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• Madagascar's Political Crisis [June 18, 2017]

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  "Madagascar, an Indian Ocean island country, ranks among the world's poorest countries, is the world's fourth largest island and is extremely biologically diverse, with thousands of unique species of flora and fauna. It has experienced political instability since early 2009, initiated by tensions between the country's last elected president, Marc Ravalomanana, and an opposition movement led by Andry Rajoelina, then the mayor of the capital city, Antananarivo. Mass protests in early 2009 and eventual military support for the ouster of President Ravalomanana culminated in his forced resignation from office. Rajoelina then seized power and, with other leaders, formed an interim self-declared transitional government, the High Transitional Authority (HAT, after its French acronym). Ravalomanana now lives in exile in South Africa."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Blanchard, Lauren Ploch; Cook, Nicolas

  2017-06-18
• Cyclone Disaster in Mozambique and Surrounding Region [March 22, 2019]

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  From the Document: "On March 14, a large and powerful tropical storm dubbed Cyclone Idai came ashore at Beira, a low-lying port city in central Mozambique, in southeastern Africa. It featured sustained winds as high as 120 miles per hour prior to making landfall and dumped torrents of rain over large parts of Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar. Its effects have been expansive and catastrophic--covering at least 1,200 square miles--and it is among the worst natural disasters ever to hit the region. Flooding has limited humanitarian response organizations' access to much of the affected region."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2019-03-22
• Zimbabwe: A Continuing Crisis [July 12, 2019]

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  From the Document: "A six-year economic crisis in Zimbabwe has intensified since national elections in July 2018, in which President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) prevailed. The dire economic situation has prompted public discontent, strikes, protests and, in early 2019, days of riots. In response, state security forces have violently repressed demonstrations and arrested civil society activists. Since February 2019, the state has also pursued a dialogue with the political opposition, but only minor parties have participated. The Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC), the largest opposition party, has refused to participate unless the state ends its repression and alleged breaches of the rule of law. The MDC also insists that any dialogue be convened by an independent mediator; it contends that the Mnangagwa government is 'illegitimate' and responsible for what the MDC calls a 'political crisis.'"

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2019-07-12
• African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) [February 7, 2020]

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  From the Document: "On May 30, 2019, the framework agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) entered into force. Trading under the agreement, however, is not expected to occur until mid-2020 at the earliest, as negotiations continue on critical commitments, including tariff liberalization schedules. If fully realized, the AfCFTA would cover 54 countries (the largest of any regional trade bloc), creating a market encompassing 1.2 billion people with combined economic output in 2018 of $2.5 trillion. Through the AfCFTA, the African Union (AU) seeks to create a pan-African free trade area liberalizing the flow of goods and services, thereby increasing intra-African trade and enhancing regional development prospects. All but one (Eritrea) of the AU's 55 members have signed the agreement, and 29 had ratified it as of January 2020. Many observers hailed the AfCFTA agreement's entry into force as a milestone in African economic integration. Its impact, however, will depend on future negotiations and on its successful implementation in a region in which some past trade integration efforts have fallen short of their ambitions. The United States, partly as directed by Congress, has provided assistance to expand Africa's intra-regional and global trade through various initiatives. The Trump Administration broadly supports the AfCFTA and has pledged U.S. assistance for its implementation--but has also stated interest in negotiating one or more bilateral trade agreements in the region, which could potentially complicate AfCFTA negotiations and implementation."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Brock R.; Cook, Nicolas

  2020-02-07
• Zimbabwe: A Continuing Crisis [Updated November 27, 2019]

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  From the Document: "An enduring, six-year economic crisis in Zimbabwe has intensified since national elections in July 2018, won by President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF). The dire economic situation has prompted public discontent, strikes, protests, and, in early 2019, days of riots. In response, state security forces have violently repressed demonstrations and arrested civil society activists. Since early 2019, the state has also pursued a dialogue with the political opposition, but only minor parties have participated. The Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC), the largest opposition party, has refused to participate unless the state ends its repression and alleged breaches of the rule of law. The MDC also insists that any dialogue be convened by an independent mediator; it contends that the Mnangagwa government is 'illegitimate' and responsible for what the MDC calls a 'political crisis.'"

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2019-11-27
• African Elections in 2020 [Updated February 14, 2020]

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  This report from the Congressional Research Service provides election snapshots for individual nations in Africa in 2020.

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Collins, Sarah R.; Arieff, Alexis; Blanchard, Lauren Ploch . . .

