Trump urged to seize Africa opportunity amid China’s rise, says Brookings Report

As Africa moves to the center of global economic and strategic importance, a new Brookings Institution policy brief urges the Trump administration to craft a bold, forward-looking U.S.-Africa strategy that aligns American interests with Africa’s rapid transformation.
The report highlights four key pillars — power, prosperity, peace, and principles with soft power — through which the United States can reassert its global leadership and counter growing Chinese and Russian influence on the continent. China currently outpaces the U.S. in trade and investment in Africa by wide margins, while Russia deepens its military ties. The report warns that failure to engage Africa meaningfully could allow strategic rivals to dominate access to critical minerals and consumer markets as the continent’s youth population surges.
Economically, Africa boasts 13 of the 20 fastest-growing economies. The report encourages support for trade frameworks like African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and backing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), while promoting U.S. SMEs and leveraging America’s tech edge to create long-term investment strategies. On the security front, it advocates partnering with African-led organizations to address the root causes of instability and limit transnational threats such as terrorism. Crucially, the brief argues that principled engagement — not just transactional deals — is essential to reinforcing American credibility and unlocking opportunity. With a strategically engaged Africa, the U.S. stands to gain influence, stability, and sustained economic returns.