Why Obama’s visit to Africa matters

The report analyzes President Barack Obama's 2013 visit to Africa, framing it as an effort to shift US-Africa relations from a focus on security and counter-terrorism toward economic growth, trade, and democratic investment. It highlights the competitive pressure from China's dominant trade position and the US's efforts to address energy poverty and youth unemployment through initiatives like YALI and renewable energy financing.

• The primary goals of President Obama's 2013 visit are to increase investment and trade, bolster democratic institutions, and support the development of future African leaders.
• While US goods trade with sub-Saharan Africa tripled over a decade, China has rapidly surpassed the US as the continent's largest trading partner. In 2012, US trade with the region was US$99.6 billion compared to China's US$198.5 billion.
• The US is utilizing financial mechanisms to combat energy poverty in Africa, including a 2012 two billion dollar agreement between the US Export-Import Bank and South Africa’s Industrial Development Corporation for renewable energy, and a US$310 million loan from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) to expand a geothermal plant in Kenya.
• The US is competing with China and Russia for a potential one trillion rand (US$100 billion) nuclear energy tender in South Africa, with a South African delegation scheduled to meet with Westinghouse and General Electric in July 2013.
• To address youth unemployment and leadership, the US launched the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) in 2010, which has provided over US$2 million in grants and conducted 160 exchange fellowships for leaders under 35.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2013). Why Obama’s visit to Africa matters. https://saiia.org.za/research/special-report-why-obama-s-visit-to-africa-matters/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Why Obama’s visit to Africa matters. 2013. https://saiia.org.za/research/special-report-why-obama-s-visit-to-africa-matters/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Why Obama’s visit to Africa matters |date=25 June 2013 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/special-report-why-obama-s-visit-to-africa-matters/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2013why, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Why Obama’s visit to Africa matters}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2013}, month = jun, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/special-report-why-obama-s-visit-to-africa-matters/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }