COLLECTION & INFOGRAPHIC

AGOA: ROAD TO REAUTHORIZATION COLLECTION

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is the cornerstone of US economic engagement with Africa. Enacted by Congress in 2000 and renewed in 2015, AGOA grants eligible Sub-Saharan African countries preferential, duty-free access to US markets. Since its launch, the Wilson Center has followed AGOA’s progress through articles and events which examine AGOA’s role in US-Africa relations and Africa’s economies. Learn more from the numerous resources in our Road to Reauthorization Collection, and click the image to check out our recent infographic on proposed updates in the 2024 AGOA Renewal and Improvement Act.

Senegal's 2024 Presidential Elections and Reflections on the State of Democracy in West Africa

Oge Onubogu spoke to Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari, Nigerian scholar-diplomat who led the ECOWAS Elections Observer Delegation, to Senegal to discuss his thoughts on the outcome of the elections and what it means for the future of democracy in West Africa.

Why 2024 is a Key Year for Democracy in Africa

2024 is described as the global year for elections and will be an important year for African democracy. In February, Oge Onubogu joined the Global Dispatches Podcast to discuss key trends in African democracy and some of the highlights on the 2024 electoral calendar. Listen here.

CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY

Oge Onubogu Testifies Before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the Future of Freedom in Nigeria

In February Oge Onubogu testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Africa Subcommittee on "The Future of Freedom in Nigeria". Watch her testimony here.

A Global Imperative for Action: Response and Prevention to the Military Coups in Africa

The increase in unconstitutional changes of government in Africa underscores the need to better understand the underlying socio-economic drivers of this trend and pathways for redressing them. This event examined centering development in long-term measures and highlighted findings from a UNDP research paper, Soldiers and Citizens: Military Coups and the Need for Democratic Renewal, which outlines development indicators associated with coup risk.

Africa’s Growing Cities: Challenges and Opportunities

As we look at national elections, subnational governance remains relatively robust in parts of the continent. State governors, mayors, and city councilors are increasingly engaged in policymaking and linking up with global networks to address development challenges, such as insecurity and climate change. In January, the Africa Program hosted the Mayor of Cape Town, South Africa to discuss the challenges facing Africa’s urban cities alongside opportunities and partnerships that can promote infrastructure development, create safer cities, and support the management of Africa’s growing urban centers.

EVENT

Africa Year in Review: A Look at US-Africa Relations in 2024

At the beginning of this year, we released the eighth edition of Africa: Year in Review 2023 (AYIR), which included over 40 expert essays spanning various topics like democracy and elections, trade, regional conflicts and coups, climate change, gender rights, and food security. To commemorate the release, we hosted a public event in February to examine the key successes and challenges highlighted in the publication and engage policymakers and experts on the year ahead.

SMART TAKE

€2 Billion Pledged in Paris to Aid Sudan's Famine-Stricken Population

At the recent International Humanitarian Conference in Paris, world donors pledged €2.1 billion in aid for Sudan, which has plunged into chaos after a year-long war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Former Ambassador of Sudan and SWG Co-Chair Nureldin Satti reacts to the outcome of the Conference. He talks about the importance of the civilian presence and contribution, what the regional and international communities should be doing to bring the warring parties to the negotiating table, and the importance of restraining the external factors fueling the war.

How to Restore Peace, Unity, and Effective Government in Sudan?

Sudan is no stranger to internal conflict. Its first civil war had begun just as Sudan gained independence in 1956. Fifty-five years and millions of war-related deaths later, the southern third of Sudan became independent South Sudan. The first discussion session focused on how to convince the leading generals to stop fighting and, in particular, what external actors might do toward that end.

How to Advance an Effective and Representative Sudanese Civilian Role in Peace and Governance Negotiations

The second discussion session, held on February 22, 2024, focused on how peace and future governance negotiations can be configured so that a diverse array of Sudanese civilian voices can be effectively heard and taken into account.

Policy Brief

How to Engage Sudanese Civilians in Security Sector Reform Negotiations?

This third session focused on the issue of security sector reform (SSR). Given the major, long-standing role the security forces, especially the SAF, have played in the politics and economy of Sudan, SSR in the Sudanese context will be more complicated than a force integration/force reorganization matter. Sudan’s citizens thus have legitimate interests, like nature of the economy, budgetary priorities and balancing human versus state security, that warrant their having a meaningful role in SSR negotiations. As one of the April 2 session speakers said, SSR must be guided by a political and national agenda, not a purely military one.

Establishing the Link: How Human Rights Preservation Impacts AGOA Eligibility

“Power to the People”: Revisiting Senegal’s Political History in Light of the 2024 Elections

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