With China and Russia both dramatically increasing their presence on the continent of Africa – not only militarily but economically – and on the heels of Kenyan President William Ruto’s visit to Washington, where does America’s engagement with Africa stand?

• AFRICOM’s Major General Kenneth Ekman on Russia’s growing presence on the continent: “For Russia, our challenge involves providing a viable alternative to what they offer… Our goal is to deny our strategic competitors the benefits of exclusive access and influence in any country in Africa.”
• USTDA Director Enoh Ebong on why American companies should be interested in Africa: “Quite frankly, the scale of the opportunity… 95% of consumers are outside of the United States. Africa has the fastest growing population, especially young people.”
• S. Ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety on U.S. commercial interests: “There are some 600 American companies operating here in South Africa, employing about 225,000 people and generating revenue roughly the equivalent to 10% of South Africa’s GDP.”
• Former Trump Administration U.S. Special Envoy for the Sahel, Peter Pham, on opportunity in Africa: “Ultimately, what is sustainable is what we have always known. It’s good governance, its development, its prosperity, it’s a horizon of hope for citizens of those countries, and for those in the international community.”