At the last minute, former President Biden announced the investment of 600 million dollars in Angola through a lightning visit. Barely invested, Trump seems to have another approach to United States foreign policy in Africa.
For many specialists in American foreign policy, the return of Donald Trump to the White House will mark a potential turning point in relations between the United States and Africa. While his predecessor, Joe Biden, concluded his term with a strong gesture, allocating up to $600 million to support a strategic rail infrastructure project in Angola during an express visit, the first indications from the new administration suggest a significant change of course.
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Trump, faithful to his “controversial” vision of “America first”, seems determined to redefine the priorities of American foreign policy, with a profound reassessment of development aid on the African continent. This approach comes in a context where Africa, which has become an economic and diplomatic battleground between great powers such as China, Russia and the European Union, still largely depends on international aid flows to finance its infrastructure and strengthen its institutional capacities.
But Trump, known for his brutal pragmatism, could judge this aid as an unprofitable investment for American interests. For the moment, the new tenant of the White House has decided to suspend, for a period of “90 days”, “US foreign development aid to assess the effectiveness of the programs and their consistency with policy Foreign Affairs of the United States. Today, the question that arises is: under Trump, what face will US-Africa cooperation take?
Suspense maintained…
According to the executive order seen by Challenge, “all department and agency heads responsible for foreign development assistance programs must immediately suspend new obligations and disbursements of development assistance funds to foreign countries and non-governmental organizations implementation, international organizations and contractors, pending reviews of these programs.
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At the end of these three months, “new disbursements” could be allocated again on a case-by-case basis “if a review is conducted and the Secretary of State or his representative, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management and budget, decides to continue the program in the same form or in a modified form.
Contacted by Challenge, political journalist Yves Derai declared: “Overall, he seems to want to impose his views on the rest of the world while preserving America’s funds. No longer commit troops if the direct interests of the Americans are not in danger, reduce aid when possible: a form of strategic selfishness which also applies to Africa.”
-Towards a new paradigm of cooperation?
In recent years, a desire to change paradigm seems to have taken hold in American foreign policy vis-à-vis Africa. Inspired by the doctrine of “sharing the wealth”, this reorientation is based on the promotion of inclusive economic partnerships, support for sustainable development projects and the improvement of governance capacities on the continent.
However, the implementation of these ambitions remains dependent on the priorities of each administration. “With the return of Trump, priorities could align more with a logic of economic “deals”, strengthening sectors such as energy, infrastructure and agriculture, but to the detriment of a global and coordinated approach. Furthermore, the US-Africa relationship will also have to deal with internal challenges within the United States, including debates over public spending and the direction of foreign policy,” explains Derai.
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Looking back on his speech, the latter specifies: “It was a powerful, radical and determined speech. Very different from what we hear in Europe where moderation is often preached. More than the world’s policeman, it is the arrival of the United States, master of the world, which puts its interests above all other considerations. Hence the very offensive sorties on Greenland or the Panama Canal. Trump does not bother with any language precautions, he continues to ride the tone of his campaign.”
Millions of dollars at stake!
It is difficult today to estimate the millions of dollars that will be affected by this decree. A month ago, during his last trip to Africa, Joe Biden announced “new humanitarian aid of more than $1 billion for Africans displaced by historic droughts,” explained the White House press release.
This funding includes nearly $823 million provided through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and nearly $186 million through the State Department, the statement added.
Furthermore, last July, Washington announced the payment of $176 million in additional humanitarian aid for the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin regions in West Africa.
