Some found favour with Western leaders such as United States President Barack Obama and Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron...

A career diplomat who served as US ambassador to Sudan in the final years of Barack Obama's presidency Phee's appointment as Assistant Secretary for African Affairs is part of a wider return of career diplomats returning to key roles under President Joe Biden...

There has also been strong bipartisan support in the US Congress during both the Barack Obama and Trump presidencies for arms sales being made conditional on improvements in human rights (AC Vol 62 No 1 Building the house of Sisi)...

Secretary of State-designate Antony Blinken was Biden's National Security Advisor when he was Vice-President under Barack Obama and both men supported the US invasion of Iraq...

Rabat's initial response to Antony Blinken being named Secretary of State was relief as his rival for the job Susan Rice had ruffled Moroccan feathers when she was Barack Obama's UN ambassador – another example of how in Morocco the Sahara trumps everything...

However pending a change of policy that a shooting war could force the Democrat administration is thought likely to continue support for Morocco's autonomy proposal for the region with Rabat maintaining sovereignty – a position also held by Biden's old boss Barack Obama...

In Nigeria the chief of staff's role is to ensure the head of state's agenda wins the day – Rahm Emmanuel to Barack Obama or perhaps Thomas Cromwell to Henry VIII...

The law which was extended for 10 years by President Barack Obama looked to be on life-support at this week's annual AGOA Forum in Abidjan...