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Our Dossier

This dossier documents the United States relationship with Africa.

Important notice:
We are in the process of rebuilding our dossiers with statements and other documents issued by the new Administration.

Please use the tabs to access the three sections of this dossier:

Tab 1 lists USGovt priorities with regard to Africa, major USGovt statements, latest USGovt statements, USGovt fact sheets, and USGovt resources

Tab 2 lists non-USGovt reports, journal articles, and other documents.

Tab 3 provides a set of links to major web sites.

If you cannot find what you are looking for, please contact us through email.

 

U.S. Govt. Resources

 

Congressional Research Service01/05/09 Africa Command: U.S. Strategic Interests and the Role of the U.S. Military in Africa This CRS report discusses the newly established AFRICOM.

 

Congressional Research Service05/12/09 Sudan: The Crisis in Darfur and Status of the North-South Peace Agreement This CRS report discusses the situation in Darfur.

 

Congressional Research Service04/24/09 Piracy off the Horn of Africa This CRS report discusses the recent increase of piracy off the Horn of Africa .

 

Congressional Research Service04/01/09 Zimbabwe This CRS report discusses the situation in Zimbabwe .

 

Congressional Research Service05/21/09 Somalia This CRS report discusses the situation in Somalia.

 

Annual Report to Congress on the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.Celebrating Life: Fifth Annual Report to Congress on PEPFAR (2009)

 
 

US Government Reports Icon2008 Comprehensive Report on U.S. Trade and Investment Policy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa and Implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity. Act This report of the Office of the United States Trade Representative describes the wide array of U.S. programs that are assisting African countries to bolster economic growth and development through trade.

 

 

Major State Department Reports on Africa

US Government Reports Icon 2008 Africa Human Rights Report

US Government Reports Icon State Background Note: Africa

US Government Reports Icon 2008 Religious Freedom Report for Africa

US Government Reports Icon 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report

US Government Reports Icon 2008 Country Reports on Terrorism

 

The United States Policy towards Africa: A Dossier

(President Barack Obama addresses the Ghanaian Parliament in Accra, Ghana July 11, 2009. (White House Photo, Chuck Kennedy)
President Barack Obama addresses the Ghanaian Parliament in Accra, Ghana July 11, 2009.
(Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy.)

Key U.S. Policy Priorities

bullet Obama Calls on Africans to Claim Their Future [...] So I do not see the countries and peoples of Africa as a world apart; I see Africa as a fundamental part of our interconnected world -- as partners with America on behalf of the future we want for all of our children. That partnership must be grounded in mutual responsibility and mutual respect. We must start from the simple premise that Africa's future is up to Africans.
Read the full text in English. | Lire le discours en français Listen to the full audio. | Watch the video

bullet U.S. Policy in Africa in the 21st Century:

The U.S. understands that there are new, rising strategic powers around the world, including Sub-Saharan Africa.

We are pursuing the shared goal of ending conflict in Africa by supporting African conflict mediation and strengthening African capacities to mitigate conflict and carry out peace support operations.

To do so, we work directly with lead African mediators, bilaterally with African Governments, and multilaterally with the African Union, the United Nations, and African sub-regional organizations. To put it more simply, we want to support African leadership and African solutions to African problems.

bullet Hillary Clinton Outlines Obama’s Africa Policy:

The Obama administration’s foreign policy objectives for Africa also include “combating al-Qaida's efforts to seek safe havens in failed states in the Horn of Africa; helping African nations to conserve their natural resources and reap fair benefits from them; stopping war in Congo; [and] ending autocracy in Zimbabwe and human devastation in Darfur.”

bulletSudan: Current Status of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement: We need to have engagement with all parties to save lives in Sudan, to bring about a lasting peace.

bullet U.S. Africa Command: For African nations, the role of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) will be one of “sustained security engagement” as a more reliable partner across the continent, says Ambassador Mary Yates.

bullet African Growth and Opportunity Act: The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) was signed into law by President Clinton in May 2000, to expand U.S. trade and investment with Sub-Saharan Africa, to stimulate economic growth, to promote a high-level dialogue on trade and investment-related issues, to encourage economic integration, and to facilitate sub-Saharan Africa's integration into the global economy. As of April 2009, 40 sub-Saharan African countries were eligible for AGOA benefits.

 

Major US Government Statements

A select list of major statements On the United States and Africa with policy value.

Latest US Government Statements

The five most recent statements in reverse chronological order. 

For more statements, click here

US Government Fact Sheets

The five most recent fact sheets.

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