U.S. Africa Policy beyond the Bush Years

U.S. policy toward Africa underwent a dramatic expansion under the tenure of President George W. Bush, marked by unprecedented resource flows, a major diplomatic effort in Sudan, and the establishment of historic initiatives in health, development, and security. This volume critically assesses the Bush administration’s legacy in several key Africa policy areas: aid and trade; energy security; crisis diplomacy; security engagement; public health; China in Africa; democratization and governance; and climate change, demographics, and food insecurity. Chapter authors critique the impact of Bush administration policies in Africa’s complex evolving realities and outline proposals for future action by the new administration of President Barack Obama.

The Obama administration now faces the choice of how it will systematically build upon the legacy of George Bush, define its own initiatives, harness rising domestic interest in Africa, craft a balanced “smart power” approach to Africa that gives primacy to diplomatic engagement, and position Africa to be a foreign policy priority in the midst of a global economic crisis and other pressing priorities.