What accounts for African responses to the creation of the U.S. Africa Command? Rather than attributing negative reactions to Pentagon “public relations” errors, a content analysis of over 500 African news reports shows that countries sustaining high levels of growth with lower overall levels of foreign aid were more critical of AFRICOM – even if they are traditional American allies The findings, to be published in Africa Today, suggest that recent economic progress among African countries is contributing to their policy latitude. IPS’ Foreign Policy In Focus will host a panel for an in depth discussion that examines all the related issues, featuring Carl LeVan and Jillian Emerson, co-authors of a new paper on the politics of African responses to Africom. Please join us.

Carl LeVan is an assistant professor in the School of International Service at American University. He previously served as legislative director for Rep. John Conyers and he co-authored In Democracy’s Shadow: the Secret World of National Security (2005) with IPS co-founder Marcus Raskin. He publishes the blog, Development4Security.

Jillian Emerson is an MA candidate at American University who worked in Senegal with the NGO Tostan. She is writing a thesis on national human rights institutions in Africa.

For information email mike@ips-dc.org.