  2020-02-14
• Comparing Global Influence: China's and U.S. Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, Trade, and Investment in the Developing World [August 15, 2008]

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  "This report compares the People's Republic of China's (PRC) and U.S. projections of global influence, with an emphasis on non-coercive means or 'soft power,' and suggests ways to think about U.S. foreign policy options in light of China's emergence. Part One discusses U.S. foreign policy interests, China's rising influence, and its implications for the United States. Part Two compares the global public images of the two countries and describes PRC and U.S. uses of soft power tools, such as public diplomacy, state diplomacy, and foreign assistance. It also examines other forms of soft power such as military diplomacy, global trade and investment, and sovereign wealth funds. In Part Three, the report analyzes PRC and U.S. diplomatic and economic activities in five developing regions -- Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Lum, Thomas G. (Thomas Gong), 1961-; Cook, Nicolas; Blanchard, Christopher M.

  2008-08-15
• Liberia's Post-War Recovery: Key Issues and Developments [Updated March 21, 2006]

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  "This report covers recent developments in Liberia, a small, poor West African country. Liberia held elections in October 2005, with a presidential run-off in November - a key step in a post-conflict transition and peace-building process that began following its second civil war in a decade. The latter war began in 1999, escalated in 2000, and ended in 2003. It pitted the forces of Charles Taylor, elected president in 1997 after Liberia's first civil war (1989-1997), against two armed anti-Taylor rebel groups. It also affected neighboring states, which accepted Liberian refugees and, in some cases, hosted anti-Taylor forces and became targets of armed aggression by the Taylor regime."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2006-03-21
• Liberia's Post-War Recovery: Key Issues and Developments [Updated January 30, 2006]

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  "This long report describes recent developments in Liberia, a small, poor West African country that is undergoing a post-conflict transition and peace-building process after its second civil war in a decade. The latter war began in 1999, escalated in 2000, and ended in 2003. It pitted the forces of Charles Taylor, elected president in 1997 after Liberia's first civil war (1989-1997), against two armed anti-Taylor rebel groups. It also affected neighboring states, which accepted Liberian refugees and, in some cases, hosted anti-Taylor forces and became targets of armed aggression by the Taylor regime. This report will be updated as events warrant. Liberia held post-war elections in October 2005, with a presidential run-off vote in November. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, an economist with Liberian government and multinational organization experience, won with 59.4%. She is the first female president of an African country. Her run-off opponent was George Weah, a former soccer player whose star status and rags-to riches history make him a hero to Liberian youth. Weah is contesting the election, contending fraud. Most election observers characterized the process as orderly, generally well-administered, and free and fair."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2006-01-30
• Liberia's Post-War Recovery: Key Issues and Developments [December 13, 2005]

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  "This long report describes recent developments in Liberia, a small, poor West African country that is undergoing a post-conflict transition and peace-building process after its second civil war in a decade. The latter war began in 1999, escalated in 2000, and ended in 2003. It pitted the forces of Charles Taylor, elected president in 1997 after Liberia's first civil war (1989-1997), against two armed anti-Taylor rebel groups. It also affected neighboring states, which accepted Liberian refugees and, in some cases, hosted anti-Taylor forces and became targets of armed aggression by the Taylor regime. This report will be updated as events warrant. Liberia held post-war elections in October 2005, with a presidential run-off vote in November. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, an economist with Liberian government and multinational organization experience, won with 59.4%. She is the first female president of an African country. Her run-off opponent was George Weah, a former soccer player whose star status and rags-to riches history make him a hero to Liberian youth. Weah is contesting the election, contending fraud. Most election observers characterized the process as orderly, generally well-administered, and free and fair."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2005-12-13
• Zimbabwe: Current Issues and U.S. Policy [September 15, 2016]

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  From the Overview: "U.S. relations with Zimbabwe, a mineral-rich southern African country, remain strained. Tensions in bilateral relations emerged in the late 1990s, when increasing indications of human rights violations, undemocratic governance, and economic decline, accompanied by radical government economic policies and land seizures, spurred concern among Members of Congress and other U.S. policymakers. Bilateral relations since that time have been--and remain--dominated by U.S. policy, diplomatic, and targeted assistance efforts intended to prevent and counter such outcomes, mitigate their effects, and push for policy and governance reforms in Zimbabwe, as well as alleviate socioeconomic hardships among the country's people. Legislation enacted by Congress is a key component of these policy efforts."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2016-09-15
• Zambia [July 19, 2019]

