George W. Bush and Africa in the New Millennium

Abstract

President George W. Bush came into office with little interest in Africa but this changed after the Al Qaeda attack on US soil on September 11, 2001. There were three key trends during the Bush years: neoliberal consolidation, a massive increase in development assistance mostly targeting the health sector, and an increase in Africa’s strategic importance. In relation to Africa, the first trend was embodied in the creation of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) as well as continuation of pro-investment policies developed during previous administrations. The increase in funding was largely to combat disease in the form of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) as well as the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI). By the end of the administration, United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), a new unified combatant command focused on Africa, was operative. In the new post-2001 strategic context, Africa took on greater importance as a source of oil and as a potential base for terrorists who opposed US interests. Although it took a little while for the Bush administration to act on this, there was a growing consensus that African development was key to strengthening African states and also that the United States needed to portray itself as interested in humanitarian concerns, not just strategic concerns.