FROM THE COLONEL
Dateline, February 2018 to Today. Africa. Prosper Africa.
Strategic Leaders engage economics.
The December 2017 National Security Strategy specifically states;
“We will support economic integration among African states. We will work with nations that seek to move beyond assistance to partnerships that promote prosperity. We will offer American goods and services, both because it is profitable for us and because it serves as an alternative to China’s often extractive eco nomic footprint on the continent.”
As a result, a U.S. Trade and Investment Initiative entitled Prosper Africa was created.
As envisioned from the White House, Prosper Africa is a Presidential-level national security initiative aimed at strengthening the strategic and economic partnership between the U.S. and Africa by catalyzing transformative two-way trade and investment flows. It was developed and named out of the National Security Council’s Africa Affairs directorate, collaborated with key African partners, and then placed into the national security system for implementation.
This is a comparable advantage strategy for mutual prosperity. Goods and services from Africa which are in demand in the United States are provided greater access to U.S. markets, and U.S. goods and services desirable in Africa, have greater access to African markets. It is described as a two-way trade, investment, and commerce 'bridge' connecting the African and U.S. marketplaces.
According to U.S. Government sources, since Prosper Africa’s June 2019 launch, the U.S. Government assisted with closing more than 1,800 business arrangements across 49 African countries for a total estimated value of $86B in exports and investments.
The program states that “Working hand-in-hand with the private sector and our African government partners, Prosper Africa is driving job creation, fueling economic growth, and advancing shared prosperity for people across the United States and Africa.”
Strategic Leader Lesson Learned.
The international order is based on factors such as; trade and commerce, production and distribution, market share and market opportunity, comparable and competitive advantage, plus supply and demand. The driver of global, regional, and bi-lateral relations is economical, and conflict with the economic system can erupt into war.
As Strategic Leaders look across Diplomacy, Informational, Military, and Economic elements of national power, spend time and invest with the business side of international relations.
Strategic Leaders engage economics.
Pictures: February 2018 U.S. delegation to South Africa and Zimbabwe. Collaborate U.S. Economic Strategy for Africa and ground work for Prosper Africa. U.S. State, U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Department of Commerce, National Security Council with invaluable support from U.S. Mission to South Africa, many thanks to CDA Jessica Lapenn
and U.S. Zimbabwe many, many thanks to AMB Harry Thomas.
BOGEY SENDS
Manpower Analyst for Manpower Strategy Branch (MX), Manpower and Reserve Affairs (M&RA), U.S. Marine Corps
1yAmbassador Harry Thomas is a superb man. Pragmatic, no-nonsense, candid, and compassionate leader are words I would use to describe him. The few interactions that I had with him in the Philippines, when the US government was asked for assistance [Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HA/DR)] following Super-Typhoon Bopha (aka Pablo), were professional and insightful. I was in the Marine Corps and leading the operational response, keeping the Ambassador informed, and working seamlessly with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). He was on-top of his game. I'm quite sure that any of his students (now at Yale) will gain great wisdom from his experience. God Bless and Semper Fi, Ambassador!