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  From the Document: "The Republic of Zambia, a landlocked southern African country, has historically been politically stable and has held regular elections since a return to multiparty politics in 1991, after nearly two decades of one-party rule. The government reportedly uses the state legal apparatus to restrict opposition political activity and muzzle critics, however, curtailing the exercise of civic freedoms. Corruption is also a governance challenge, and Zambia faces economic headwinds. Since 2014, economic growth has slowed, while public debt has risen. U.S.-Zambian relations are cordial and center primarily on bilateral development cooperation, notably in the health sector."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2019-07-19
• Zimbabwe: Forthcoming Elections [July 26, 2018]

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  "On July 30, 2018, Zimbabwe is slated to hold presidential, parliamentary and local elections--the first since the November 2017 transfer of presidential power from Robert Mugabe to Emmerson Mnangagwa. Mugabe's departure, after 37 years in office, raised hopes for the resolution of a persistent economic crisis and for a democratic transition ending a long pattern of human rights violations and undemocratic governance--and an end to the years of international condemnation, sanctions, and isolation generated by such trends. Mnangagwa, a former close Mugabe ally, has committed to a range of economic and governance reforms. He has also pledged that these elections will be free, fair, and peaceful. The elections' credibility will determine the relative legitimacy of the next government and its ability to mend relations with the international financial institutions (IFIs) and Western governments. This, in turn, could bolster the government's ability to negotiate a sovereign debt arrears payment deal, a critical step toward returning the economy to health. A dearth of capital is a major factor underpinning the dire economic situation, and Zimbabwe's longstanding debt arrears have cut it off from new credit. A legitimate election could also spur increased foreign investment and trade. Western donors view free and fair elections as a key prerequisite for increased cooperation and engagement."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2018-07-26
• Ghana: Current Issues and U.S. Relations in Brief [July 18, 2018]

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  "Ghana, a country of 27.5 million people on West Africa's Atlantic coast, faces diverse development challenges, but has built a robust democracy notable for consistent peaceful turnovers of executive power since a transition to multiparty rule in the early 1990s. The country also has made progress toward many of the socioeconomic outcomes that successive U.S. administrations have sought to foster in Africa, and U.S. policymakers have tended to view Ghana as a stable U.S. partner in an often-volatile region. Substantial U.S. bilateral aid has both been premised on and arguably contributed to Ghana's generally positive development trajectory."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2018-07-18
• Zimbabwe's Political Transition: Issues for Congress [November 22, 2017]

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  "In mid-November 2017, spurred by an intra-party rivalry within the ruling Zimbabwe National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party to succeed President Robert Mugabe, 93, the Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) seized control of key national political and military facilities. [...] Preempting an impeachment vote, Mugabe resigned November 21. Zimbabweans' initial reactions to the ZDF intervention appeared broadly positive. [...] The question of who may succeed President Mugabe arguably presents the most immediate and pressing challenge for Zimbabwe's political system, and for foreign governments engaged with the country. The stakes are high. Succession outcomes are likely to shape future developments in all major policy arenas, and the succession process could generate political and economic instability, possibly violent, in the wider southern Africa region. Succession is subject to the interplay of diverse, primarily domestic factors, however, making it an unpredictable and fluid process, and one not readily influenced by U.S. or other foreign policy interventions."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas; Terrell, Katherine Z.

  2017-11-22
• Zimbabwe: A Military-Compelled Transition? [November 16, 2017]

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  "Between November 14 and 15, members of the Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) seized control of the state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and secured other key political and military facilities, in an action seen by some observers as a coup d'état. The ultimate objective and possible trajectory of their intervention remain unclear, but the move appears to have been sparked by a succession struggle within the ruling Zimbabwe National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF). [...] The situation in Zimbabwe remains fluid, and what outcomes may result from the military's intervention are unknown. The ZDF's action holds the potential to bring about a political transition reversing a years-long trend of undemocratic governance, human rights abuses, and a badly ailing economy. Alternately, it could possibly worsen the security and economic situations. How the United States--and other external actors--might affect the outcome remains to be seen. [...] The ZDF intervention is almost certain to fundamentally reshape the political landscape. Whether the military may, however, simply attempt to protect its interests and those of the historically hardline ZANU-PF wing of the party with which it is allied--or whether it facilitates a governance agenda centered on 'investment, development and prosperity' (as its intervention statement suggested)--remains to be seen. An alternative option could be a government of national unity akin to one that existed between 2009 and 2013. It ended after procedurally flawed elections in 2013."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2017-11-16
• Cyclone Idai in Southern Africa: Humanitarian and Recovery Response in Brief [Updated April 12, 2019]

