Africa News

The Daily Signal covers Africa with reporting and conservative commentary on terrorism in the Sahel, Islamic extremism, Chinese Belt and Road expansion, humanitarian challenges, failed states, and America’s strategic interests in countering adversary influence on the continent.
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    • Opinion

    Reopening South Africa Through Greater Economic Freedom

    South Africa’s overall economic freedom score increased slightly in the 2020 Index of Economic Freedom. Its score is well above the regional average, but its economy remains in the mostly unfree category into which it dropped in 2019—after 24 years in the ranks of the moderately free. Even before the pandemic, South Africa’s gross domestic…
    James M. Roberts
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    • Opinion

    When America Gets Coronavirus Under Control, Africa Will Need Our Help

    We know too little about the new coronavirus to say how it will progress in Africa, but we know enough to realize it is likely to pummel the continent. As of April 6, Johns Hopkins University reported confirmed cases of COVID-19 in 51 of Africa’s 54 countries, with a total of over 9,400 cases. The…
    Joshua Meservey
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    • Opinion

    Advancing Economic Freedom: Key to Africa’s Future

    During his first trip to Africa as secretary of state earlier this year, Mike Pompeo highlighted the importance of economic freedom. In his speech entitled “Liberating Africa’s Entrepreneurs,” Pompeo said: We want basic security for our families.  We want opportunity and reward for the hard work that we invest in.  And we want the freedom…
    Anthony B. Kim
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    • Opinion

    Another African Tragedy

    Here are a few headlines about an African tragedy: “Africa’s Worst Locust Plague in Decades Threatens Millions” (The Wall Street Journal), “‘Unprecedented’ Locust Invasion Approaches Full-Blown Crisis” (Scientific American), “Somalia Declares Locust Outbreak a ‘National Emergency’” (The National), and “UN Calls for International Action on East Africa Locust Outbreak” (Bloomberg Green). This ongoing tragedy is…
    Walter E. Williams
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    • Opinion

    Out of Africa Not for US

    Defense Secretary Mark Esper drew fire from Congress and elsewhere when it was reported that the Pentagon was downsizing its commitments to Africa. It would indeed be wrong-headed for the U.S. to walk away from the continent. But Esper’s actions reflect a sad reality: The U.S. footprint in Africa isn’t right. The problem is, Esper…
    James Carafano
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    • Opinion

    Strengthening America’s Economic Engagement With Africa

    America’s first trade deal with a sub-Saharan African country is in the works, and the results could be significant. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta announced they would pursue a free trade agreement between the two countries. With about $1 billion in trade with the U.S. annually, Kenya is East…
    Anthony B. Kim
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    • Opinion

    To Keep African Americans Safe, Target Criminals, Not Police

    Criminal activity imposes huge costs on black residents in low-income neighborhoods of cities such as Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit, St. Louis, Philadelphia, and many others. Thousands of black Americans were murdered in 2019. Over 90% of the time, the perpetrator was also black. Leftists and social justice warriors charge that what blacks have to fear most…
    Walter E. Williams
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    • Opinion

    US Should Do More to Counter Chinese Trade Inroads in Africa

    China is well-known to be America’s largest trading partner—and now, a continued adversary in the trade war. However, more under the radar is China’s growing influence in Africa. In recent years, China has made key inroads on the African continent with aggressive economic investment, trade, open extraction of energy and mineral resources, and a slow…
    Yvonne Davis
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    • News

    Kenyan Nonprofit Discovers a Way to Curb Africa’s Orphan Crisis

    The East African nation of Kenya is home to 3 million orphaned and street children. The majority of these kids have living relatives, which in the late 1990s came as a great surprise to one local nonprofit. Agape Children’s Ministry is based in Kisumu, the third-largest city in Kenya. The Christian nonprofit says it has…
    Virginia Allen
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    • Opinion

    ‘Prosper Africa’ Promises Long-Overdue Change in US Approach to Continent

    American policymakers have long talked about reorienting U.S. policy toward Africa to “trade, not aid.” Yet, despite the rhetoric, the U.S.’ Africa policy has remained stuck in an aid-focused rut for decades. However, there was another encouraging sign last week that the Trump administration is serious about changing that. In remarks at a Corporate Council…
    Joshua Meservey
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    • News

