By Honorable Mayiik Ayii Deng, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of South Sudan
The ideas in this paper reflect the personal thoughts of the author, Honorable Mayiik Ayii Deng, Member of Parliament and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of South Sudan. Therefore, nothing contained in this thought piece should be construed as the official position of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan.
The US-Africa Summit raises three threads that, when considered together, indicate an inflection point in world history and a choice point for American policy on Africa. The first two threads are the current crossroads in the American and African stories respectively, and the third is the prophetic relationship between these two components of world history. After discussing these threads in this paper, I’ll conclude by sharing thoughts on how the representatives at the US-Africa Summit, and the countries they represent, can leverage this moment to benefit Africa, America, and the world.
Since World War II (WWII), America has been the dominant global power. Spurred by finance, industry, democracy, media, and culture, America has defined modernity for many people worldwide. The American dream has spread to all corners of the earth,
with millions of people aspiring to migrate to America in the hopes of gaining citizenship. Failing to make it to the United States physically, many people try to recreate the image of America in their countries of origin. On top of this soft power, America’s overwhelming military strength and access to much of the world’s natural resources complete this cocktail of endowments. These advantages largely explain why America has been the world’s greatest nation.
As we close out the year 2022, various factors challenge America’s distinguished position and call for a rethink of her geopolitical strategy. Among these factors, three bears highlighting at the Africa-America summit
