“In Africa, promise and opportunity sit side by side with disease, war, and desperate poverty. This threatens both a core value of the United States — preserving human dignity — and our strategic priority — combating global terror.  American interests and American principles, therefore, lead in the same direction: we will work with others for an African continent that lives in liberty, peace, and growing prosperity.” – Bush Administration Africa Policy.

Recent commitments by President Bush and G-8 leaders to bolster African development, governance, and social conditions have raised the continent’s profile on the foreign policy agenda, but advancing these goals will require sustained international efforts.  The Bush Administration has underscored the links between U.S. and African security and prosperity.  Africa is a growing source of U.S. petroleum and raw materials, an important trading partner, and an enormous untapped market for American investment.  However, the continent faces some serious political, economic and social challenges and remains outside the mainstream of economic globalization and wide digital connectivity.  Failure to address these problems will only increase the need for further American and international assistance and involvement.   

In spite of recent commitments, one harsh reality remains: Africa has never held the attention of U.S. leaders or the public for long.  Some have observed that Africa is in danger of slipping further on the list of U.S. foreign policy priorities because of the demands of more urgent problems in Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea, and the war on terrorism.  Others have cautioned that Washington’s relationship with various African states and leaders is perceived as overly focused on combating global terrorism.  Sustaining U.S. engagement and cooperation with African countries will require policies that reflect American interests, values, and priorities and engender broad public support.   

Against this backdrop, this symposium will consider Africa’s strategic importance to the United States and how expanded U.S. and international engagement could best help African countries address key challenges to their security and become stronger partners in dealing with costly regional crises, global terrorism, and other transnational threats.  We are asking practitioners and scholars from the U.S., Africa, and Europe to critically evaluate the security environment in Africa within the context of U.S. security interests and policies.  The discussion will also highlight the role of economic development and assistance in improving security, the global significance of the African energy sector, the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the challenges of terrorism and other transnational threats in and emanating from the region, and the progress of bi-lateral and multi-lateral programs to prevent armed conflict and develop capable, responsive peacekeeping forces.

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