Trump's Africa Policy

Lobelog posted on 23 April 2018 a commentary titled "Trump's Africa Policy Is a Continuation of Clinton's, Bush's, and Obama's" by Herman J. Cohen, former assistant secretary of state for African affairs.

Cohen underscores the continuity in US policy towards Africa from one administration to another that has continued so far into the Trump administration.

Trump Continues Obama's Partial Lifting of Sudan Sanctions

The Washington Post published on 6 October 2017 an article titled "U.S. Lifts Sanctions on Sudan, Ending Two Decades of Embargo" by Carol Morello.

The Trump administration has extended the partial lifting of U.S. sanctions against Sudan, a decision that was first taken during the final weeks of the Obama administration. Instead of relying on punishment via sanctions, the new strategy is to use relief to encourage more change in Sudan.

Djibouti President Worries Africa Will Become Low Priority for US

The Voice of America ran on 12 January 2017 a brief article titled "Djibouti President Doubts Africa Will Be High on Trump Agenda" by Mohamed Olad Hassan.

The article quotes Djibouti President Ismail Omar Gulleh as saying "Africa does not appear on the foreign agenda of the U.S. president-elect, Donald Trump, but as Djibouti, we had a good and deep relationship with U.S. government which I am hopeful will continue."

Africa: The Obama Legacy and Prospects for the Trump Administration

The VOA Encounter program with Carol Castiel ran over the weekend of 25 November 2016 a half-hour discussion of President Obama's legacy in Africa and the outlook for President-elect Trump. The guests were J. Peter Pham, director of the Atlantic Council's Africa Center, and myself.

Horn of Africa Security Updates

The Institute for Security Studies published its September 2015 Peace and Security Council Report, which provides updates on key security issues in the Horn of Africa.

The report looks at Kenya's plans to relocate Dadaab, the world's largest refugee camp, on the grounds it is a hotbed of al-Shabaab activity.

A field mission to Darfur reports on continuing violence despite the presence of African Union and United Nations peacekeepers.

It is critical of efforts by President Barack Obama to end the civil war in South Sudan during his recent visit to the region.

The report covers the new AMISOM offensive in Somalia aimed at further degrading al-Shabaab.

Prospects for the South Sudan Peace Agreement

Chatham House published on 19 August 2015 a commentary titled "What Will It Take to Secure Lasting Peace in South Sudan?" by Dame Rosalind Marsden.

Although Salva Kiir signed the peace agreement after this piece was written, Dame Marsden is skeptical that the agreement will hold up. 

Is Ethiopia's Ruling Party Securing or Smothering the Country's Democracy?

Ventures Africa published on 7 August 2015 a commentary titled "Is Ethiopia's Ruling Party Securing or Smothering the Country's Democracy?" by Onyedimmakachukwu Obiukwu. 

The author praises Ethiopia's economic growth but is highly critical of its crackdown on journalists, bloggers, and the media. 

President Obama's Remarks at African Union Headquarters

President Obama addressed the people of Africa on 28 July 2015 at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  His speech, in my view, was the most important one he has ever made on the subject of Africa.  You can listen to and watch the delivery here by going to the tab under 28 July 2015.

You can read the text of the remarks as delivered here.


The Institute for Strategic Studies published on 29 July 2015 a good analysis of the speech titled "Think Again: Why Obama's AU Speech Matters" by Simon Allison.

The Washington Post published on 28 July 2015 an analysis titled "Despite Economic Gains, Obama's Work in Africa Is Unfinished" by Juliet Eilperin and Kevin Sieff.  It also comments on the speech at the African Union.

China Radio International Program on President Obama's Trip to Africa

China Radio International hosted on 31 July 2015 a 54 minute program devoted mostly to President Obama's recent visit to Kenya and Ethiopia.  The four persons on the program were Liu Guijin, former Chinese ambassador to South Africa and China's special representative for African affairs, Ronald Mutie, Kenyan journalist based in Beijing, Timothy Kitui, lecturer at Kenya Methodist University, and myself.  The conversation covered both US-Africa and China-Africa relations. 

South Sudan: How to End the Misery

The visit by President Obama to Kenya and Ethiopia, especially the meeting in Addis Ababa with regional leaders on South Sudan, has resulted in numerous opinion pieces in the American media on ways to solve the crisis in South Sudan. 

One of the most recent is an editorial in the 29 July 2015 Washington Post titled "It's Time to Act to Stop South Sudan's Unraveling."

Earlier, Akshaya Kumar and John Prendergast with the Enough project laid out a detailed list of suggestions for dealing with South Sudan titled "Creating a Cost for Those Destroying South Sudan." 

Andrew Natsios, former US envoy for Sudan, wrote on 28 July 2015 an oped in The New York Times titled "A New Approach for South Sudan."

