Reflections on the US-Africa Summit

Leaders of 49 African countries and the United States (US) convened their first summit in almost a decade from December, 13-15, 2022. Through the summit, US President Joe Biden intends to boost trade opportunities and build trust with African leaders.

When he came to office, President Biden declared that “America is back.” This was largely out of a recognition that during the four years of Donald Trump’s presidency, the US had entered a state of drift and in the process, isolated many of its allies and turned its back on several parts of the world.

According to US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, “The summit … is rooted in the recognition that Africa is a key geopolitical player. The continent will shape the future not just of the African people, but also the world.”

A look at some key fundamentals demonstrates that Africa is a big deal.

The continent accounts for 17% of the global population, the majority of them young people. As the world’s youngest continent, Africa has a median age of 18 years old, compared with 31 in Latin America and Asia, 38 in the United States, and 42 in Europe. It also has the highest urbanization rate in the world, with almost one billion Africans projected to move to cities in the next three decades.

By 2030, Africa will be home to 17 cities with more than five million inhabitants, in addition to 90 cities with at least one million. The economic literature suggests that cities make significant contributions to strong economic growth rates due to their higher consumer density, higher labour productivity, and greater levels of disposable income.

Therefore, many African cities are likely to be important drivers of economic growth not just for African countries, but also for countries that establish strong trade and economic relations with the continent.

Africa’s demographic advantages are expected to continue to outpace those of similarly positioned economies such as India and China in the coming decades. This will go a long way towards cementing Africa’s position as one of the most attractive investment and trade destinations in the world.

It is therefore not surprising that Africa has once again become a hotspot of geopolitical rivalry.

This time around, it is not European powers seeking to carve up the continent, but the US, Russia and China are all actively seeking to court African countries.

In recent years, as America has pivoted to other parts of the world, such as Asia, or turned inwards, as was predominantly the case during the Trump years, Russia and China were generally able to advance their strategic interests in Africa. This means that the US now finds itself on the defensive as it seeks to rival both Russia and China in Africa.

The US finds itself facing a more confident Africa, one that wants to be at the table as an equal partner. Rather than lecture African leaders about democracy and human rights, both important issues, the US will need to sit at the table recognizing that old neo-colonial attitudes need to be left behind.

One of the most significant outcomes that African leaders will be seeking at the summit is support from the US for the African Union to become a permanent member of the Group of 20 (G20). Currently, South Africa is the only African country in the G20.

At the United Nations General Assembly in September, President Biden backed the expansion of the Security Council, including representation from Africa. African leaders are also likely to push the Biden Administration on this issue, although for now, both Russia and China appear to be opposed to any such expansion as they seek to preserve the strength of their veto power.

Africa’s moment has certainly arrived. It has long been a continent with vast resources, without ever being able to fully tap into them for the benefit of the majority of its peoples. It has also largely been unable to exercise the kind of global clout that a region of its size should realistically exert. Perhaps the tide is finally shifting.

Joel K Richards is a Vincentian national living and working in Europe in the field of international trade and development.
Email: joelkmrichards@gmail.com