CRS Issue Statement on Sub-Saharan Africa

Lauren Ploch, Coordinator
Analyst in African Affairs

In 2010, the African continent faces a range of new opportunities and persistent challenges. The number of conflicts in Africa has declined in the last decade, but instability in some areas continues to threaten regional security, impede development, and contribute to widespread human suffering. Congressional attention with respect to Africa during the second session of the 111th Congress has focused on U.S. efforts to help maintain peace and security in the region, including U.S. support for peacekeeping training and missions, as well as on efforts to counter threats to U.S. interests through counterterrorism and counternarcotics assistance, and other security cooperation initiatives. U.S. humanitarian and development assistance to the region, including the promotion of democratic and transparent governance, the rule of law, and human rights, has also drawn attention, as have efforts to promote U.S.-Africa trade and African economic growth and bolster social services, particularly with respect to healthcare and education. New assistance efforts that aim to foster agricultural development and enhance food security, notably through the President's new Feed the Future initiative, have also drawn congressional interest. 

U.S.-Africa relations may also be affected by factors unrelated to the continent, such as war related U.S. defense spending and economic turmoil. These and other emergent developments may prompt Members to weigh the level of funding available for foreign assistance against domestic programs in new ways as they consider budget and program authorization requests from the Obama Administration setting out its priorities for U.S. assistance in Africa. Key assistance issues for Africa include the level and programmatic focus of U.S. assistance in support of a variety of development assistance initiatives, security concerns, and humanitarian relief demands. Broader questions regarding aid flexibility, conditionality, and coordination may also be explored in the context of foreign aid reform proposals. U.S. assistance to Africa has reached new highs in recent years due to a significant increase in health care sectors under the Global Health and Child Survival (GHCS) program. U.S. foreign aid to Africa nearly quadrupled from $1.2 billion in FY2006 to over $6.7 billion in FY2010.


Date of Report: July 29, 2010
Number of Pages: 6
Order Number: IS40390
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