WASHINGTON - Today Africa Action released its Africa Policy Outlook for 2009. This
annual publication was released one week after the historic
inauguration of President Barack Obama and as millions across the
African continent celebrate the new opportunities his presidency offers.

The Outlook identifies several large-scale challenges facing the Obama
Administration, including humanitarian disasters in Somalia, the Sudan
and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It suggests that the
unilateral and militarized U.S. policy towards Africa has made African
people more vulnerable over the last 7 years.

"Instead of dividing Africa up between friends and enemies, Outlook
urges an inclusive and multilateral approach, designed to increase
voluntary cooperation, bolster UN and hybrid UN-African Union
peacekeeping operations, and project long term solutions to the
greatest challenge to security and stability in Africa, poverty." said
Gerald LeMelle, Executive Director of Africa Action.

"We recognize that the expectations for the new Administration are
formidable. However President Obama can take a very first constructive
step by initiating more collaborative models of policy design and
implementation. By engaging a broad spectrum of civil society
organizations, and most importantly, taking into consideration the
concerns of African people, U.S. policy in Africa could be much more
successful and effective, particularly with regard to long term
interest in promoting human rights, democracy and development," added
LeMelle.

The Outlook also cites the recurrent failed policies of international
financial institutions and the need for responsible development finance
and better coordination of foreign aid. It recognizes the dire
importance of investments in health infrastructure and projects climate
change as an urgent and unfair crisis looming over many African nations.

"The new Obama administration must have renewed commitment to effective
foreign assistance that will address global challenges such as food
insecurity, unfair trade and other barriers to Africa's integration
into the world economy," cited Michael Stulman, Africa Action's
Associate Director for Policy and Communications. "Through sustained
engagement, vision and better coordination of foreign assistance
policy, President Obama can promote U.S. policies that support African
struggles for sustainable peace and development."

To view the report online visit http://www.africaaction.org/