The United States presidential election has been kicked into high gear over the last few months. Both candidates from the two dominant American political parties have been selected; meaning the rematch between Donald Trump and Joe Biden has been solidified.
American politics has always been watched closely by much of the world. Because the United States is the world’s largest economy and the predominant military power, their elections tend to have ramifications for most of the world’s population, not just in the lives of American citizens.
As a result, whoever is elected American president has the ability to make major changes that can affect the lives of millions of people around the world.
This election also comes at a critical juncture for the World and the African continent. Currently, two major wars are taking place in Europe and the Middle East. In Africa, a devastating conflict is taking in Sudan, which has caused the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and political instability has swept through West and Central Africa, following a series of military overthrows of civilian governments.
The current state of Europe and the Middle East
The war between Russia and Ukraine has entered gone on for over two years at this stage with seemingly no end in sight. The current general consensus has been that Russia has continued to make significant gains against Ukrainian forces, due to the slow-walking of military aide by its allies.
Likewise, Israel’s war in Gaza, following the October 7th attack by Hamas, has captured much of the world’s attention. The humanitarian crisis that has befallen the people of Gaza has seen global protests and accusations of genocide being waged against Israel.
These are two conflicts the United States is heavily involved in. The US has been a major source of military aid for both Ukraine and Israel, and is heavily involved in the diplomatic efforts aimed at bringing an end to the conflicts.
The current state of the African continent
Likewise, at this time on the African continent, there are major challenges facing many countries, particularly within West and Central Africa.
The war in Sudan, between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, has raged on for over a year at this point. The displacement crisis that has followed has seen millions of Sudanese civilians being uprooted from their homes and forced to seek refuge elsewhere. Millions have been internally displaced within Sudan or have fled to neighbouring countries.
Moreover, political instability has been an increasing problem in Africa, especially in West and Central Africa. Military coups in numerous African countries have been the main cause of the instability and tensions within the region.
The coups have largely been confined to African nations that had been former French colonies. As a result, many of these countries had generally been considered a part of France’s sphere of influence. However, these coups have seen growing anti-French sentiment spreading across the region (which has likewise resulted in growing anti-Western sentiment).
As a consequence of this growing anti-French sentiment, following these coups in West Africa, French troops have been ordered to withdraw from many of the countries that experienced coups, such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. Likewise, American troops have also been ordered to withdraw, like we recently saw in Niger, after the military junta ordered American forces stationed in Niger to withdraw from the country.
In place of the departure of American and French forces, Russia has sought to establish a greater presence in the region, often through the deployment of Wagner troops in the area. The winner of the US election will look to devise a strategy to counter Russian influence across Africa.
Then there is the discussion around natural resources on the African continent. As the world is making a greater effort towards sustainable development, the rare earth minerals found in African countries are playing a major role in this transition. The US, along with other nations, will influence how these resources are mined, particularly concerning the ethical practices employed in these mining projects.
Joe Biden’s approach to Africa
At least in terms of their rhetoric, Joe Biden’s administration has sought to revitalise the United States presence on the African continent. In that vein, the African continent has seen numerous visits from high-ranking members of the Biden administration, such as Anthony Blinken, Janet Yellen, etc. Likewise, in December 2022, Joe Biden held the US-Africa summit in Washington DC; which saw the attendance of 49 African states, as well as the head of the African Union Commission.
Biden has sought to prioritise his administration’s policies within Africa around things like fostering greater democratic governance, security, climate change, development and fighting disease such as HIV/ AIDS and Covid-19.
However, Biden’s strategy in Africa has been criticised as being largely ineffective when looking at the current state of political instability in West and Central Africa.
The coup in Niger has especially been a major stain in the Biden administration’s Africa policy, as the US government had formed very close ties with the deposed government. The US government had spent millions in their projects within Niger. In addition, the US state department had invested hundreds of millions of dollars on their military facilities and around 1100 American troops had been stationed in Niger, who have been ordered to withdraw by the military junta
Donald Trump’s approach to Africa
On the other hand, Donald Trump’s approach towards Africa had been largely viewed by many, through the lenses of his rhetoric around Africa. Rather than any policies put in place by the Trump administration. His comments about “shit-hole” countries in Africa tend to receive the most attention rather than the work done by members of his government.
However, there had been strategies put in place to establish greater relations in Africa during Trump’s presidency. The Trump administration had introduced their “Prosper Africa” initiative, which they said had been aimed at fostering greater U.S. investment in Africa, expanding Africa’s middle class and improving the business environments across Africa.
The, at the time, US national security advisor John Bolton had described the initiative as a means to counter Chinese and Russian efforts to gain greater influence in Africa. The national security advisor had described the efforts made by China and Russia as “predatory” and pitched American efforts as being “high-quality, transparent, inclusive and sustainable.”
Unclear who is ahead
While earlier in the year, it appeared as though Donald Trump had a big lead over Joe Biden, however in some polls the lead held by the former president appear to be waning. What is clear is that, right now, we just don’t know who is going to win this year’s election.
Regardless of whoever comes out on top in the election, Africa (and the world) would certainly be watching closely. The relationship between the African continent and the United States is something that should be given major consideration by our governments.
Economic and political ties with the United States, as they are the world’s largest economy, will be crucial for our economic development. Likewise, the promotion and upholding of democratic institutions can be an essential component of our relations, ensuring good governance, greater transparency and accountability in African governments.
