Erica Wood

On December 13-15, 2022, the White House hosted forty-nine leaders from across the African continent to the second U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. This historic event has only happened once before, in 2014 with former President Barack Obama. The purpose of the summit was several fold: to build trust with the many countries of the African continent, advance the interests of the African Union, to foster new economic activities, and more. This summit is seen as an important step in building better relationships with “a new, more prosperous Africa”, as President Obama said during the first summit. This year’s summit is especially important as it comes amid economic hardship across the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a debt crisis for many African countries.

With the new year quickly approaching, it is almost time for Brazil’s president-elect Luiz Inacio da Silva to take office. In October 2022, president elect Luiz Inacio da Silva, popularly known as “Lula” was announced the winner of Brazil’s 2022 presidential elections. With his victory, there is much to consider for the direction of Brazil’s foreign and domestic policy, as well as what this election means for U.S. Foreign Policy.

On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Since then, the conflict has only escalated with thousands of lives being lost to the violence. The shock of this conflict has reverberated around the world, with many countries still unsure of the best course of action to take. One thing is for certain: as the war continues, the use of nuclear weaponry becomes a bigger possibility. As one of the only superpowers in the world, the United States is faced with their own security concerns about the continued conflict in Ukraine.

On September 8, 2022, after 70 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth passed away. Queen Elizabeth was the longest reigning monarch in British history, with her death marking the end of an era. She had been queen since 1952, after the passing of her father, King George VI. Her legacy includes working with fifteen prime ministers, the first dating all the way back to Winston Churchill. She is known for playing an active role in government and foreign affairs beyond her duties as the symbolic head of state.

Taiwan is an autonomous region off the southeast coast of China, with a highly contested legal status. China has consistently maintained that Taiwan is part of their government, and that the island of Taiwan forms part of the country’s territory. Although distinctions have risen between the citizens of these countries, nothing has been done to officially recognize Taiwan. This is a very delicate issue, as it primarily deals with relationships with China, one of the United States’ major trade partners, and a major economic player within international relations today.

In 1986, Ferdinand Marcos, former president of the Philippines, was ousted from power. Now, nearly 40 years later, the Marcos family is returning to power as Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is declared the winner of the recent Philippines Presidential Election. For many, this is an alarming event, as citizens reflect back on the last Marcos regime and what it did to their country. Former President Marcos was ousted from power because of his dictatorial leadership and for his imposition of martial law towards the end of his presidency. With this legacy, many wonder what it means for the Philippines as Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. prepares to step into the role of President of the Philippines. In his campaign, Marcos Jr. asked for all to “judge me not by my ancestors, but by my actions”. What will his actions be and what will they do to the Philippines’ democracy? Furthermore, what does this new presidency mean for U.S. foreign policy, especially as tensions with China continue to heighten?