    Rare Civil War Vestige Memorializes the Little-Known Story of African American Soldiers

    A rare artifact of the Civil War that was carried into battle by an African American regiment has been purchased at a historic price by the Atlanta History Center. A regimental flag of the 127th United States Colored Troops that was acquired by the center is one of less than 25 known flags carried by…
    Joshua Q. Nelson
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    • News

    Border Patrol Catches 116 Africans at Texas Border

    The Border Patrol is seeing an increase in migrants from African countries who are blending in with the large numbers crossing the southern border illegally through Central America. Agents assigned to at the Del Rio, Texas, sector apprehended 116 individuals last week from African countries as they crossed the border from Mexico. Those caught around…
    Fred Lucas
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    • News

    4 Reasons Why Africa’s Experiments in Socialism Failed

    While Americans weigh arguments made by those promoting programs such as “Medicare for All” and the Green New Deal, some experts look to Africa for examples of the fates of similar socialist policies. How such experiments failed Africa was the topic of a recent lecture at The Heritage Foundation titled “How Socialism Destroyed Africa.” George…
    Courtney Joyner
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    • Opinion

    Trump’s New Africa Strategy Targets Those Starved of Economic Freedom

    President Donald Trump continues to take bold steps, recapturing America’s exceptionalism at home and leadership abroad. These important developments are too often getting drowned out by relentless noise in Washington, where the media obsess over many issues concerning this president except those most relevant to his job—his performance leading the nation to excellence. A good…
    Star Parker
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    • Opinion

    Trump’s Newly Unveiled Strategy Will Advance US-Africa Relations

    National security adviser John Bolton presented the Trump administration’s new Africa strategy Thursday at The Heritage Foundation. The strategy focused on three priorities: Enhancing U.S. trade and commercial ties with African nations through arrangements that benefit both the United States and Africa. According to Bolton, “We want our economic partners in the region to thrive,…
    Joshua Meservey
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    • News

    John Bolton: US Must Curb Chinese, Russian Influence in Africa

    The United States must revamp policies toward Africa on improving trade, fighting terrorism, and providing financial assistance to stave off the growing influence of China and Russia on the continent, White House national security adviser John Bolton said. “Great power competitors, namely China and Russia, are rapidly expanding their financial and political influence across Africa,”…
    Fred Lucas
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    • Opinion

    DeSantis Gets Unexpected Boost From African-American ‘School-Choice Moms’

    Conservative Republican Ron DeSantis and progressive Democrat Andrew Gillum presented voters with starkly different choices on an array of issues, none more distinctively polar than their plans for charter schools. In short, DeSantis proposed expanding them while Gillum espoused “siphoning them off” as drains on the public school system. That distinction—rather than the personalities and…
    John Haughey
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    • News

    Meet 5 Young African-Americans Who Want to Give Trump a Chance

    For hundreds of young African-Americans gathered in the nation’s capital for a few days to learn about leadership, visiting the White House to be encouraged by President Donald Trump definitely was a high point. The surging economy under Trump, participant R.C. Maxwell said, "should be the single most important issue for the black community." In…
    Troy Worden
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    • Opinion

    Podcast: Why Are Western Nations Pushing Abortion on Africa?

    Western funding for “population programs” in Africa has historically been the lowest of all aid initiatives, dwarfed by much more critical needs like clean water, sanitation, and education. But now, these “population programs”—which include contraceptives and abortion—are the most highly funded on the continent, with groups like the Gates Foundation and Planned Parenthood pushing dangerous…
    Katrina Trinko
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    • Opinion

    Property Rights Protections for South Africans Are Moving in the Wrong Direction

    Ever since the end of apartheid in the mid-1990s, people have hailed South Africa as a champion in the fight for justice and equality. In The Heritage Foundation’s 2018 Index of Economic Freedom, South Africa received the designation of “moderately free,” with its freedom score rising 0.7 points, due to significant improvements in investment freedom…
    Patrick Farrell
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