1. The economic conditions that facilitate the rise of terrorist groups like Boko Haram in the Sahel are likely to worsen over time. Unfortunately, nobody has the political will or resources to tackle them, so what should be done?

2. The rise of Islamist militant groups in the Sahel is likely to widen the already deep rifts between the Islamised ethnic groups in West Africa's hinterland and the Christianised ethnic groups in the coastal regions. Is separation inevitable and if so, does the international community recognise this inevitability.

3. Fundamentalist Islam will not exist in Africa's Sahel regions forever. When the Islamist wave subsides, what strategic interests will the US have in that region? None?

4. What is the overarching framework guiding US policy in Africa - assuming US shale oil booms and the Islamist issue sorts itself out, what other strategic role will the US play in Africa apart from acting as a spoiler to the Chinese?

5. France cannot continue its deep engagement with Sub-Saharan Africa ad infinitum. Just like the French left Indochina and Algeria, they will have to leave Sub-Saharan Africa. What is America's game plan? Leave with the French or replace them?

6. There's no such thing as friendship in international relations. What is important is alignment of strategic interests - increasingly savvy African leaders might recognize the obvious - there will be increasingly little alignment between the US and Africa on economics. However, that will not be the case with India, China or other BRIC nations - so how does the US present a convincing case for containing China to the African people if China becomes Africa's largest trading partner?