Worldfocus

According to some, the election of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the U.S. may promote a strengthened partnership with Africa. Following Obama’s victory on Nov. 4, new South African President Kgalema Motlanthe said he looks forward to a “fruitful working relationship with you both at a bilateral and multilateral levels.”

See Obama’s policy statement on Africa on his Web site.

Sarjoh Bah, a research associate with New York University’s Center on International Cooperation, speaks with Martin Savidge about challenges in Africa, from Darfur to the crisis in eastern Congo. He says that Africans want a strategic relationship with the U.S., boosted by the opportunities of Africa’s growing middle class, its young population and its oil exports to the U.S.

Below, bloggers in Africa and around the world discuss the future of U.S.-Africa relations.

Prior to the election, bloggers Merle Bowen and William Minter argued that the U.S. needs to radically transform its Africa policy, moving from simply humanitarian and AIDS work — “a narrow view of Africa as a recipient of charity” – to multilateral cooperation and increasingly open trade.

Peter Pham outlines a comprehensive Africa strategy for Barack Obama at the “World Defense Review” blog, including high-level dialogue that could prove mutually beneficial.

Citizen journalist Gibbs Dube writes at “OhMyNews” that Obama will likely directly engage with African leaders much more than his predecessor, particularly in Zimbabwe where political upheaval continues.

Workers at a gorilla park in Congo — recently besieged by violence — share varying opinions of Obama at the “Virunga Park” blog. One hopes that Obama will encourage international intervention in the country, while another doubts that the new U.S. president will have any practical impact on the Congo.