#5 Mali, Tanzania and DRC
The Democratic Republic of Congo has been ravaged by what some have called "Africa's World War." While Congo remains dangerously unstable, the U.S. has worked with the country in a regional peace initiative dubbed the Tripartite Plus process. USAID assistance to the country has also increased since 2007. Tanzania has benefitted from American engagement in the prevention of HIV/AIDS and, in March 2010, the two countries signed a Partnership Framework to enable deeper cooperation in preventing and treating the scourge of AIDS. One of the poorest nations in the world, Mali is nonetheless a relatively stable constitutional democracy with good ties to the U.S. and the West. It is also a predominantly Muslim nation that has seen a sharp rise (200 percent) in the number of elected female leaders between 2006 and 2008. Global Top 5s is a monthly feature by RealClearWorld.com powered by Gallup's worldwide research. Learn more at Gallup.com.
