The Obama Administration’s Africa Policy
The Obama Administration has focused its Africa policy mainly on democracy, economic growth, food security, democracy, conflict prevention and mitigation, as well as dealing with transnational threats. These broad strategic objectives of the Administration also indicate the vastness and diversity of the African continent and its varying requirements. The United States has provided a substantial amount of aid to Africa in health programmes.1
President Barack Obama announced his Africa policy during a visit to Ghana in July 2009 where he stated, “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.” During this speech, Obama noted that “I will focus on four areas that are critical to the future of Africa and the entire developing world: democracy, opportunity, health, and the peaceful resolution of conflict.”2
President Obama’s announcement was viewed as a fresh and significant move forward. President George W. Bush’s policies toward Africa was mainly focused on health programmes such as the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and the Malaria Initiative, which was aimed at providing malaria drugs and preventive assistance to 15 African countries. Meanwhile, President Bush did make efforts to create a Millennium Challenge Corporation, which included several development and democracy related initiatives. On the other hand, President Obama’s initiatives were mainly focused on strengthening democratic and economic institutions in Africa. Obama’s Africa policy indicated creating strong government as well as economic and civil structures that are essentials for a successful democracy. Obama’s policies strived for longterm improvements in the economy, and government accountability, instead of only focusing on short-term gains in areas such as health, food security, and environmental concerns.3
The Obama Administration identified five U.S. policy priorities in Africa which are: to strengthen democratic institutions; to foster broad-based and sustainable economic growth; to combat disease and improve public health; to prevent, mitigate, and resolve armed conflict; and to help address transnational threats and challenges.4
It would be worth noting that Sub-Saharan Africa gets over a quarter of total bilateral foreign assistance of the United States. Over the past decade, US aid to Africa has quadrupled.55 The Obama Administration had requested US$ 7.8 billion in bilateral foreign assistance for Africa in FY2012. The FY2012 budget request indicated an increase of nearly 10 per cent compared to FY2010 enacted levels for Africa (US$ 7.1 billion; actual aid reached US$ 8.1 billion with emergency humanitarian aid included).6
On June 14, 2012, the Obama Administration announced its new Africa policy. Announcing this new policy, termed as ‘U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa’, President Obama stated, “Addressing the opportunities and challenges in Africa requires a comprehensive U.S. policy that is proactive, forward-looking, and that balances our longterm interests with near-term imperatives. This U.S. Strategy toward Sub-Saharan Africa solidifies and advances many of the initiatives that we have launched since I took office in order to help achieve that balance, and elevates two efforts that will be critical to the future of Africa: strengthening democratic institutions and boosting broad-based economic growth, including through trade and investment. Strong, accountable, and democratic institutions, sustained by a deep commitment to the rule of law, generate greater prosperity and stability, and meet with greater success in mitigating conflict and ensuring security. Sustainable, inclusive economic growth is a key ingredient to security, political stability, and development, and it underpins efforts to alleviate poverty, creating the resources that will bolster opportunity and allow individuals to reach their full potential.”7
According to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, President Obama believes passionately that Africa’s future is now. Clinton noted that the new policy directive is aimed at advancing African democracy by strengthening institutions for more open and accountable governance and for promoting human rights and the rule of law. This new policy is also determined to challenge leaders “whose actions threaten the credibility of democratic processes”. According to Clinton, the policy also commits to advance U.S. trade and investment in sub-Saharan Africa by improving economic governance, promoting regional integration, expanding African access to global markets and encouraging U.S. companies to trade with and invest in Africa. Duty waivers under the African Growth and Opportunity Act have increased U.S. trade with Africa.8
Sanjeev Kumar Shrivastav is Research Assistant at IDSA. He specialises on issues related to the United States and its foreign and domestic policies
- 1. U.S. Foreign Assistance to Sub-Saharan Africa: The FY2012 Request, CRS Report, May 20, 2011 at http://
www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R41840.pdf - 2. “Remarks by the President to the Ghanaian Parliament”, Accra International Conference Center, Accra, Ghana,
July 11, 2009 at http://www.uspolicy.be/headline/obama%E2%80%99s-speech-ghana - 3. Franz Essig, “President Obama’s New Strategy on Sub-Saharan African Development”, Council for a Community
of Democracies, June 22, 2012 at http://www.ccd21.org/news/americas/obama_africa_policy.html - 4. Ibid.
- 5. Ibid.
- 6. Ibid.
- 7. “U.S. Strategy Towards Sub-Saharan Africa”, The White House, June 14, 2012 at http://www.whitehouse.gov/
sites/default/files/docs/africa_strategy_2.pdf - 8. “Clinton Unveils New US Africa Policy”, Voice of America, June 14, 2012 at http://www.voanews.com/content/
clinton-unveals-new-us-africa-policy/1211105.html
