Africa Program

Conducting sustained, timely research and analysis on the major elements of U.S. policy toward Africa.

The Africa Program is committed to charting new directions for U.S.-Africa policy, providing forward-thinking analysis that spurs new insights and policy recommendations for the region.

Vision

The Africa Program reestablished itself under new leadership in Summer 2018. We examine shifts in the economic, political, and security landscape, and connect these developments to broader global trends. Leveraging our reputation as a bipartisan think tank, the Africa Program convenes high-level representatives from the U.S. government, African governments, private sector, and non-governmental organizations to explore new ideas and tackle enduring challenges to peace and prosperity in the region.

4 Focus Areas

Shifts in Governance and Security: Greater connectivity, rapid urbanization, and population growth are transforming Africa’s politics and security landscape. The Africa Program anticipates how these factors underpin leadership transitions, public protests, and insurgencies, and examines the implications for the United States and Sub-Saharan African countries.

Navigating Foreign Partners: The map of foreign partners operating across Africa is growing more complex, with China, India, Japan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey deepening their engagements. The Africa Program seeks to contextualize Africa’s evolving foreign relations and reposition the U.S.-Africa relationship in this new dynamic.

Innovation, Tech, and Entrepreneurship: Africa is home to an impressive, growing group of innovators, techies, and entrepreneurs. The Africa Program works to elevate the accomplishments of these individuals, while also assessing the potentials and limits of technology to address employment, industrialization, and governance.

The Future of African Cities: Urbanization is Africa’s present and its future. Sub-Saharan Africa is already 40 percent urban, while tens of millions of people are flooding into cities year after year. The Africa Program charts how urbanization is transforming the continent and advises the U.S. government in crafting policies that harness Africa’s vibrant urban center and tackle challenges to public health, infrastructure, and security.