Foreign Policy magazine published an analysis in which its authors talked about the keenness of the United States under the administration of President Joe Biden to re-engage with Africa.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Ethiopia and Niger in March, followed by Vice President Kamala Harris the same month to Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia, and Biden announced plans for an official trip to Africa later this year.
Researchers Narayanapa Janardan, a researcher at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, and Hussain Haqqani, fellow and director for South and Central Asia at the Hudson Institute, noted that these visits come at a time when China, India and the GCC countries are steadily increasing their influence across the continent.
They commented that this increased interest was partly because it had become clear that Africa had the potential to be the site of significant economic expansion. By 2030, about 20% of the world's population will live in Africa and will rise to 25% by 2050.
The continent's GDP, currently around $3 trillion, is expected to increase significantly by 2050. With improvements in education, technology and infrastructure combined with demography to facilitate Asia's GDP growth over the past two decades, Africa could benefit from the same factors in the future.
U.S. efforts focusing on health, social development and democratic governance have had limited success.
China, India, and the Gulf states have invested in improving infrastructure, manufacturing, mining, and agriculture, and their mix of diplomacy, aid, investment, and trade has gained momentum, as evidenced by the volume of trade. This example of researchers illustrates how the United States can better re-engage with Africa by refining its economic plan.
They pointed out that China, India, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are currently among the most influential partners in Africa, with China's total trade on the continent reaching $254 billion in 2021, India's total trade in the same year reaching about $90 billion, and the European Union was its largest trading partner that year, with a total of $300 billion. Trade between the United States and Africa fell from $142 billion in 2008 to $64 billion in 2021.
To balance its values and interests, the United States could join its friends and partners in the Gulf and Asia and develop small partnerships in Africa. The 12u12 gathering between India, Israel, the UAE and the United States could be one such vehicle for such engagement.
The United States could also consider reducing unconditional assistance and replacing it with results-oriented development support, along with unconditional and innovative mechanisms for economic engagement. Washington can offer an economic cooperation agenda that does not conflict with Africa's existing investment and trading partners.
African countries are more than small parties or spheres of influence, they said. In an increasingly multipolar world, Washington would be better off creating a balancing mechanism in Africa and working alongside expanding Gulf-Asian-African relations.