Category: Timely Commentary & Analysis

Investment and Ingenuity: Overcoming Obstacles to Doing Business in Sub-Saharan Africa

By The Atlantic Council

On Wednesday, August 6, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center hosted a public event to mark the release of its new Issue in Focus report, “Investment and Ingenuity: Overcoming Obstacles to Doing Business in Sub-Saharan Africa.” The report was authored by Africa Center Visiting Fellow Aubrey Hruby. Atlantic Council Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham opened […]

Designing Sustainable Solutions: A Roundtable on West African Security

By The Atlantic Council

On Wednesday, August 6, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center hosted a roundtable discussion on security challenges in West Africa. Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham welcomed participants to the event, which was moderated by Major General (Ret.) Christopher Leins, Africa Center senior fellow, and featured Ahmed Abbadi, secretary-general of Rabita Muhammadia of ‘Ulamas (Muhammadan League […]

Discussion on Conflict, Security, and the Future of Mali

By The Atlantic Council

On Wednesday, August 6, the Atlantic Council hosted the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister for the Republic of Mali H.E. Abdoulaye Diop, representing H.E. Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, president of the Republic of Mali, for a high-level breakfast discussion moderated by J. Peter Pham, director of the Africa Center. The discussion focused on security challenges […]

A Conversation with Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama

By The Atlantic Council

Continuing the Atlantic Council’s series of high-level events around the US-Africa Leaders Summit, the Africa Center hosted H.E. John Dramani Mahama, president of the Republic of Ghana, for a roundtable discussion. Africa Center Director Dr. J. Peter Pham welcomed the Ghanaian delegation that included Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration H.E. Hanna Tetteh, […]

‘If You Don’t Bet on Tunisia … You Can Say Goodbye to Democracy in the Arab World’

By The Atlantic Council

President Marzouki: US Should Embrace Moderate Islamists, Help Us Fight Extremists As Tunisia struggles to convert its 2011 Arab Spring revolution into stable democracy, the US and its allies frankly aren’t helping much, President Moncef Marzouki told the Atlantic Council. “The West gave more support to the dictatorship, because of so-called stability,” than it now […]

President Marzouki Urges US Policymakers to Stay Focused on Tunisia

By The Atlantic Council

The Atlantic Council hosted a private, high-level luncheon for His Excellency President Mohamed Moncef Marzouki to discuss the need for greater US and EU support for Tunisia’s transition. Among the participants were representatives from the US Congress, US Government agencies, international financial institutions, and private industry.

Morocco’s Emergence as a Gateway to Business in Africa

By Joshua Meservey

The US-Africa Leaders Summit—designed to foster deeper economic and diplomatic ties between the United States and African governments and businesses—began on August 4. Consonant with the summit’s objective, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center hosted an event marking the release of its new Issue in Focus report, “Morocco’s Emergence as a Gateway to Business in Africa.” […]

Assistant Secretary Linda Thomas-Greenfield Previews Inaugural US-Africa Leaders Summit

By The Atlantic Council

The inaugural US-Africa Leaders Summit begins next week from August 4 to 6 in Washington. As the first and largest initiative of its kind, President Obama has invited 51 heads of state and government to the United States for a three-day event that is intended to strengthen US-Africa ties and showcase American commitment to partnership […]

Salam Fayyad: To Halt Gaza’s War, Offer the Palestinians a Future

Former Palestinian Prime Minister Speaks at Atlantic Council As Gaza’s agony deepens amid the warfare between Hamas and Israel, US and other diplomats are groping for some way to stop the bloodshed. But the only chance to achieve even the most basic cease-fire will be with some agreement that revives for Palestinians at least a […]

Shifting Political Alliances: Are Gains from Yemen’s National Dialogue Slipping?

Three years after Yemen adopted the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) initiative, the country is slowly moving forward with its transition process. However, internal and external factors threaten to impede the country’s progress. On Wednesday, July 31, 2014, the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East hosted Mohammed Almaitami, chairman of the Khobara Center […]