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• Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Impact in Africa [Updated March 5, 2021]

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  From the Document: "Sub-Saharan Africa ('Africa') has confirmed far fewer COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] cases and deaths per capita than many other regions to date, but a second, deadlier wave of cases has hit many African countries since late 2020. Confirmed cases remain concentrated in a handful of countries, led by South Africa. South Africa also has conducted the most COVID-19 tests in absolute terms, and in late 2020 discovered a new, more virulent variant of the virus that has spread worldwide. Africa's estimated case fatality rate surpassed the global average in early 2021, possibly due, in part, to the emergence of new virus variants."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

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

  2021-03-05
• Selected Trump Administration Foreign Aid Priorities: A Wrap-Up [Updated January 21, 2021]

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  From the Summary: "Congressional interest in and support for U.S. foreign aid has remained consistent throughout numerous Administrations. The Trump Administration pursued changes to foreign aid funding and policy priorities consistent with its 'America First' foreign policy orientation, a stated desire to reduce federal spending, and with goals identified in its December 2017 National Security Strategy, including ending the need for foreign assistance. Some initiatives built on the work of previous Administrations, while others conflicted with, and in some instances sought to dismantle, long-standing U.S. programs and policies. The Trump Administration pursued some policies that would have substantially reshaped the vast majority of foreign aid programs. These included proposals to reduce or rescind foreign aid funding; to consolidate appropriations accounts; and to reorganize, consolidate, or eliminate selected foreign aid agencies."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Morgenstern, Emily M.; Brown, Nick M.; Blanchfield, Luisa . . .

  2021-01-21
• 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
• South Africa: Current Issues, Economy, and U.S. Relations [Updated September 17, 2020]

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  From the Summary: "South Africa, a majority black, multiracial country of nearly 60 million people, has cordial relations with the United States, notwithstanding periodic strains, and is the largest U.S. trade partner in Africa. President Cyril Ramaphosa took office in 2018, after a series of corruption scandals under the administration of his predecessor, Jacob Zuma. Zuma, elected in 2009, resigned under intense pressure in early 2018, shortly after then-Vice President Ramaphosa was elected to replace Zuma as leader of the African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's dominant party. The ANC has held a parliamentary majority since the first universal suffrage elections in 1994, which marked the end of apartheid, a system of codified state racial bias favoring whites, but is facing headwinds. In the last general elections, in May 2019, it earned 57.5% of the vote--its lowest margin ever."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2020-09-17
• Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Impact in Africa [Updated August 20, 2020]

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  From the Document: "As of August 2020, confirmed COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] cases and deaths per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa ('Africa') continued to lag other regions. Cases also remained concentrated in a handful of countries, led by South Africa -- which has conducted the most COVID-19 tests by far -- although cases were rising quickly in many locations. In general, World Health Organization (WHO) scientists have predicted that COVID-19 may spread more slowly in Africa than in some regions due to social and environmental factors, including poor transportation infrastructure. At the same time, cases are likely underreported, as testing has been hampered by capacity constraints and the refusal of a few governments to track or publish data. Low death rates may be attributable to Africa's young populations, although the full effects of COVID-19 comorbidity with conditions such as HIV/AIDS and malnutrition remain to be seen."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

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

  2020-08-20
• South Africa: Current Issues, Economy, and U.S. Relations [Updated July 30, 2020]

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  From the Introduction: "South Africa, a majority black, multiracial country of nearly 60 million people, has the most diversified and industrialized economy in Africa, but has suffered years of low growth and is burdened by deeply embedded socioeconomic inequalities. President is Cyril Ramaphosa ('rahmah-POH-sah'), of the majority African National Congress (ANC) party, is leading a reform agenda aimed at improving the economy and public service delivery, and addressing corruption. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has sharply intensified the already formidable economic and health challenges facing South Africa, which include a high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate. The National Assembly elected then-Vice President Ramaphosa as president in early 2018, following the resignation of his predecessor, Jacob Zuma. Zuma stepped down in the face of a threat of a parliamentary no confidence vote after defying a decision by ANC leaders to recall him as the party's national presidential nominee--in large part as a result of multiple corruption scandals. Discontent with Zuma had helped cement Ramaphosa's victory in a bruising late 2017 ANC election to lead the party, which has suffered a gradual loss of electoral support in recent years. While the ANC was able to retain a parliamentary majority in the last general elections, held in May 2019--a majority it has held since the country's first universal suffrage polls in 1994--it earned 57.5% of votes, its lowest share to date. After the election, the parliament, under the country's indirect presidential election system, voted to re-elect Ramaphosa as president."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2020-07-30
• Malawi: Elections, Key Issues, and U.S. Relations [July 14, 2020]

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  From the Document: "On June 23, 2020, 59% of voters in Malawi, a small, poor southeast African country, ousted incumbent President Peter Mutharika in favor of opposition presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera during a rerun of a presidential election held in May 2019. The country's High Court ordered the rerun after annulling the 2019 vote in early 2020, citing a raft of serious irregularities. Mutharika, who won the 2019 election, called the decision a 'travesty of justice' and sought its reversal, but the Supreme Court rejected his appeal and upheld the High Court's ruling."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2020-07-14
• U.S. Assistance to Sub-Saharan Africa: An Overview [May 20, 2020]

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  From the Overview: "Congress authorizes, appropriates, and oversees U.S. assistance to sub-Saharan Africa ('Africa'), which received over a quarter of U.S. aid obligated in FY2018. Annual State Department- and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-administered assistance to Africa increased more than five-fold over the past two decades, primarily due to sizable increases in global health spending and more incremental growth in economic and security assistance. State Department and USAID-administered assistance allocated to African countries from FY2019 appropriations totaled roughly $7.1 billion. This does not include considerable U.S. assistance provided to Africa via global accounts, such as emergency humanitarian aid and certain kinds of development, security, and health aid. The United States channels additional funds to Africa through multilateral bodies, such as the United Nations and World Bank."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

