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What is the US plan for Africa?

Donald Trump didn't prioritise Africa policy during his time in office. Will Joe Biden?

US special operations forces have agreed to help β€œsupport Mozambique's efforts to prevent the spread of terrorism and violent extremism”, with dozens of people reported killed during an Islamist attack in the north of the country this week. Joe Biden’s Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and other members of the global coalition against the Islamic State militant group have warned of a β€œserious and growing threat” from radical Islamists across Africa. But American’s interests in the region don’t end with security. Over recent years China has been extending its economic and military presence there and critics of Donald Trump’s presidency claim he failed to prioritise Africa policy - symbolised by the fact he didn’t visit during his 4 years in office. So, if the Biden administration is re-engaging with Africa, what does that mean? What should the priority be for US foreign policy across the continent? And what does China’s growing influence mean for America’s diplomatic credibility in the region? Paul Henley is joined by a panel of expert guests.

Available now

53 minutes

Last on

Sat 3 Apr 2021 03:06GMT

Contributors

Comfort Ero - The Crisis Group’s Interim Vice President and Africa Program Director

Judd Devermont - Director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), previously the US national intelligence officer for Africa and the CIA's senior political analyst on sub-Saharan Africa

Jennifer Cooke - Director of the Institute for African Studies at The Elliott School for International Affairs at George Washington University

Also featuring ...

Rep. Gregory Meeks - Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in the United States Congress

Photo

An African Union soldier deployed in Somalia, a country in which the US invested heavily - Credit: AFP

Broadcasts

  • Fri 2 Apr 2021 09:06GMT
  • Fri 2 Apr 2021 23:06GMT
  • Sat 3 Apr 2021 03:06GMT

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