Africa Up Close

President Donald Trump delivers the 2019 State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol. Photo courtesy of The White House via Flickr Commons. ( Photo by D. Myles Cullen)

Trump never mentioned Africa during his February 5, 2019 State of the Union address, and rarely has Africa featured in the president’s major foreign policy priorities. Instead, Mr. Trump has tended to frame foreign policy objectives as extensions of domestic policy, indicative of his “America First” approach to international affairs. Foreign policy experts must, therefore, analyze his words through this lens, as domestic issues in the Trump Administration can carry real weight abroad and hold key insights into the president’s primary concerns and objectives. The president’s foreign policy priorities for Africa, as outlined by National Security Advisor John Bolton on December 13, 2018, and Trump’s State of the Union speech two months later, shed light on the administration’s chief concerns for the future of U.S.-Africa relations and contain major implications for American engagement on the continent. 

President Obama closed the first ever US-Africa Leaders’ Summit on August 7, 2014, by declaring it had been an “extraordinary event” and citing the accomplishments of the summit in terms of trade and investment, security cooperation, including a commitment to peacekeeping, and emphasizing the need to address corruption and bad governance on the continent. There is little doubt that the event was historic, with as many as 45 African Heads of State present, including some royalty. Never before has an American administration engaged such a senior Africa leadership group at such a high level. The question, though, is did the conference really break any new ground and accomplish concrete goals? On the surface, the answer seems to be a disappointing, “sort of.” Let’s examine some of the commitments that were announced, and what did and didn’t happen.

There is uncertainty surrounding the “product” that will emerge from the on-going African Leaders Summit being hosted by President Obama.  Through the planning sessions leading up to the Summit, in which this author took some role, there was broad consultation throughout all executive government agencies, Congress, and a wide range of civil society and business interests.  Many ideas were laid on the table about logistics, format, agenda, substance, invitees (whether or not to exclude certain Heads of State), extracurricular activities, and roles of host officials and the President.  Controversial issues such as whether the President could have one-on-one bi-laterals with select or all heads of state were thoroughly examined and decisions were made.

When examining the news about the US-Africa Summit as we begin Day 2, the most common sentiment is one of skepticism. Policymakers and analysts alike are doubtful that this summit will make any sustainable change in US-Africa relations, despite being the first of its kind. The greatest amount of criticisms is geared towards President Obama’s statement that he will not be meeting with any African head of state one-on-one but instead will use the time to engage in an “interactive dialogue.” Defenders of the President state that this is the best diplomatic solution as to not show favoritism, while others claim it’s a disrespectful snub. Dr. Monde Muyangwa, Director of the Africa Program at the Wilson Center states, “The Africa of today is not the Africa of 50 years ago and continuing to look at Africa through that lens I think causes us to lose opportunities.”

As presidents, prime ministers, and other policymakers from across the continent gather in Washington, DC, this week for the first-ever US-Africa Leader’s Summit, what are the issues to watch?

From August 4-6, 2014, United States President Barack Obama will host the first ever US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, DC. The summit will be attended by more than forty African Heads of State, along with other business and social leaders, at a time when Africa is often described as one of the fastest growing regions of the world. The agenda of the event features key social, political, and economic issues pertaining to the partnership between the US and the African continent. The theme of the summit, “Investing in the Next Generation,” is more than relevant, given the fact that the youth of the African continent is today both its greatest potential and its most pressing challenge.

In April 2014, the New York Times published an online article on the merits and demerits of USAID’s new development strategy, especially as it pertains to the direct engagement of local actors in delivering development projects in recipient countries. From a technical point of view, the arguments on both sides of the debate are compelling. However, facts must be separated from myths, and the politicking and lobbying on Capitol Hill must reach equilibrium so the outcome of the debate can be a more refined, cost-effective, accountable, and transparent development aid regime that can better serve the objectives and vision of USAID and the American people.

Earlier this week, I was privileged to be a Member of the U.S. Delegation to the 2013 AGOA Forum held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. First signed into law in 2000 by President Clinton, the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) provides duty-free access to the U.S. market for a list of products and apparel.

Over the years, AGOA has helped develop African industry, particularly in textile and apparel sectors. It also created hundreds of thousands of African jobs, pulled millions out of poverty and empowered women across the continent. As a result, one of AGOA’s greatest benefits is that it prioritizes trade as an alternative to traditional aid paradigms.

After all the clamoring for U.S. President Barack Obama to visit Africa and South Africa especially, he has finally embarked on what is much more than the token stop he made in Ghana a few years back. This visit could not come soon enough as patience for Obama and what is seen as his sidestepping of Africa has grown paper thin. On top of that, the piled up controversies animating America’s relations with the rest of the world have begun thickening the residue of anti-American feeling lurking beneath the black South African political surface. This sentiment has begun to emerge in a few cases as unwelcoming hostility as Obama embarks on his first real safari to the continent since becoming America’s first black president and, to boot, one with African origins that most African-Americans cannot speak of.

May has been a busy month for us at the Wilson Center, with a trip to Kenya that served to convene new and original members of our Southern Voices Network, as well as hosting a number of local events. One major conference held here in DC on May 1 was on the subject of technology and innovation as tools to elicit social change amongst women and youth populations in Africa. A report of the whole conference can be found on the Wilson Center website, as well as some related interviews of conference.

This month’s blog posts reflect this theme through the eyes of a practitioner, African scholar, and mentor.   First, you will find a piece from one of our partners in the Southern Voices Network, “Paying It Forward: How to Sustain New Generations of Female and Youth Leaders in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in Africa,” by Edith Kirumba of the African Technology Policy Studies Network.  Along with Edith’s piece include a submission by Liz Ngonzi, titled “Mentorship, Coaching, Board Service, Sponsorship…How Will You Pay it Forward TODAY?” and “Transformative Effects of Women, Youth and Technological Innovation” by Gregor Young of Management Systems International.   Our monthly “Lessons from the Field” column was provided by Vivian Lowery Derryck titled, “Mali Matters.”

However, the big news this month, of course, is the President and First Lady’s trip to Africa in June, including a trip by Secretary of State John Kerry.  In a short, precise statement issued last week, the White House announced that he and the First Lady would visit Senegal, South Africa, and Tanzania from June 26 – July 3.  The stated purpose of the trip was to “reinforce the importance that the United States places on our deep and growing ties with countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including through expanding economic growth, investment, and trade; strengthening democratic institutions; and investing in the next generation of African leaders.”  It further stated the President would meet leaders from  “government, business, and civil society, including youth, to discuss our strategic partnerships on bilateral and global issues.”   There were no further specifics, just a confirmation of the United States’ desire to cooperate in advancing “regional and global peace and prosperity.”