East Africa is a region where both conflict and opportunity show little regard for national borders. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the M23 rebellion and Rwanda's involvement in it underscore the persistent legacy of identity and origin in the conflict-ridden eastern provinces. For U.S. policy in the region, a preoccupation with security and counterterrorism interests often conflicts with concerns over human rights and democratic governance. And amid the region's tangle of economic communities, the East African Community's dynamism offers a model for broader regional and continental integration.
East Africa is a region where both conflict and opportunity show little regard for national borders. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the M23 rebellion and Rwanda's involvement in it underscore the persistent legacy of identity and origin in the conflict-ridden eastern provinces. For U.S. policy in the region, a preoccupation with security and counterterrorism interests often conflicts with concerns over human rights and democratic governance. And amid the region's tangle of economic communities, the East African Community's dynamism offers a model for broader regional and continental integration.