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  From the Document: "Cyclone Idai--a large and powerful tropical storm--came ashore on March 14, 2019, at Beira, a low-lying port city in central Mozambique, causing widespread devastation in southeastern Africa. The system dumped torrents of rain over large parts of Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar, causing extensive flooding, mudslides, and at least one dam collapse. It also featured strong, sustained, and destructive winds, and caused widespread damage to buildings, infrastructure, and crops. Cyclone Idai's impact was extensive, covering at least 1,200 square miles; it is among the worst recorded natural disasters to hit the region (see Figure 1). The storm displaced large numbers of people, many of whom are now in need of humanitarian assistance, as well as significant resources for recovery and reconstruction. Post-storm aid responses have been expanding. They have shifted from an initial focus on search and rescue to the provision of emergency food aid, shelter, and health care; efforts to enable access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); and other humanitarian interventions."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Margesson, Rhoda; Cook, Nicolas

  2019-04-12
• Cyclones Idai and Kenneth in Southeastern Africa: Humanitarian and Recovery Response in Brief [Updated May 1, 2019]

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  From the Document: "Cyclone Idai--a large and powerful Category 2 tropical storm--came ashore on March 14, 2019, at Beira, a low-lying port city in central Mozambique, causing widespread devastation in southeastern Africa. A second strong storm, Cyclone Kenneth, came ashore on April 25 just north of the coastal town of Pemba in far northern Mozambique. Cyclone Kenneth featured winds as strong as 140 miles per hour (mph) and was classified as a Category 4 storm. Although Cyclone Kenneth made landfall in an area of Mozambique where cyclones rarely come ashore, it was reportedly the strongest recorded tropical storm ever to hit the country."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Margesson, Rhoda; Cook, Nicolas

  2019-05-01
• Cyclones Idai and Kenneth in Southeastern Africa: Humanitarian and Recovery Response in Brief [Updated May 10, 2019]

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  From the Overview: "Cyclone Idai--a large and powerful Category 2 tropical storm--came ashore on March 14, 2019, at Beira, a low-lying port city in central Mozambique, causing widespread devastation in southeastern Africa. A second strong storm, Cyclone Kenneth, came ashore on April 25 just north of the coastal town of Pemba in far northern Mozambique. Cyclone Kenneth featured winds as strong as 140 miles per hour (mph) and was classified as a Category 4 storm. Although Cyclone Kenneth made landfall in Cabo Delgado Province, a northern area where cyclones rarely come ashore, it was reportedly the strongest tropical storm on record ever to hit the country. Cyclone Idai dumped torrents of rain over large parts of Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar, causing extensive flooding, mudslides, and at least one dam collapse. It also featured strong, sustained, and destructive winds, and caused widespread damage to buildings, infrastructure, and crops. Cyclone Idai's impact was extensive, covering at least 1,200 square miles; it is among the worst natural disasters to hit the region. The storm displaced large numbers of people, many of whom are now in need of (1) humanitarian assistance, and (2) significant resources for recovery and reconstruction. Post-storm aid responses have been expanding. They have shifted from an initial focus on search and rescue to the provision of emergency food aid, shelter, and healthcare; efforts to enable access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); and other humanitarian interventions."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas; Margesson, Rhoda

  2019-05-10
• Sub-Saharan Africa: Key Issues and U.S. Engagement [Updated January 15, 2019]

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  "This report provides an introduction to select issues related to sub-Saharan Africa (henceforth, 'Africa,' unless otherwise noted) and U.S. policy toward the region. It includes general information concerning Africa's economic and development challenges, governance and human rights trends on the continent, and key issues related to peace and security. It also provides an overview of U.S. engagement in Africa and current U.S. policy approaches toward the region. This report is intended to serve as a primer to help inform deliberations on key enduring issues for Congress, which include the authorization and appropriation of funding for U.S. foreign aid programs and U.S. military activities in the region and oversight of U.S. programs and policies."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Husted, Tomas F.; Arieff, Alexis; Blanchard, Lauren Ploch . . .

