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WB_Pulse_Spring2024_vol29_ExecSumm.pdf
Africa Pulse – Executive Summary36437-ax-AfCFTA_RULES_OF_ORIGIN_MANUAL.pdf
African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) – The clearest “why trade integration is hard” primer and what AfCFTA is trying to unlock in practiceProvides Africa-led framing (Agenda 2063, peace & security architecture). Helps avoid a purely U.S./China lens.
African UnionUseful source for what African citizens actually think. Strong infographics and short summaries. Ideal for non-expert participants and evidence-based discussion.
AfrobarometerClear governance indicators with visual summaries. Tracks long-term trends, not just crises. Excellent charts for discussion leaders.
Mo Ibrahim FoundationFlagship reports + explainer blogs. Excellent charts on growth, debt, poverty, infrastructure. Africa’s Pulse summaries and country dashboards.
World Bank – AfricaMacro-economic clarity (debt, inflation, fiscal space). Short “Regional Economic Outlook” explainers. Good for participants who want “the numbers” without jargon.
International Monetary FundStrong on trade structure, industrialization, and value chains. Accessible summaries alongside deeper reports. Useful counterbalance to purely security-focused narratives.
UN Conference on Trade and DevelopmentBalanced treatment of security, governance, and civilian oversight. Strong use of maps and regional trend graphics.
Africa Center for Strategic StudiesConcrete example of governance-linked development. Clean dashboards and country scorecards.
Millennium Challenge CorporationAuthoritative statements of official U.S. policy. Strategy documents and regional frameworks.
U.S. Department of State – Bureau of African Affairs
Great Decisions: U.S. Engagement of Africa
Group video: The World Affairs Council of HarrisburgA current-affairs explainer angle that can help groups discuss “what changed recently” and why external security relationships are shifting.
WSJ — Wagner/Russia competition dynamics in AfricaA full documentary-style episode that highlights Africa’s fast-growing economies, youthful demographics, and development potential. It presents structural trends without exaggerating either crisis or triumph. This gives participants a measured understanding of African economic transformation, which is essential before debating how the U.S. (and other powers) should engage. It avoids simplistic narratives and focuses on real structural change and challenges.
Great Decisions: The Promise of Africa (Foreign Policy Association)As cash-strapped nations across Africa turned to China to build much-needed infrastructure, they stepped into the middle of a geopolitical rivalry. Great Decisions investigates Chinese–American competition in Africa in this full episode.
Great Decisions: Competing Interests: The U.S. and China in Africa (Foreign Policy Association)A highly respected series of investigative documentaries on governance, corruption, resource conflicts, and societal issues across Africa.
BBC Africa Eye (Playlist of Investigative Documentaries)Directly engages with U.S. engagement themes (policy coherence, goals, constraints), making it highly relevant for Topic 7
The United States and Africa: Changing Priorities (Baltimore Council)Although focused on China, this film is important for Topic 7 because it helps participants see how great-power competition plays out and why U.S. engagement strategies often reference China.
The Battle for Africa — Part 1: China’s Influence (Al Jazeera)This panel discussion video offers a documentary feel by blending voices from journalists and analysts considering China-Africa dynamics. It’s useful because it doesn’t tell one definitive story but explores competing interpretations of investment, infrastructure, and influence.
TRT – Roundtable: China-Africa relations – who benefits?Lead agency for U.S. foreign policy, including Africa regional bureaus and country pages.
U.S. military command focused on security cooperation and defense partnerships in Africa.
Continental political and security organization of African states.
Primary multilateral development finance institution for Africa.
Research on conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and governance.
Research on security, governance, and civil-military relations.
This book provides a rigorous foundation for understanding one of the key external factors shaping U.S. policy debates in Africa. Best for participants who want a policy-oriented look at great power competition and how China’s engagement influences African states. Read more
This collection offers long-term historical context for China’s role, tracing engagement over decades and across all regions of Africa, which helps avoid short-term or simplistic interpretations. Read more
Part of the respected African Arguments series, this book collects diverse perspectives on China’s economic and political ties with Africa. It is accessible and avoids both alarmist and cheerleader narratives. Read more
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