As 2020 begins, it is important to reflect on the top developments that occurred in Africa, in U.S.-Africa relations, and in Africa's role in the global arena over the past year. The Wilson Center Africa Program continued its annual tradition of asking practitioners, experts, and policymakers to weigh in on the most important and impactful developments of 2019 for the continent, and their implications for U.S.-Africa relations. They responded with the brief and insightful essays in this volume.
We thank them for their contributions, which provide analysis on topics including the ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, people power and the rise of popular protests in Sudan and Algeria, increased violent extremism and pastoral violence across many parts of the continent, the influence of countries like Turkey and the Gulf States in the Horn, the role of Africa’s creative sector in driving economic growth, and the importance of Ghana’s “Year of Return, Ghana 2019” initiative for the global African diaspora, among other topics.
We hope that you enjoy reading and sharing this volume!
Please note that the views expressed in these essays are solely the responsibility of the authors, and not those of the Wilson Center.
About the Authors
Viola Llewellyn
George Boateng
Research Analyst, African Center for Economic Transformation
Leila Ndiaye
Olusegun Sotola
Alex Vines
Sophia Moestrup
Adotei Akwei
Joseph Siegle
Ambassador Nureldin Satti
Retired UN Senior Official; Former Ambassador of Sudan to the United States, France, Portugal, Switzerland and the Vatican
Hannah Akuiyibo
Hana Alem
Diana Warira
Communications Officer, African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP)
Jamie Van Leeuwen
CEO & Founder of the Global Livingston Institute and Director of Youth & Community Engagement at the Emerson Collective
Grant Harris
Terence McNamee
Independent
Major General Roger L. Cloutier Jr.
Vivian Lowery Derryck
Marc Sommers
Independent Consultant
Marisa O. Ensor
Adesoji Adelaja
John A Hannah Distinguished Professor in Land Policy, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics
Olufemi Vaughan
Alfred Sargent Lee and Mary Ames Lee Professor of Black Studies, Amherst College
Ian Gorecki
Elem Eyrice Tepeciklioğlu
Ann L. Phillips
Former Professor of International Security Studies Director, Program in Security, Stability, Transition and Reconstruction, George C. Marshall Center, Germany
Shahrazad Hired
Gamuchirai Mhute
Africa Program
The Africa Program works to address the most critical issues facing Africa and US-Africa relations, build mutually beneficial US-Africa relations, and enhance knowledge and understanding about Africa in the United States. The Program achieves its mission through in-depth research and analyses, public discussion, working groups, and briefings that bring together policymakers, practitioners, and subject matter experts to analyze and offer practical options for tackling key challenges in Africa and in US-Africa relations. Read more
