This is a guest post by Jim Sanders, a career, now retired, West Africa watcher for various federal agencies. The views expressed below are his personal views and do not reflect those of his former employers. In Jim’s post, he illustrates another example of not only the close relationship between the United States and Nigeria but also how Nigerian religion influences the United States. Read more »

Earlier this spring, the Stanley Foundation and the University of Pretoria jointly sponsored a dialogue on South Africa-United States cooperation. Sixteen participants (including myself) from South Africa, the United States, and Canada attended. While the conversation was governed by Chatham House rules, a summary of the discussion and principal conclusions, signed by the participants, has now been published. Read more »

Despite reports that fighting is ebbing between Sudan and South Sudan, the situation is troubling. Last week, Sudan (Khartoum) president al-Bashir escalated his rhetoric against South Sudan (Juba) in the aftermath of the latter’s forces occupying an oil-rich region, Heglig, inside Sudan’s borders. Al-Bashir has characterized the Juba government as an “insect,” and he appears to be repudiating the independence of South Sudan. The press reports him as saying, “Either we end up occupying Juba or you (South Sudan) end up occupying Khartoum but the boundaries of the old Sudan can longer fit us together, only one of us has to remain standing.” He said that his Sudan Armed Forces will teach South Sudan “a lesson in jihad and patriotism,” according to press reports. Read more »

Nigeria, South Africa, and Angola are supporting the candidacy of Nigeria’s foreign minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for the World Bank (WB) presidency. For that office, President Obama has nominated the president of Dartmouth and a medical doctor, Jim Yong Kim, who has a distinguished background in development — but not in business, finance or politics, as his predecessors have had. Read more »

Representative Donald Payne, Democrat of New Jersey, died March 6 of colon cancer, according to the press. He was 77 years of age. He was a college graduate (Seton Hall University) and by profession a teacher. His district was heavily African-American and centered on New Jersey’s largest city, Newark. President Obama carried the district in 2008 with 87 percent of the vote – an exceptionally high percentage in the United States, if not in many African elections. Many Americans think of him as a civil rights pioneer – he was New Jersey’s first African American congressman. In an obituary published today, the New York Times notes the mark he made on American social and educational issues, such as promoting steps to make college more affordable. Read more »

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Johnnie Carson is leading an eleven day trade mission to Mozambique, Tanzania, Nigeria and Ghana, with a brief stop in Kenya, starting on February 6. The focus of the mission is to look for opportunities for U.S. companies to invest in power generation. The mission is co-sponsored by the Corporate Council for Africa, a private organization that brings together potential business partners as well as seeking to raise Africa’s profile among American investors. According to a State Department announcement, participating U.S. companies are Anadarko Petroleum, Caterpillar, Chevron, Energy International, General Electric, Pike Enterprises, Strategic Urban Development Alliance LLC, and the Symbion and Zanbato Group. In addition to the assistant secretary, the delegation will include a vice chair of the U.S. Export-Import Bank, representatives from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency and from the State Department’s Bureau of Energy Resources. Companies cover the cost of their participation, not the U.S. government. Read more »