Topics include: Young's period as United Nations Ambassador, African policy, Nigeria, Tanzania, Julius Nyerere, the Anglo-American Plan, trips to Africa, meeting Robert Mugabe, impressions of Olusegun Obasanjo and Joseph Garba, impressions of other African leaders, Liberia, President William Richard Tolbert, Jr. and the coup, by Félix Houphouët-Boigny and the Ivory Coast.
00:00 - Tom Dent interviews Andrew Young. They continue to discuss Young's period in the United Nations. He talks about returning from his first trip to Africa as a U.N. Ambassador and assuming the presidency of the U.N. Security Council in March. There were issues regarding Africa and the Middle East coming up at the same time during his presidency. The Germans, French, Canadians, the British, and the United States became the 'Gang of Five' western members of the Security Council. Together they worked to bring an end to the fighting in Namibia and get South Africa to accept free and fair elections and SWAPO.02:33 - They had lunches with African representatives. Young had the ambassadors of Nigeria and Tanzania over and convinced them to cooperate with South African negotiations. He found that personal diplomacy works in the U.N. Young thinks that is what made him successful at the U.N., but is also what led to his termination due to the reaction of the New York press. They came out of that month with confidence in the power blocks of Africa and the Arabs.06:10 - Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere came to visit President Jimmy Carter in April. Carter's administration had doubts that Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo would accept elections. Young asked in a White House meeting about free and fair elections and Nyerere confirmed that the fighting would stop if they were granted elections. He said it was a British problem, not an American problem, and suggested the next steps. This led to the basis of the Afro-American Plan.12:30 - Young made another trip to Africa in June for the Conference on Apartheid. He went back to Nigeria. The Europeans would get involved if Young decided to attend an African conference. 15:20 - In August, he met Mugabe in Mozambique at a cocktail party at the Tanzanian ambassador's house. He introduced himself to Mugabe's wife Sally, who was standing alone, and Mugabe joined them. 18:30 - People were not thinking of Mugabe as 'important' at that time. The popular thought was that he was an intellectual puppet and that the military ran things. The British favored Joshua Nkomo.20:43 - Young talks about Olusegun Obasanjo and the work he did in Nigeria before turning the country over to civilian rule.25:38 - Joseph Garba was also very strong in Nigeria. He was the Minister of External Affairs. The government was made up of young military and they all gave up power. He met with them before they gave up power. They have retired to farming and business.29:00 - Carter's visit to Nigeria. [National Security Advisor] Zbigniew Brzezinski put out an anti-Soviet and anti-Cuban message regarding the visit. They were going to keep the Soviets out of Africa. Young and Stoney Cooks had been briefing the press prior to Carter's arrival.[Recording ends 31:35, continues on Side 2.]
