Africa in the Wider World

The U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit, being hosted by President Barack Obama in August 2014, acknowledges the increasing strategic, economic, and diplomatic importance of Africa and signals a desire by the United States to step up its engagement with one of the world’s fastest-growing regions. The summit provides a timely opportunity to take stock of some of the dynamic changes that have been taking place in Africa’s 54 countries and to examine the shifting contours of its relations with the rest of the world.

In this collection of essays, regional and functional experts from CSIS consider the main themes of the summit—and of Africa’s current place in the world—including trade and investment, peace and security, and democracy and good governance. The authors consider how Africa’s transformation is changing the way the continent is viewed externally and driving new types of engagement on security, development, and economic issues.