Publication |
2009.
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Summary/Abstract |
The worldwide euphoria surrounding the
election of President Barack Obama in November
2008 is tempered today by recognition
of the multiple domestic and international
crises that the United States and the new administration
confront. Similarly, initially exuberant
expectations of what an Obama presidency might
mean for US-Africa relations are gradually subsiding
to more realistic and pragmatic proportions.
Even so, the new administration, despite economic
and other constraints, has an important
opportunity to build on the achievements of the
past decade in US-Africa policy and to forge a forward-
looking strategy toward Africa that consolidates
the continent's position in the mainstream
of American foreign policy. In the context of the
unfolding US and global recession and the daunting
security and diplomatic challenges emanating
from North Korea, Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan,
capitalizing on this opportunity will require sustained
leadership and vision. It will require strategic
investments in US policy capacities and collaborative
approaches with African and international
partners. It will require careful management of
the major Africa-focused institutional legacies of
the George W. Bush administration.
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