Ahead of the White House’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-53) penned an op-ed in Foreign Policy, entitled “A New U.S. Approach in Africa: Good Governance, Not Guns.”

In the piece, Congresswoman Jacobs argues that the U.S. approach to counterterrorism in Africa often relies on partnerships with military forces that commit human rights violations, fueling the violent extremism the U.S. aims to address, and should instead focus on good governance.

Read Congresswoman Sara Jacobs’ Op-Ed in Foreign Policy Here

On the link between human rights abuses and violent extremism in Africa: “When I worked in the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, I compiled empirical research on the factors contributing to violent extremism and found that security forces’ abuses and human rights violations are some of the biggest drivers of violent extremism. And yet, the international community, including the United States, has trained, equipped, and partnered with forces across Africa that have committed human rights violations to conduct counterterrorism operations. The irony is that not only do these partnerships reflect poorly on America’s character and harm U.S. credibility on the continent, but they also fuel the very violent extremism Washington is aiming to counter.”

On the importance of good governance: “When citizens feel like the deck isn’t stacked against them and that everyone has an equal shot at opportunity and is treated equally under the law, they’re less likely to view the government negatively and turn to violent extremism as an effort to change the status quo.”

On how to respond to China and Russia on the continent: “Washington’s inclination to match China and Russia on the continent no matter what is eerily reminiscent of the United States’ Cold War era mistakes—propping up authoritarian regimes in exchange for fleeting geostrategic alignment. Although Washington forged the military partnerships it wanted, when the autocrats were gone, the United States was left without a partner and with a local population deeply suspicious of larger U.S. ambitions. From Chad and Angola to the Congo, U.S. efforts to counter the Soviet Union and its proxies led to increased violence, enabled dictators, and left a stubborn legacy of meddling and interference on the continent. A 2018 RAND study found that U.S. security assistance in Africa during the Cold War increased civil wars and insurgencies because Washington partnered with corrupt and authoritarian governments as long as they were not allies of the Soviet Union.”

Congresswoman Sara Jacobs serves on the House Foreign Affairs’ Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Global Human Rights. Prior to Congress, she worked at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, where she focused on conflict prevention and response, countering and preventing violent extremism, and U.S. foreign policy in sub-Saharan Africa.

###