WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, recently published an op-ed in Daily Maverick on the need for the United States and Europe to work together with Africa.
“While the United States and Europe may have vastly different histories, priorities, and strategies for engagement on the African continent, there must be joint U.S.-Europe engagement and cooperation with our African partners. Such engagement begins with this type of summitry to convene African, U.S., and European leaders in one place to have necessary conversations on issues of concern that cross the Atlantic,” Risch wrote.
“U.S. officials planning the U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit should watch closely the issues discussed in Brussels and identify areas of cooperation where the United States can work together with our European and African partners to tackle the massive challenges and build on the enormous opportunities ahead,” Risch continued.
“We must work with our European allies to reframe the transatlantic relationship to include African partners on or near the Atlantic coast. We need to ensure proper coordination on trade and investment to counter investments, often based on unbalanced terms, from countries like China. And we must align counterterrorism and development assistance to meet the on-the-ground needs of our African partners,” Risch concluded.
The full op-ed can be read in Daily Maverick here.
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