NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR. PRESIDENTIAL COUNTRY FILES FOR AFRICA, 1974-77

The Presidential Country Files for Africa is one of many subcollections that comprise the National Security Adviser Files.

These Presidential Country Files relate to U.S. relations with existing and emerging countries in Africa, and address regional concerns as well as issues specific to individual countries. Materials in the first five folders are filed under “Africa,” and the remainder of the collection is arranged by name of country. Memoranda, briefing papers, and comparable materials created by the National Security Adviser, National Security Council staff, and State Department officials, and telegrams exchanged between the State Department and U.S. embassies are contained in these files.

Scope and Content of the Materials
The folders titled “Africa” contain a series of issues papers prepared for presidential briefings regarding the Sahel and the drought in West Africa, and the situation in Southern Africa (Angola, Mozambique, Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Namibia). Other materials concern the Cuban presence in Africa, Secretary Kissinger’s remarks at a dinner with representatives of the Organization of African Unity, correspondence from the Presidents of Zaire and Senegal, and U.S. membership in the African Development Fund.

The prevalent topics in this collection are the move to independence and establishment of new government in many countries, especially Angola, and the effort to bring about majority rule in Southern Africa. Just about every country had an interest or involvement in the events taking place in Angola, Mozambique, Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Namibia. Materials relating to these countries are filed throughout the collection. Materials in the folders for Zaire and Zambia are particularly relevant for research on these two main topics. In addition to the relationship between the U.S. and individual countries, the materials also show U.S. interaction with the former colonial powers and the role of the Organization of African Unity.

Other significant issues are the Ethiopian/Eritrean conflict, the dispute between Algeria and Morocco over Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara), and the Soviet presence in Somalia.

In general, the individual country folders also contain materials relating to military and economic development aid to Africa, appointment of ambassadors to and from various countries, and meetings between U.S. and African officials.

Related Materials (April 2002)
Materials relating to Africa are available in various categories, especially the CO-Countries categories of White House Central Files Subject File. The papers of Stanley Scott, Assistant to the President for Minority Affairs, contain small amounts of materials relating to the Nixon administration’s response to a drought in Africa and his later service as Assistant Administrator for Africa in the Agency for International Development.

Related materials are available in other processed segments of National Security Adviser Files. Researchers can identify the file locations of these materials from PRESNET search reports, which are available upon request. Additional related materials will undoubtedly become available as processing continues on National Security Adviser Files.