting it was agreed that the Department would supply the Foundation with a statement which would outline in somewhat greater detail the types of activity and the countries of Africa in which the Foundation could make the most suitable contribution.2

  1. A statement of the sort described here has not been found in Department of State files.