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

  2020-05-20
• 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
• Fostering Behavior Change During Disease Outbreaks: Insights from Ebola Response in Africa [March 27, 2020]

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  From the Document: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease] pandemic has prompted governments worldwide to seek to change behaviors on a mass scale to stem new infections. [...] The challenges and successes of analogous efforts during the two largest Ebola outbreaks to date--in West Africa (2014-2016), and in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), starting in 2018 and now seemingly waning--may offer lessons for current efforts to contain COVID-19, even though the two viruses differ in significant ways."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Arieff, Alexis; Husted, Tomas F.; Cook, Nicolas

  2020-03-27
• 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
• 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
• South Africa: Current Issues, Economy, and U.S. Relations [Updated September 30, 2019]

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  From the Summary: "South Africa is a majority black, multiracial country of nearly 58 million people. It has cordial relations with the United States, notwithstanding some occasional strains, and is the largest U.S. trade partner in Africa. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is spearheading efforts to address years of weak economic growth and multiple corruption scandals under his predecessor, Jacob Zuma. These issues helped spur Zuma's resignation in early 2018 and led to the election of Ramaphosa, who succeeded Zuma as African National Congress (ANC) party leader in late 2017. The ANC is the dominant party in South Africa; it has held a parliamentary majority since the country's first universal suffrage elections in 1994, which marked the end of apartheid, a codified system of racial bias. In the most recent general elections, in May 2019, the ANC again won a National Assembly majority, but it did so with 57.5% of the vote, its lowest margin ever. After the elections, the Assembly reelected Ramaphosa as national president."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2019-09-30
• Mozambique: Politics, Economy, and U.S. Relations [Updated September 12, 2019]

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  From the Document: "Mozambique, a significant recipient of U.S. development assistance, is a southeastern African country nearly twice the size of California, with a population of 27.9 million people. It achieved rapid growth following a postindependence civil war (1977-1992), but faces a range of political, economic, and security challenges. These include a political scandal over state-guaranteed, allegedly corrupt bank loans received by state-owned firms, which created public debt that the government did not disclose to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This placed the country's relations with the IMF at risk and has had major negative repercussions for the economy, donor relations, and Mozambique's governance record. Other challenges include unmet development needs, a range of governance shortcomings, organized crime, an ongoing economic slump, and political conflict and violence involving both mainstream political actors and violent extremists. Mozambique is also recovering from two powerful cyclones that hit the country in March and April 2019 (addressed in CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report R45683, 'Cyclones Idai and Kenneth in Southeastern Africa: Humanitarian and Recovery Response in Brief')."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2019-09-12
• Mozambique: Politics, Economy, and U.S. Relations [Updated August 20, 2019]

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  From the Document: "U.S.-Mozambican ties are cordial and historically have centered on development cooperation. U.S. assistance, funded at an annual average of $452 million between FY2016 and FY2018, has focused primarily on health programs. Given recent events, U.S. engagement and aid may increasingly focus on the development of economic ties and security cooperation, notably to counter ASWJ [Al Sunnah wa Jama'ah], which is active in the area where large-scale gas processing development is underway. For many years, Mozambique received relatively limited congressional attention, but interest in the country may be growing; the country hosted congressional delegations in 2016 and 2018. U.S. humanitarian responses to the recent cyclones have also drawn congressional engagement. Developments in the country--including the rise of violent extremism and prospects for U.S. private-sector investment and U.S. bilateral aid program outcomes in a context in which state corruption poses substantial challenges--could attract increasing congressional attention in the coming years."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2019-08-20
• 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
• Mozambique: Politics, Economy, and U.S. Relations [July 18, 2019]

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  From the Summary: "U.S.-Mozambican ties are cordial and historically have centered on development cooperation. U.S. assistance, funded at an annual average of $452 million between FY2016 and FY2018, has focused primarily on health programs. Given recent events, U.S. engagement and aid may increasingly focus on the development of economic ties and security cooperation, notably to counter ASWJ [Al Sunnah wa Jama'ah], which is active in the area where large-scale gas processing development is underway. For many years, Mozambique received relatively limited congressional attention, but interest in the country may be growing; the country hosted congressional delegations in 2016 and 2018. U.S. humanitarian responses to the recent cyclones have also drawn congressional engagement. Developments in the country--including the rise of violent extremism and prospects for U.S. private sector investment and U.S. bilateral aid program outcomes in a context in which state corruption poses substantial challenges--could attract increasing congressional attention in the coming years."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2019-07-18
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• South Africa: Current Issues, Economy, and U.S. Relations [April 12, 2019]

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  From the Document: "South Africa is a majority black, multiracial country of nearly 58 million people. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was elected by the parliament in February 2018 after his predecessor, Jacob Zuma, resigned. Zuma did so under the threat of a parliamentary no confidence vote after defying a decision by leaders of his African National Congress (ANC) removing him as its national presidential nominee. The ANC, the majority party in parliament, replaced Zuma with then-Vice President Ramaphosa, whom the ANC elected as its leader in late 2017. Zuma had faced intense pressure to step down after years of weak economic growth and multiple corruption scandals under his tenure. Ramaphosa is leading a reform agenda to address these challenges. He is serving out the rest of Zuma's term, which ends in May 2019, and is eligible to run for two additional five-year terms of his own. Local and international expectations of him are high, but he faces diverse fiscal, structural, and political challenges."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cook, Nicolas

  2019-04-12
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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