In an in-depth analysis, Cheikh Niang, a retired Senegalese ambassador, deciphers the geopolitical stakes for Africa as Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Trump’s comeback does not just pose questions about foreign policy from an American perspective, says the diplomat immediately underlining the complexity of the situation.
“It is a phenomenon that is both complex and multidimensional and could redefine international relations, geostrategic priorities and global economic dynamics,” he observes.
Looking back on Trump’s previous presidency, Niang recalls that “Africa, always relegated to the peripheries of Washington’s concerns, has seen its issues treated in often utilitarian terms.”
He anticipates that Trump’s approach will remain “marked by a transactional logic, in which the asymmetry of relations will be exacerbated by a quest for profitability.”
The career diplomat calls for a profound transformation.
“Africa must absolutely invest in true economic sovereignty, cemented by solid foundations of industrial, energy and financial independence,” the diplomat suggests.
Sounding adamant about Africa’s growing relevance Mr. Niang adds: “Self-sufficiency, so long ignored or relegated to the background, must become a strategic priority.”
He also insists on the need for the continent to “free itself from the logic of dependence and submission to external powers.”
In a changing geopolitical landscape, where China and Russia seek to extend their influence, the expert warns that “Trump could view Africa through a pragmatic and transactional lens, accentuating the isolation of the United States while favouring ad hoc alliances based on reciprocal interests.”
Issuing a rallying cry for action, the diplomat argues that “Africa, far from being a simple periphery in this great global game, must take its place at the center of the chessboard of world powers”.
Donald Trump was inaugurated last Monday as the 47th president of the United States, two months after his presidential victory.
The Republican member is thus returning to the White House, four years after vacating it following his defeat against Joe Biden.
AC/te/Sf/fss/as/APA