Africa Center Commentary & Analysis

In the DRC, Joseph Kabila Kicks the Can Down the Road

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Joseph Kabila, the president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), is unlikely to abide by the terms of an agreement that aims to end his fifteen-year rule and ensure the DRC’s first-ever democratic transition of power, said J. Peter Pham, director of the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center. “Miracles can happen and I guess, […]

Joseph Kabila Has Passed His Expiration Date

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The United States must work to avoid another ‘world war’ in Africa, says Atlantic Council’s J. Peter Pham The United States must ratchet up pressure on Congolese President Joseph Kabila in an attempt to convince him to leave office; a failure to do so would risk dragging the country and its neighbors into a costly […]

Joseph Kabila Has Passed His Expiration Date

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The United States must work to avoid another ‘world war’ in Africa, says the Atlantic Council’s J. Peter Pham The United States must ratchet up pressure on Congolese President Joseph Kabila in an attempt to convince him to leave office; a failure to do so would risk dragging the country and its neighbors into a […]

The EU’s “money-for-migration” deal with Mali won’t work

By Julian Wyss

Over the weekend, European Union (EU) officials struck a deal with the West African nation of Mali to provide development funds in exchange for the country accepting the return of Malians whose asylum requests have been refused in Europe. While all the details of the agreement have yet to be announced, a brief statement by […]

Roundtable discussion with Noah Manyika

By Africa Center

On Tuesday, November 29, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center hosted Noah Manyika, convenor of the Build Zimbabwe Alliance, for a roundtable discussion on Zimbabwe’s opposition parties and the political landscape in the country ahead of the 2018 presidential elections. Africa Center Visiting Fellow Chloë McGrath welcomed participants, introduced Manyika, and moderated the discussion. In his […]

Mr. Trump, Put the Ball in Eritrea’s Court

With the growing threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham in Africa and shifting alliances in the region with the Arab Gulf states and Egypt, it is in the best interest of the incoming US administration to reassess engagement with Eritrea, a country which could play a significant strategic role in countering conflict […]

Rethinking Eritrea

By Africa Center

On Thursday, December 8, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center launched two new publications on Eritrea. The first, Eritrea’s Economy: Ideology and Opportunity, authored by fragile states expert Seth Kaplan, examines the nexus between the ideology of Eritrea’s leadership and the country’s struggling economy. The second, Eritrea: Coming In from the Cold, authored by Africa Center […]

Don’t Ignore Africa

By Rachel Ansley

Though Africa did not feature prominently in the US presidential campaign, the continent must be a key foreign policy consideration for the incoming administration not only due to its strategic, economic, security, and geopolitical significance, but also in light of competition from other aspiring partners, the former commander of the US Africa Command said at […]

A measured US strategy for the new Africa

By Africa Center

On Tuesday, December 6, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center, in coordination with the Brent Scowcroft Center’s Strategy Initiative, launched the latest Atlantic Council Strategy Paper, “A Measured US Strategy for the New Africa,” authored by Atlantic Council Vice President and Africa Center Director Dr. J. Peter Pham, with a foreword by General James L. Jones, […]