Judd Devermont

Very excited to launch the application process for the 2025-26 cohort of the Africa Policy Accelerator! Join me and become part of a 150+ network of passionate, brilliant, and talented individuals committed to a strong U.S.-Africa relationship!

New subsea cable to increase internet bandwidth for Liberia, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. share.google/4siEQhBNLpn9sZ…

Good intelligence analysis is explanatory. It helps one make sense of complex situations — whether it is geopolitical competition, political parties, or particular individuals. It’s what we call analytical tradecraft.-@JDevermont Great piece !

I worked with three Horn of Africa envoys and one Sudan envoy. I learned that there’s no way one can consistently make progress as a one-man shop. Read more: poststrategy.substack.com/p/on-envoys

In @JDevermont's latest Substack post, "On Envoys", he explores the structural, resource, and bureaucratic challenges that hinder the success of envoys. Speaking from his experience, he shares a few easy fixes to make envoys more effective. Read here: poststrategy.substack.com/p/on-envoys

We need diplomatic envoys to add capacity, not duplicate responsibilities. My latest substack post draws on my experiences working with three U.S. special envoys for the Horn of Africa and one on Sudan. poststrategy.substack.com/p/on-envoys

I worked with 4 U.S. envoys on Africa. Here’s why the model’s flawed—and how to fix it. Check out my new substack post. poststrategy.substack.com/p/on-envoys

🌍 “The world will be African.” By 2050, 1 in 4 people on Earth will be African. @JDevermont explains why this could be the greatest opportunity of the century… or a global crisis in the making. 👇 #AfricaRising #DemographicDividend #Twaspod

Fascinating article about Sao Tome's street theater. huckmag.com/article/resist…

Trump meets 5 African leaders tomorrow. His new total is now 9 presidents in the Oval. (He met with Ramaphosa in May and 3 leaders in his first term.) My updated graphic shows an increase in his time with Africans from .03 to 0.7 % of total working days. poststrategy.substack.com/p/on-the-oval-…

Good chart from @TheEconomist showing data on US Presidential engagement on Africa (by @JDevermont).

We Built This City is a limited series of photo essays by The Continent on African cities. This week, we are in Mayfair with @delwynv. continent.substack.com/p/mayfair-wher…

After reading a lovely tribute to Feya Faku in @TC_Africa, I've been educating myself on his legacy and music. youtube.com/watch?v=fhthU1…

Since the end of the Cold War, U.S. presidents have used signature initiatives to signal commitment and craft their legacy in Africa. I explain why some endure and others fade away in my new substack post. poststrategy.substack.com/p/on-initiativ…

Why have the vast majority of U.S. initiatives on Africa falter? ❎ No Theory of the Case ❎ No Bureaucratic Buy-In ❎ No Consistent Funding Read more: open.substack.com/pub/poststrate…

Why have the vast majority of U.S. initiatives on Africa faltered or been forgotten? @JDevermont, Senior Adviser with the CSIS Africa Program, unpacks this question in his latest essay. Read it here: poststrategy.substack.com/p/on-initiativ…

In my new substack post, I examine why the vast majority of U.S. initiatives on Africa have faltered or have been forgotten. lnkd.in/eS55xFZT

Very cool. Keep a lookout for the first voice-to-voice artificial intelligence model in the Fon language. techafricanews.com/2025/06/30/ben…

“For us, the idea of a nation is more than just a territory,” he said. “It would be very difficult to survive without its diaspora.” Fascinating reflections from Pedro Pires, Cabo Verde's first prime minister and later one of its presidents. flipsidenews.net/cape-verdes-fi…

This was a great conversation, dissecting the issues defining the past, present, and future of U.S.-Africa relations. Plus, a little on my own career at the CIA and in the White House.