Category: Politics

Policy

African-American Diaspora Engagement at the Core of U.S.-African Relations in Multipolar World

By Kester Kenn Klomegah | Modern Diplomacy

The U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit held in Washington has placed African-American diaspora at the core for strengthening multifaceted  relations with Africa. The White House and African leaders have also stressed the importance of Africa’s voices, advocated for incorporating professional Africans distinctively within the institutional structures to deal with various bilateral issues and for making further inroads into Africa.

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Politics

Mana Abdi | Somali American legislative candidate is poised to make history in the Maine Legislature

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — A Democratic candidate is poised to become the first Somali American to serve in the Maine Legislature after her challenger dropped out of the race.

Republican Fred Sanborn-Silvers’ withdrawal last month cleared the path for Democrat Mana Abdi in her bid for Maine House District 95. Another Somali American, South Portland Mayor Deqa Dhalac, is also running for a different House seat.

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Policy

The Good and Bad Continuity of Biden’s New Africa Strategy

The Biden strategy document fails to take a “whole of Africa” approach that Africans themselves embrace and instead reverts to the Obama-era billing of a “Sub-Saharan Africa” focus.

by J. Peter Pham Samuel B. Millner

The Biden administration’s new U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa, unveiled during Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent swing through the continent, reflects little more than a commitment to the status quo. Despite the White House’s attempt to spin it as a “new vision for a 21st Century U.S.-African Partnership,” Africa watchers on and off the continent will note that much remains unchanged, both for good and for ill.

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Politics

Amal Torres | Somali-born Air Force veteran says Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal sparked her run for Congress

By Joshua Q. Nelson | Fox News

A Somali-born immigrant and Air Force veteran is running for office as a Republican in the Baltimore area, explaining that the “Defund Police” movement and the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan motivated her to run for Congress.

“The military service and government service brought me to Maryland,” Amal Torres told Fox News Digital. 

Continue reading “Amal Torres | Somali-born Air Force veteran says Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal sparked her run for Congress” →
Politics

Nigerian, Agboola, appointed into senior leadership committee in Canada’s Conservative Party

By Ripples Nigeria

A Nigerian, Shola Agboola has been appointed by the Canadian Conservative Party to the Leadership Election Organizing Committee (LEOC). The LEOC is an important organ of the party that organises the process that leads to the emergence of party leaders at the national level.

Agboola is to represent Manitoba in the committee which consists of 21 members, including past and present members of parliament.

Continue reading “Nigerian, Agboola, appointed into senior leadership committee in Canada’s Conservative Party” →
Politics

Deqa Dhalac Makes History as Maine’s First Black, Muslim Somali-American Mayor

 by JACKIE ABRAMIAN | MS

In December, Deqa Dhalac became the U.S.’s first Somali American mayor, chosen by the South Portland City Council to lead a city that’s 90 percent white.

Continue reading “Deqa Dhalac Makes History as Maine’s First Black, Muslim Somali-American Mayor” →
Politics

Ghana Diaspora PAC Endorses Quaye Quartey, II for U.S. Congress (CA-27

By Ghana Diaspora Political Action Committee

To support exceptional leadership and expand political representation of the growing Ghanaian American community in the United States, Ghana Diaspora Political Action Committee USA has endorsed Quaye Quartey for U.S. Congress, representing California’s 27th Congressional district.

Continue reading “Ghana Diaspora PAC Endorses Quaye Quartey, II for U.S. Congress (CA-27” →
Politics

Can Bethlehem Fleming woo African Immigrants in Atlanta to turn the Senate Blue?

By Ray Glier | OZY

Bethlehem Fleming, a native of Ethiopia, has carried around for almost three years President Donald Trump’s vulgar denouncement of African nations as “shithole countries.” It enraged her, but not as much as the president’s scornful sequel from the Oval Office on Oct. 23, when Trump said Egypt might just have to bomb Ethiopia’s $4.6 billion Blue Nile Dam to settle a water dispute.

Continue reading “Can Bethlehem Fleming woo African Immigrants in Atlanta to turn the Senate Blue?” →
Policy

Why Biden Should Upgrade U.S. Africa Policy

BY AUBREY HRUBY | Foreign Policy

U.S. President Donald Trump’s policy toward Africa will be remembered by its tone of disrespect, from his calling African nations “shithole countries” to canceled cabinet-level trips to the region. But while he needs to restore civility to U.S. foreign policy, President-elect Joe Biden shouldn’t fully reject Trump-era Africa policy when he takes office. In part, that’s because Africa policy is unique. It has historically been uncontroversially bipartisan, and U.S. presidents from Bill Clinton to Trump have continued their predecessors’ Africa programs.