  2019-01-15
• Powering Africa: Challenges of and U.S. Aid for Electrification in Africa [September 14, 2015]

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  "The largest infrastructure deficit in sub-Saharan Africa, a region mostly made up of low income developing countries, is in the power sector, according to the World Bank. Rates of access to electricity in Africa are very low by global standards, notably in rural areas. About 57% of Africans, or about 621 million people, lack access to electricity (also referred to as 'power' in this report). Whether measured in terms of generation and distribution capacity, electricity consumption, or security of supply, Africa's power sector delivers a fraction of the service needed or found elsewhere in the developing world. Power consumption is a tenth of that found elsewhere in the developing world, and per capita access is gradually falling, because new power infrastructure construction has not kept up with growing populations and electricity demands. The contrast between Africa and the developed world with respect to power capacities is particularly stark. Africa has a generation capacity of about 106 megawatts (MW) per million people, while that of the United States was about 3,320 megawatts MW per million people."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas; Campbell, Richard J.; Brown, Phillip (Specialist in Energy Policy) . . .

  2015-09-14
• Obama Administration's Feed the Future Initiative [January 29, 2016]

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  From the Summary: "The Obama Administration's Feed the Future (FTF) Initiative is a U.S. international development program launched in 2010 that invests in food security and agricultural development activities in a select group of developing countries in an effort to reduce hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and food insecurity. The bulk of FTF funding supports 19 'focus countries' selected based on country ownership potential, needs, and opportunities to achieve success. FTF supports additional countries under aligned and regional programs and through assistance to three 'strategic partners'--Brazil, India, and South Africa--to increase regionally based sustainable development capacities."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Lawson, Marian Leonardo; Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-; Cook, Nicolas

  2016-01-29
• Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Impact in Africa [Updated May 11, 2020]

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  From the Document: "As Congress considers the global impact of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], some Members may examine the implications for sub-Saharan Africa ('Africa'). Most African health systems struggle with low capacity, trailing world averages in per capita numbers of doctors, hospital beds, ventilators, and oxygen cylinders. Although lessons from past disease outbreaks (e.g., recent Ebola outbreaks) led some countries to quickly ramp up disease surveillance and behavior change campaigns, overall state capacity tends to be low. Confirmed caseloads in Africa have been relatively low to date, but may be underreported. The pandemic has disrupted efforts to prevent and contain other diseases, including polio, measles, malaria, and HIV/AIDS. [...] African economies have been severely affected. Global prices for key commodity exports (e.g., oil, natural gas, and certain minerals) have cratered. Job-rich sectors such as transportation and tourism are largely suspended, and remittances from African workers abroad have withered. Informal workers have lost meager incomes due to COVID-19 control measures, and prices for basic goods have risen. In April, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected that African economies would contract by 1.6% overall in 2020, the most severe regional recession in decades. The World Bank estimated that 23 million more Africans could fall into extreme poverty due to the pandemic."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Arieff, Alexis; Blanchard, Lauren Ploch; Cook, Nicolas . . .

  2020-05-11
• African Elections in 2020 [Updated April 27, 2020]

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  From the Document: "At the start of the year, 21 African countries were slated to hold presidential and/or parliamentary polls in 2020. Scheduled election dates are listed below. Some may be subject to change due to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic or other factors."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Collins, Sarah R.; Arieff, Alexis; Blanchard, Lauren Ploch . . .

  2020-04-27
• Trump Administration's Prosper Africa Initiative [Updated November 17, 2020]

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  From the Document: "The Trump Administration's Prosper Africa initiative aims to substantially increase U.S.-African trade and investment ties, spur joint U.S. and African economic growth, and--as U.S. officials have stated--demonstrate 'the superior value proposition of transparent markets and private enterprise.' Past Administrations have similarly sought to expand U.S.-Africa trade and investment ties, but gains to date have been modest. In 2019, Africa accounted for 1.4% of U.S. global trade and received 0.7% of U.S. foreign direct investment. Such shares have declined relative to their historical highs a decade or so ago, suggesting that quickly achieving sizable growth in such metrics may not be easy. As such, Congress may seek to determine whether Prosper Africa is adequately funded, effectively configured, and an appropriate vehicle to attain such goals."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Brock R.; Cook, Nicolas

  2020-11-17
• Tanzania: Recent Governance Trends and 2020 Elections in Brief [Updated October 26, 2020]

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  From the Introduction: "Tanzania, an East African country of 58.6 million people, transitioned from a one-party socialist state to a multiparty system in 1992, amidst a then-ongoing liberalization of its state-centric economy. The country has since attracted significant amounts of foreign development aid, including more than $7.5 billion in total U.S. assistance over the past 20 years. Such assistance generally has sought to improve the development prospects of Tanzania's people--many of whom remain poor, despite the country's substantial natural resource wealth and agricultural potential, years of robust macroeconomic growth, and improving socioeconomic indicators. Despite Tanzania's multiparty transition, the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM, Swahili for 'Party of the Revolution') has continued to dominate and control the state. It has won every national election since that transition, as well as all elections in Zanzibar, a semiautonomous, majority Muslim island region. The influence of the CCM, which holds 74% of parliamentary seats, has expanded under the sometimes-controversial tenure of President John Magufuli, elected in 2015."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2020-10-26
• Obama Administration's Feed the Future Initiative [Updated July 25, 2016]

