The Obama Administration’s Economic Strategy for Africa: CGD Event Tomorrow 

We’re delighted to be hosting Michael Froman, President Obama’s Deputy National Security Advisor and Assistant for International Economics, tomorrow for a discussion of the Obama administration’s strategy for poverty alleviation and economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa.Froman recently led a US interagency delegation to Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria to meet with government officials, private sector leaders and entrepreneurs on a range of issues and initiatives including the East African Community trade and investment partnership; the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition; energy; and infrastructure. For those who haven’t seen it, the administration released its strategy towards Sub-Saharan Africa in June, outlining their approach on these issues.At the event tomorrow, I’ll be listening for the following:

1. Is the Obama administration’s economic strategy for Africa about more than aid?
2. To what extent does the strategy embrace the Presidential Policy Directive on US Global Development including a focus on economic growth, policy reform and transparency?
3. Given the timing—just 99 days left before the 2012 US presidential elections—what can we expect to see before the end this presidential term?