The Hill: The Ugandan anti-gay bill and the limits of U.S. influence in Africa
Joshua Meservey, assistant director of the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center

“…[Uganda President Yoweri] Museveni’s decision [to sign an anti-gay bill] is the latest instance of Washington being unable to influence an allied African leader, the result of shifting geopolitical trends and blundering diplomacy. Limited influence over our friends is a challenge that will remain and may well grow, and policymakers need to adopt far smarter and more strategic ways to apply effective pressure at critical moments. … U.S. influence with a number of our African allies has eroded recently, exacerbated too frequently by fumbling diplomacy. It is past time to adopt a more informed and strategic approach to ensure the United States remains a relevant and trusted actor on a continent that is only becoming more important economically, politically, and militarily” (4/10).