The summary of a new report on US policy particularly off the coast of East Africa reads as follows:
A new U.S. emphasis on African maritime development — dedicated not only to rooting out piracy but also renovating ports and investing in job creation — could improve African security and economic growth.
Not to belabor the obvious (and this is not a criticism of the report but rather of US policy) but yes: a long-term, coherent, and holistic policy toward east Africa is better than an ad hoc, reactive, and piecemeal one.