Tom Sheehy is a distinguished fellow in USIP’s Africa Center. Sheehy examines the role of China in Africa and supports USIP’s work to strengthen the Sudd Institute, a research organization in South Sudan that promotes national reconciliation.

Previously, Sheehy served on the USIP senior study group that produced the report “China’s Impact on Conflict Dynamics in the Red Sea Arena.” He is a member of the International Advisory Council of Afrobarometer, the leading survey organization focused on gauging African attitudes toward democracy, governance, and society.

Prior to joining USIP, Sheehy held several positions on the Foreign Affairs Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives, including most recently as staff director, responsible for its overall operations, and as staff director of its Africa subcommittee, which focused on conflict resolution, economic development, and natural resource conservation, among other issues. The subcommittee actively pressed for the successful apprehension and trial of Liberian warlord Charles Taylor and promoted peace and stability in war-devastated Liberia and Sierra Leone.

With the committee, Sheehy worked on several pieces of legislation that have defined U.S. policy toward Africa, including the African Growth and Opportunity Act, the Electrify Africa Act, the BUILD Act, and the Global Fragility Act. He served as an international election observer for national elections in Kenya and Nigeria.

Sheehy served as an Africa policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation before working in Congress. At the think tank, he co-developed the Index of Economic Freedom, an annual survey of national economies worldwide now in its 25th edition. He frequently appeared in national media and testified before several congressional committees.

He holds a bachelor’s in political science from Trinity College (Hartford) and a master’s in international relations from the University of Virginia.

Publications By Thomas

The Lobito Corridor: A U.S. Bet on Africa’s Critical Mineral Development

The Lobito Corridor: A U.S. Bet on Africa’s Critical Mineral Development

Thursday, August 8, 2024

Demand for critical minerals is expected to skyrocket in the decades ahead. These minerals — such as copper, cobalt and lithium, among others — power the electronics we use every day and are essential for transitioning to greener energy technologies. The U.S. is increasingly working with African partners to develop the continent’s abundant critical minerals, an effort that is vital to advancing U.S. economic and national security interests. It also will have major implications for African countries: How these critical minerals are developed will significantly impact the continent’s economic future and beyond, even affecting peace and stability. This increasing U.S. policy focus comes against the backdrop of intensifying U.S. geopolitical competition with China, which dominates many African mining sectors.

Type: Analysis

Economics

How Southern Africa’s Lobito Corridor Can Boost Trade and Minimize Debt

How Southern Africa’s Lobito Corridor Can Boost Trade and Minimize Debt

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

The Lobito Corridor is an ambitious infrastructure project stretching from the port of Lobito on Angola’s Atlantic coast to Zambia through the Democratic Republic of Congo. It promises to boost trade and the regional economy by allowing inland mining and agriculture sectors to connect with broader markets. USIP’s Thomas Sheehy discusses his recent trip to parts of the corridor, where he saw the progress being made toward its development.

Type: Blog

Economics

How America’s Trade Program with Africa Bolsters Security and Peace

How America’s Trade Program with Africa Bolsters Security and Peace

Thursday, August 1, 2024

America’s security and global influence in this 21st century will be significantly impacted by the world’s fastest-growing and changing region: Africa. A bipartisan consensus among U.S. foreign policy leaders is pressing the United States to intensify its engagements across the continent to counter rising violence and instability that is often rooted in poor governance and unmet human needs. Yet next year, America risks losing a powerful, cost-effective tool for building U.S.-African partnership, peace and prosperity. Last week, a gathering at USIP of African and U.S. business and policy leaders sharpened and bolstered critical arguments for renewing and enhancing this vital instrument: the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Type: Analysis

EconomicsGlobal Policy

View All