Experts ponder what Trump’s 2nd presidential term means for Africa

As US president-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration approaches, analysts weigh in on what his new term in The White House will mean for Africa and the continent’s relations with the United States.

Analysts will closely analyze Trump’s inaugural speech for any hints of his vision for US-Africa relations and subsequently will also monitor his executive orders and legislation from the Republican-majority Congress for what they purport for Africa, Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said in its latest report. “Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda, notwithstanding, Africa matters,” said Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, senior fellow and director of Africa Program at CSIS. “As his administration sets out to deliver on his campaign promises at home and assert US leadership abroad, the United States cannot afford to ignore Africa.”

According to Edgar Githua, professor of international relations at Strathmore University in Kenya, Africa is a big market that plays a key role in the global economy, but “Trump will come to Africa not so much because he cares about Africa but because he’s coming to counter Chinese influence on the African soil.” Trump administration has an opportunity to put its imprimatur on US foreign policy for decades by outlining a vision for a Strategic Economic Partnership with Africa (STEP), said Laird Treiber, senior associate at CSIS Africa Program. “Doing so would recognize Africa’s growing importance as a global economic partner, spurred on by the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), while also leveling the playing field for U.S. companies with their many competitors from Europe and Asia,” he added.