Africa has been a low priority for virtually all US administrations, be they republicans or democrats. It is true that Donald Trump has been more belligerent and vocal about his positions on Africa, but even Democrats have shown no interest in playing a more effective role in Africa. Continue below.
In the ongoing campaigns of the presidential elections in the United States, neither candidate mentioned Africa in a convincing way. None of them prioritizes Africa in their foreign policy agenda, and that highlights an ongoing trend of limited focus on African affairs.
Here are some key points to remember on this issue: Both France and the U.S. have been working to reassess their military presence and strategies in Africa due to recent geopolitical changes taking place there and the difficulties their strategies have been facing in adapting to these changes. Their focus has always been almost exclusively on counterterrorism. We are now seeing a smaller French military footprint, with a drastic French troop reduction except for Djibouti.
I also happen to agree with a number of American analysts working for U.S.-based think tanks, that the effectiveness of Africom (the U.S. Africa Command) should be questioned. The overall strategy of prioritizing kinetic counterterrorism efforts may have reached its limits. It is now more about helping to establish the conditions for long-term stability through non-military means. From an independent observer perspective, Africom has been essentially appointed to act as the main actor of US policy in Africa. There has to be a bigger role for economic development and for stability-promoting initiatives rather than just direct military engagement.
In the current geopolitical context in Africa, US forces have been somehow disturbed by evolving politics there. The forced withdrawal of American troops from Niger has intensified the debate within the U.S. about the necessity and location of American bases in Africa. The future of the U.S. military presence in countries like Chad is also uncertain, as some American forces were temporarily asked to leave.
On how the U.S. Administrations deal with Africa: Well, the fact is that There is little substantial difference between Democratic and Republican approaches to Africa, with continuity in strategies regardless of the administration. Minor adjustments have been made, such as Trump’s troop withdrawal from Somalia, which Joe Biden later reversed.
While core interests remain the same, there may be superficial changes in how military presence is presented. The Biden administration, impacted by the Niger setback, may consider a strategy similar to France’s, emphasizing a more flexible and less visible military footprint. Kamala Harris’s administration, if victorious, may align with this approach. What will Trump do is completely unpredictable.