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  From the Introduction: "Established in 2010, 'Feed the Future' (FTF) is a major Obama Administration foreign assistance initiative designed to alleviate global poverty and improve health and food security. [...] TF is a new federal investment paradigm targeting sustainable reductions in international hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity. FTF seeks to foster transparency and accountability and track and assess program implementation progress through the use of publicly released metrics to justify U.S. investments in each recipient country and each development program, indicators to monitor and evaluate progress, and annual reports to Congress. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) selects the main FTF recipient countries--known as 'focus countries' under the initiative--based on country ownership potential, need, and opportunity for reducing food insecurity. [...] This report discusses these and other features of FTF. Key issues addressed include the origin, intent, and government-wide inter-agency development approach of FTF; FTF program implementation, including monitoring and evaluation issues; and funding. This report also raises possible oversight issues for Congress relating to FTF implementation. Possible matters of interest to Members include the limited availability of USAID reporting on program impact results by country, and long-term institutional prospects for FTF, given its status as an ad hoc Obama Administration presidential initiative. Congress is presently evaluating the overall merits of FTF and whether to permanently authorize the initiative."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Lawson, Marian Leonardo; Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-; Cook, Nicolas

  2016-07-25
• Sub-Saharan Africa: Key Issues, Challenges, and U.S. Responses [March 21, 2017]

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  "The 115th Congress and the Trump Administration are reviewing existing U.S. policies and programs in sub-Saharan Africa (henceforth, 'Africa') as they establish their budgetary and policy priorities toward the region while also responding to emerging crises. Africa-specific policy questions did not feature prominently in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, and the views of the Trump Administration on many U.S.-Africa policy issues remain unspecified. The Obama Administration's 'Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa' identified its policy priorities as strengthening democratic institutions; spurring economic growth, trade, and investment; advancing peace and security; and promoting opportunity and development. Analysts continue to debate whether that Strategy reflected an appropriate mix and ranking of priorities, as well as the degree to which the Obama Administration's actions reflected its stated goals."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas; Arieff, Alexis; Blanchard, Lauren Ploch . . .

  2017-03-21
• Liberia: Political Transition and U.S. Relations [May 15, 2018]

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  From the Document: "The United States has maintained close bilateral ties with Liberia for nearly 200 years, with periodic exceptions. Ties were particularly close during the Sirleaf years. The U.S. State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have administered a wide range of post-war bilateral assistance programs, especially in the areas of health and economic development. Liberia also benefits from programs administered by other U.S. agencies, including the Department of the Treasury, Peace Corps, Defense Department, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation. Congress has maintained an interest in Liberia, and has held hearings on its post-war development, stability, and democratization trajectories. Congress has appropriated more than $5 billion in post-war aid and assistance to halt the Ebola outbreak, and helped to foster relations through a House Democracy Partnership with the Liberian legislature. Some Members of Congress, often those with politically active Liberian-American constituencies, have also supported the immigration rights of noncitizen Liberians resident in the United States."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2018-05-15
• Malawi: Key Developments and U.S. Relations [June 2, 2017]

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  "U.S.-Malawi ties warmed following Malawi's democratic transition but faced strains during the 2004-2012 tenure of President Bingu wa Mutharika, whose administration was marred by semi-authoritarian leadership and human rights concerns. Relations improved markedly under Joyce Banda and have remained positive under President Peter Mutharika. U.S. development assistance has long been the main focus of U.S.-Malawian relations. Congressional interest has traditionally centered on such assistance, notably in the health sector, and on governance concerns. In recent years, State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) bilateral assistance to Malawi has ranged between $196 million (FY2014) and $261 million (FY2016). This was supplemented in FY2016 with an additional $102.6 million in disaster response funding, primarily for emergency food aid. The Obama Administration requested $195.6 million for FY2017, and Congress mandated that at least $56 million be allocated to Malawi, and that up to $10 million of this funding be made available for higher education programs. The Trump Administration requested $161.3 million for Malawi in FY2018, centered almost exclusively on health system aid."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2017-06-02