Welcomed by thousands of people cheering and dancing in the street, President Clinton on Wednesday praised this West African nation for its role in peacekeeping and said it shows that people here "can solve a lot of their own problems."
Clinton traveled to a hot, dusty military compound outside the capital to watch Senegalese troops being trained by U.S. Army Green Berets in such peacekeeping tasks as setting up road checkpoints and organizing and escorting vehicle convoys."Amid chaos and ruin, these soldiers and others like them can bring security, hope and a future," Clinton said. "I thank Senegalese troops for their commitment to peace, and I thank American troops for their work here."
Senegalese President Abdou Diouf thanked Clinton for the effort to enhance African peacekeeping skills, saying it revealed "the generosity of the great American people."
"Africa is presenting a forward-looking image to the world," Diouf said.
Clinton said the United States was committed to helping Africa improve its own security and well-being. "Our purpose is not to dominate security matters in Africa or to abandon America's role in Africa's security, but instead to build on exisiting efforts," he said.
Later the president announced he would send three of his Cabinet secretaries back to Africa later this year for talks on financial, trade and transportation issues.