Author: President Barack Obama and The White House
Category: Sub-Saharan Africa
Date Written: 14 June 2012
Document Origin: The White House
Summary & Comment: President Barack Obama has announced that the U.S. is taking a four-pillared approach in its’ new strategy toward sub-Saharan Africa. The first of these is to “Strengthen Democratic Institutions”, which means specific focus on promoting good governance, shedding light on what the U.S. deems positive democratic models, promoting human rights and civil society, and continued focus on democratic norms and processes. The second pillar is to “Spur Economic Growth, Trade, and Investment”, by promoting a better environment for trade and investment, improving economic governance, promoting regional integration, expanding access to and benefit from global markets, and encouraging U.S. companies to trade with and invest in Africa. The third pillar is to “Advance Peace and Security”.
The U.S. plans to do this by first of all countering terrorist groups, as well as advancing security cooperation and reform, attempting to prevent criminal threats and other conflict, mitigating mass atrocities, and supporting U.N. initiatives to promote peace. The fourth and final pillar in the new U.S. strategy for Africa is to “Promote Opportunity and Development”. This will focus on addressing constraints to growth and promoting poverty reduction, promoting food security, transforming public health, increasing opportunities for youth and women, responding to humanitarian crises, and promoting sustainable development and resilience toward climate change. To read the full document click here.
