January 31, 2023
Press Release
“WASHINGTON—Today, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) announced the U.S.-Africa Policy Working Group. The Working Group will endeavor to be a clearinghouse for active, sincere, and consistent engagement with experts and policymakers working with and in Africa. It will hold regular briefings with Administration officials, NGOs, and journalists, and make a point of hearing directly from people, organizations, and social movements directly impacted by U.S. policy.
“In order to have a sustainable, growing, and egalitarian African continent, we must find solutions on the continent—whether it is in agricultural productivity, infrastructure, democratic governance, combating extremism, or tackling the climate crisis. Our role must be as partners with the movements and civil society groups acting on the ground. For far too long, the United States has treated Africa as a threat that needed to be contained, a series of fires that needed to be put out, or a junior partner that needed to be disciplined. Congress has historically paid scant attention to the continent except when extreme circumstances have prompted reactive responses. The U.S.-Africa Policy Working Group will be a venue for the promotion of American values and American interests in our dealings with our African partners. It is my sincere hope that it will become a central player in creating lasting partnerships and building up a base of expertise so that Congress can be more actively involved in U.S. policy in Africa, and help move the conversation forward for many years to come.”
The Working Group will be active on the various urgent crises in Africa, from the conflicts in Ethiopia and the DRC to the rash of coups and instability in West Africa and the Sahel. Just as importantly, it will also spend time focusing on the continent’s many success stories, from Senegal’s extraordinary leadership in global health to the inspiring African movements for democracy and human rights. It will also learn about Africa’s interests in the broader global context, hearing directly from Africans about their perspectives on some of the greatest challenges facing the world today, from the Russian invasion of Ukraine to the rise of China, and from global pandemics to climate change.“