President Obama's Triumphant Visit to Kenya

Yale Global Online published on 28 July 2015 an analysis titled "Obama's Triumphant Return to Kenya as President" by John Githongo, former permanent secretary for Ethics and Governance in Kenya.  This is a particularly insightful look at US-Kenya relations.

Official Chinese Media Thin-skinned on Obama Visit to Africa

The Associated Press published on 27 July 2015 an article titled "Chinese State Media Snipe at Obama's Africa Trip" by Christopher Boldeen.  One of the apparent themes in China's state media suggests that the trip to Africa by President Obama is a response to China's growing relations with Africa.  In fact, this is probably about number 15 on the list of reasons why Obama is visiting Africa.  The Obama visit is not about US-China competition in Africa but about improving US relations with Africa for many reasons. 

US Relations with Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) published on 23 July 2015 an analysis titled "President Obama's Engagement with Africa: Managing Complex Relationships" by Richard Downie, deputy director of the Africa Program at CSIS.  Downie analyzes the US relationship with Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia.  President Obama met with President Buhari of Nigeria in Washington and visited Kenya and Ethiopia in July.

Obama's Chance to Revisit Kenya

The New York Times published on 20 July 2015 an oped titled "Obama's Chance to Revisit Kenya" by Johnnie Carson and Mark Bellamy, both former US ambassadors to Kenya.  They suggest ideas for improving U.S. relations with Kenya as President Obama prepares to visit the country.

Criticism of President Obama's Visit to Ethiopia

Foreign Policy published on 8 July 2015 a commentary titled "Obama Should Stay Away from Ethiopia" by Jeffrey Smith and Mohammed Ademo.  Highly critical of President Obama's upcoming visit to Ethiopia, the analysis contains a combination of legitimate criticism and blatant errors. 

The piece says that the United States provides nearly half of Ethiopia's national budget.  The U.S. does not provide budgetary support to Ethiopia.  Most of the assistance goes to designated programs such as combating HIV/AIDS, much of which would not be funded were it not for international assistance.  It is simply inaccurate to call this budgetary support.  While the EPRDF election victories were embarrassingly lopsided in 2010 and 2015, the EPRDF did not win 99.6 percent of the vote in 2010.  It won 99.6 percent of the seats in Parliament because of the flawed electoral policy of first past the post rather than proportional representation.  The commentary cites the "facade of economic growth" in Ethiopia.  The facts as verified by the World Bank and IMF are pretty clear.  While the GDP growth rate over the last ten years is not as high as the low double digits as claimed by Ethiopia, there is agreement that it has been in the high single digits.  That is not shabby.

Smith and Ademo raise a valid question as to why Ethiopia and not Nigeria for a Presidential visit.  I suspect Boko Haram had something to do with the choice, assuming there was a discussion of going to Nigeria.  I am surprised, however, to find such an unbalanced commentary in a publication as distinguished as Foreign Policy.  There is plenty to criticize in Ethiopia but there is also room for praise.  At a minimum, a commentary in Foreign Policy should get the facts right.

President Obama's Upcoming Visit to Ethiopia

Ethiopia's Capital newspaper published on 29 June 2015 an article titled "Obama's Visit Diplomatic Triumph or Misplaced Priority?" by Kirubel Tadesse.  The article discusses the pros and cons of President Obama's visit to Ethiopia later this month.

President Obama to Visit Ethiopia

The White House announced today that President Barack Obama will visit Ethiopia and the headquarters of the the African Union in late July.  This will be the first visit ever to Ethiopia by a sitting American president.  The visit will take place in connection with a previously announced trip to Kenya to take part in the Global Entrepreneurship Summit.  

Kenya's Wrongheaded Approach to Terrorism

Hussein Khalid, executive director of the Kenyan nongovernmental organization  Haki Africa, wrote an oped for the Washington Post on 1 May 2015 titled "Kenya's Wrongheaded Approach to Terrorism."  He argues that Kenya's counterterrorism tactics are only making the situation in the country worse. 

Critique of US Policy in South Sudan

Foreign Policy published on 25 February 2015 a long critical analysis of US policy in South Sudan titled "Unmade in the USA: The Inside Story of a Foreign-Policy Failure" by Ty McCormick, associate editor at Foreign Policy.

The article seems to suggest that the United States failed to engage sufficiently at critical periods after the independence of South Sudan.  What the article fails to acknowledge is that key actors such as Salva Kiir and Riek Machar must have a predisposition to accept a solution if outside intervention is to have any impact.  It is not clear that predisposition is present. 

August 2014 African Summit in Washington

Tadias Magazine published on 23 January 2014 a brief  interview with me on President Barack Obama's summit in Washington on 5-6 August 2014 with African leaders.  I commented on the issues that will likely be covered and what can reasonably be expected from the meeting.