Jennifer G. Cooke

Senior Associate (Non-resident), Office of the President
Jennifer G. Cooke

Jennifer Cooke is senior associate of Office of the President, where she leads research and analysis on political, economic, and security dynamics in Africa. She is a frequent writer and lecturer on U.S.-Africa policy and provides briefings, testimony, and policy recommendations to U.S. policymakers, the U.S. Congress, and the U.S. military. Recent projects include an examination of militancy and extremism in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, religious authority and the state in Africa, energy trends in sub-Saharan Africa, and the launch of the “Spotlight on Africa” conference series, which provides an in-depth look at political and economic developments in Africa’s largest and most dynamic economies.

Cooke is a frequent commentator in print, on radio, and on television, and she has testified before Congress on Boko Haram in Nigeria, the political crisis in Côte d’Ivoire, and the African Union. She travels widely in Africa and has been an election observer in Sierra Leone, Mali, Nigeria, and Ghana. Growing up, she lived in Côte d’Ivoire and the Central African Republic, as well as Belgium, Italy, and Canada. Prior to CSIS, she worked at the National Academy of Sciences in the Office of Human Rights and the Office of News and Public Information and in the U.S. Congress on the House Subcommittee on Africa. She holds an M.A. in African studies and international economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a B.A. in government, magna cum laude, from Harvard University.

All Jennifer G. Cooke Content

Filter by

1 - 10 of 108 results

Feed the Future in Ghana

With food policy legislation and budget decisions pending, the coming months offer lawmakers, administrators, advocates, and implementers an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of U.S. food security programming.

Report by Jennifer G. Cooke — June 6, 2018

Boko Haram: The History of an African Jihadist Movement

For nearly twenty years, Boko Haram has menaced Nigeria and its neighbors. Join Dr. Alexander Thurston as he discusses his new book, which details the history of one of the world’s deadliest jihadist groups from its genesis in northeastern Nigeria in the early 2000s through its most infamous acts of violence and its 2015 alliance with the Islamic State. Dr. Thurston will be joined by two CSIS experts on African security: Africa Program director, Jennifer G. Cooke, and International Security Program Senior Fellow, Alice Hunt Friend, who will share their insights into Boko Haram and terrorism in northern Africa in general.

Event — February 14, 2018

Smart Women, Smart Power Podcast

2017’s Global Challenges – What’s Next?

CSIS experts look back at the year’s foreign policy and national security challenges and ahead to the issues that may dominate the headlines in 2018.

Podcast Episode by Sarah Ladislaw, Jennifer G. Cooke, and Beverly Kirk — December 27, 2017

CSIS Smart Women, Smart Power

Confronting the Problem of Fake News in Africa

Russian efforts to influence the outcome of the 2016 U.S. presidential election drew attention to the problem of ‘fake news’ and media manipulation.  The dissemination of misinformation through social media and mainstream news outlets is a global one, and Africa has not been spared.

Event — November 30, 2017

Zimbabwe Coup

Critical Questions by Jennifer G. Cooke — November 15, 2017

What Lessons Can Be Learned from Power Africa?

Described as an initiative that brings “together technical and legal experts, the private sector, and governments from around the world to work in partnership to increase the number of people with access to power”, Power Africa has been an attempt to work more effectively between various government agencies. 

Event — November 9, 2017

South Africa at a Crossroads

The discussion will focus on the current political uncertainty surrounding the Zuma presidency and the lead-up to the 2019 national elections and assess the country’s long-term prospects for sustained and inclusive economic growth.

Event — November 2, 2017