Africa Overview

The absence of a coherent U.S. foreign policy agenda—except in the expansion of exports and investments to promising new markets—leaves U.S. policy decisions at the mercy of old and new prejudices, while ad hoc response to crises becomes more the norm than the exception.

Albania

After the cold war, Albania became a country of strategic importance to the United States.

Nigeria

In June 1993 Nigeria’s military, led by General Ibrahim Babangida, annulled election results, thereby blocking the inauguration of the country’s first civilian president in a decade.

Indonesia

As the country in the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) that leads the effort to seek rapid tariffs reductions, Indonesia is the darling of U.S. export industries.

Somalia

For many in the U.S., Somalia is viewed as a powerful symbol of United Nations peacekeeping failure.

North American Free Trade Agreement

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) sets guidelines for the elimination of most trade and investment barriers between Canada, the U.S., and Mexico over a 15-year period.

Military Strategy

The U.S. military did not foresee an end of the cold war and was caught without a new strategy when the Soviet Union collapsed.

Central American Peace and Security

Central America’s modern history is marked by widespread poverty, stark inequalities, political instability, and violent repression.

Mexico

Since the early 1980s Washington has sought to break down all barriers to U.S. trade and investment in Mexico.

Overseas Rural Development Policy

The last fifteen years have seen an unprecedented decline in the standard of living of the world’s rural poor, and a related upsurge in both internal and international migration as people search for options.

South Africa

Since 1994 U.S. statements regarding a newly democratic South Africa, under the leadership of Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress (ANC) have frequently been cast in the language of a love fest.

Cuba

The U.S. trade embargo and various other sanctions against Cuba have been in place for some 36 years—and U.S. policy toward the island has changed little in that time.

Overseas Private Investment Corporation

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), a wholly owned government corporation established in 1971, provides taxpayer-backed and taxpayer-funded loans, loan guarantees, and insurance to businesses for investments in “politically risky” countries.