Continue reading “Why Biden Should Upgrade U.S. Africa Policy” →
Politics

Kenyans residing in the US narrate unique, dramatic poll experiences –

By GLORIA ARADI | The Standard

As events of the United States elections unfold, thousands of Kenyans living in America have had first-hand experience. There are some who have had a front-row seat to dramatic events.

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Politics

Oballa Oballa| From refugee camp to city council chambers

In less than a year, Oballa Oballa became a U.S. citizen, welcomed his daughter into the world, and won a seat on the Austin City Council. He expects to graduate in December with a four-year college degree.Written

By Jordan Shearer | Post Bulletin

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Politics

From Refugee to Representative, US Candidates Celebrate Election Victories

By Salem Solomon | Voice of America

He grew up in the Gambella region of Ethiopia, where he witnessed mass killings that took the life of his uncle and hundreds of others. He survived a two-week trek across treacherous terrain to reach a refugee camp in Kenya. He spent 10 years in camps where he often didn’t have enough to eat. Now he has been elected to the City Council of his adopted hometown of Austin, Minnesota. He is the first refugee, first immigrant and first person of color to serve on the council. He said he never doubted he’d reach this destination.

Continue reading “From Refugee to Representative, US Candidates Celebrate Election Victories” →
Politics

Oballa Oballa | a refugee from Ethiopia wins historic city council election in Austin

By JOEY PETERS | SAHAN JOURNAL

Oballa Oballa, a former refugee from Ethiopia who became a naturalized citizen less than one year ago, made history this election by winning a city council seat in the southeast Minnesota city of Austin. 

Continue reading “Oballa Oballa | a refugee from Ethiopia wins historic city council election in Austin” →
Politics

Oballa Oballa and Samra Brouk | Ethiopian-Americans win Council, Senate Seats

By Samuel Getachew | The Reporter

Two Americans with roots in Ethiopia have become a City Councilor and a State Senator, achieving an Ethiopian–American political milestone. Oballa Oballa was elected to a council seat in Austin, Minnesota, and Samra Brouk was declared a winner in New York as a State Senator.

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Politics

Liberians who fled civil war elected in US elections

By BBC

Two Liberians whose families escaped civil war in the 1990s and sought refuge in the US have been elected to office in the states of Colorado and Rhode Island respectively. Naquetta Ricks won a seat in Colorado’s House of Representatives, while high school principal Nathan Biah won a state seat in Rhode Island.

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Politics

A mixed bag for African immigrant candidates in Minnesota races

By Tom Gitaa | President and Publisher of Mshale

The African immigrant community’s bid to expand its share of elected officials in the state had some bright spots and disappointing losses in equal measure. One of the bright spots was in the Minnesota legislature where the ranks of African immigrant legislators doubled to four from the previous two.

Here is the breakdown on how the results came in:

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Politics

Meet 3 Kenyans who Vied for Seats in US Elections

By BRIAN KIMANI  | Kenyans.co.ke

As the whole world turns its attention to the hotly contested US elections pitting Trump against Biden, three Kenyan-born politicians sought elective seats in the state of Minnesota. The Kenyan-born Americans were seeking to change the narrative and champion the rights of the minorities. The candidates though, failed to secure the three seats We look at the three Kenyan-born who contested in the state of Minnesota.

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Politics

Nnamdi Chukwuocha | Nigerian-American wins Delaware State Assembly

By Chidi Emenike | Nairametrics

Another Nigerian-American, Nnamdi Chukwuocha, has emerged as the winner of a seat in the Delaware State House of Representatives, under the Democratic Party in the 2020 US General elections. He joined the list of other Nigerian-Americans like Oye Owolewa and Esther Ajayi who have so far recorded success in the US 2020 General Elections.

Continue reading “Nnamdi Chukwuocha | Nigerian-American wins Delaware State Assembly” →
Politics

Oye Owolewa | Democrat wins in District of Columbia to emerges 1st Nigerian-American congressman

By Abiola Odutola | Nairametrics

Democrat, Oye Owolewa, has been elected as a shadow United States Representative out of the District of Columbia. The 30-year-old is the first Nigerian-American congressman in the country’s history.

