The New York Times published on 21 February 2025 an article titled "'We Are Seeing Complete Destruction': The Damage Done by U.S.A.I.D. Freeze" by Jeremy Konyndyk, president of Refugees International.
The author comments that the Trump administration appears to be engaged in an effort to "almost entirely eliminate foreign aid programs." He then summarizes programs around the world that will disappear if this initiative is allowed to go forward by the courts and Congress.
The UK-based Centre for African Conflict and Development posted on 22 July 2024 a 44-minute podcast with me titled "Austerity Measures, Right to Protest and Police in Kenya, Africa" hosted by Michael Nwankpa.
Although focused on Kenya, the host asked questions on a variety of topics ranging across Africa allowing me to offer views on numerous topics based on my association with Africa dating back to the early 1960s.
Aljazeera's Inside Story posted on 24 May 2024 a 27-minute panel program titled "What Do African Countries Stand to Gain from William Ruto's US Visit?"
The panel consisting of two persons in Nairobi and one in Washington discussed a range of issues concerning President Willim Ruto's state visit to the United States and US policy in Africa. The moderator also focused on competition the United States is facing from China and Russia in Africa.
CNN published on 23 May an article titled "Biden Looks to Counter China's Influence as He Rolls Out Red Carpet for Kenya" by Kevin Liptak and Kayla Tausche.
The article places the state visit to the United States by Kenyan President William Ruto in the context of competition between Washington and Beijing for economic and political influence in Africa.
Comment: While competition with China is often a sub theme of US policy in Africa, it is a mistake to conclude it is the driving factor. Washington needs and wants to develop stronger relations across the continent for its own interests, which extend far beyond what China is doing in Africa.
The International Crisis Group published on 15 May 2024 a background piece titled "What's at Stake in Kenyan President William Ruto's State Visit to the United States?" by Meron Elias.
The Congressional Research Service published on 15 May 2024 a backgrounder titled "U.S.-Kenya Trade Negotiations."
Comment: Both of these analyses are helpful in putting the US-Kenya relationship in perspective and providing background to the visit by Kenyan President William Ruto.
BBC TV ran a 6-minute clip on 19 March 2024 titled "Millions Face Starvation in Sudan as Warring Factions Block Aid Delivery."
This coverage is one of the few occasions when a Western media organization has reported recently from inside Sudan, including Khartoum and Omdurman. The clip makes the point that media coverage of the situation in Ukraine, Gaza, and now Haiti has drowned out the horrific situation in Sudan.
The International Rescue Committee published on 14 December 2022 "The Top 10 Crises the World Can't Ignore in 2023." The list provides an explanation why each country was included.
The International Rescue Committee's list of the world's 10 worst crises for 2023 is headed by Somalia and followed by Ethiopia. Other African countries in the top 10 are the Democratic Republic of Congo (4), South Sudan (7), and Burkina Faso (8). The world's top 10 is rounded out with Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, Haiti, and Ukraine.
Oxfam published on 16 September 2022 a report titled "Hunger in a Heating World: How the Climate Crisis Is Fuelling Hunger in an Already Hungry World."
Climate change is fueling hunger for millions of people around the world. Oxfam looked at 10 of the worst affected "climate hotspots"--those countries with the most recurring UN humanitarian appeals in response to major extreme weather events since 2000. Seven of the 10 countries are in Africa: Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Niger, Somalia, and Zimbabwe. The other three are Afghanistan, Guatemala, and Haiti.
Oxfam found that acute hunger has more than doubled in those countries just over the past six years. Nearly 18 million people in these 10 countries are currently on the brink of starvation.