Continue reading “Oye Owolewa | Democrat wins in District of Columbia to emerges 1st Nigerian-American congressman” →
Politics

Esther Agbaje Becomes Minnesota’s First Nigerian-American Legislator

By Dawn R. Wolfe | The Appeal

Political newcomer Esther Agbaje has become Minnesota’s first Nigerian-American legislator after winning the seat formerly held by long-time state Representative Raymond Dehn.

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Politics

Omar wins reelection in Minnesota House race

By Clare Foran | CNN

Somali-American Ilhan Omar, a member of the progressive Squad in Congress, will hold onto her US House seat in Minnesota after she won reelection and defeated a well-funded Republican challenger, CNN projects.

Continue reading “Omar wins reelection in Minnesota House race” →
Politics

U.S. ELECTIONS: Nigerian voters cite immigration, healthcare as top issues

 BY EDIRI OYIBO | TheNewsGuru

A cross-section of Nigerian-Americans and other immigrant voters mentioned immigration, healthcare and stability as top on their minds in Tuesday’s U.S. presidential election.They spoke as voting got underway in a presidential race pitting President Donald Trump against former Vice President Joe Biden.

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Politics

Esther Agbaje | Nigerian-American wins Minnesota House of Reps ticket

 BY KEHINDE AJOSE | TheNewsGuru

Ms Esther Agbaje, who contested to represent District 59B in the Minnesota House of Representatives on the platform of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, an affiliate of the US Democratic Party, has won. The 35-year-old daughter of an Episcopal priest and a librarian, both Nigerian immigrants, defeated Republican Alan Shilepsky and Green Party candidate Lisa Neal-Delgado to represent downtown and north Minneapolis in the state House.

Continue reading “Esther Agbaje | Nigerian-American wins Minnesota House of Reps ticket” →
Politics

Motivations Vary as African Diaspora Vote in US Election

By Salem Solomon | Voice of America – English

WASHINGTON – For most African immigrants in the United States, the right to vote is precious.  Ivo Tasong, a Cameroonian American who immigrated to the U.S. in 1986, said voting is something he will never take for granted. 

Continue reading “Motivations Vary as African Diaspora Vote in US Election” →
Politics

2 Americans with African Roots Vie for Changes Through Ballot Box

By Salem Solomon | Voice of America

It has been a long journey for Yinka Faleti from Lagos, Nigeria to be a candidate for Missouri secretary of state. He moved to the United States at the age of seven and years later, earned an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Army’s elite service academy. He served for six years as a combat arms officer in the Army, including two deployments to the Middle East. 

Continue reading “2 Americans with African Roots Vie for Changes Through Ballot Box” →
Politics

Nine Nigerian-Americans contesting in U.S. elections

By News Agency of Nigeria

No fewer than nine Nigerian Americans are on the ballot for the general elections in the United States. Running mostly on the platform of the Democratic Party, the candidates are bidding for different offices at the federal, state and local levels.

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Politics

Bringing More Diversity to US Ballots Is Both Goal and Challenge

By Carol Guensburg | Voice of America

The shifting demographics of the United States are creating more impetus to field political candidates of color — including newer Americans.

Continue reading “Bringing More Diversity to US Ballots Is Both Goal and Challenge” →
Politics

Why Somalis are closely watching the US elections

By Hamza Mohamed | Al Jazeera

Just as people across the United States will be waiting eagerly for the results of Tuesday’s voting, thousands of kilometres away, on the far eastern corner of Africa, Somalis will also be closely watching the hard-fought matchup between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Continue reading “Why Somalis are closely watching the US elections” →
Politics

Ali Velshi | Kenyan-born broadcaster tells poignant family tale in bid to urge Americans to vote

Ali Velshi is a Ismaili Muslim of Gujarati Indian descent who was born in Nairobi, Kenya. His family moved to Canada in 1971. Over the years has worked diligently and climbed the corporate ladder to host his own show on MSNBC called Velshi & Ruhle, complete with an office on the esteemed NBC headquarters in New York.

Continue reading “Ali Velshi | Kenyan-born broadcaster tells poignant family tale in bid to urge Americans to vote” →
Politics

Congolese among New Americans who praise Trump at Nashua event

By Andrew Sylvia | Manchester Ink Link

NASHUA, N.H. – Donald Trump is well known for his policies aimed at limiting immigration. But in spite of this, he still has a  group of supporters who have migrated to this country who gathered in Nashua last week for an event highlighting the Trump campaign’s diversity.

Continue reading “Congolese among New Americans who praise Trump at Nashua event” →