Biden’s Africa blitz to ‘catch up’ with Beijing
Antony Blinken will be warmly welcomed in Africa on Sunday, but as he begins his first trip there as US secretary of state he will be in no celebratory mood. The senior US official and former deputy national security adviser is aware of the huge “catch-up” that is needed with China, which has invested vastly more time and capital in the continent. The priority that Beijing places on Africa is illustrated by the fact that its top leadership (the president, premier and foreign minister) have reportedly made a staggering 80 visits to more than 40 different countries there in the past decade alone.
Blinken will visit Kenya, Senegal and the so-called “giant of Africa,” Nigeria. This follows US President Joe Biden’s turbocharging last month of the US “Prosper
Africa” initiative, which brings together 17 US government agencies to work on boosting trade and investment on the continent, first launched under Donald Trump but which got off to a slow start.
The Biden team has requested an additional $80 million to bolster the initiative, including to substantially increase two-way trade and investment focused on sectors such as energy and climate, health, and digital technology.
The administration is framing the initiative as a way to promote shared US-Africa prosperity. But it is also designed, in part, to counter China in the region.
Economically, Africa is increasingly coming of age and it boasts a growing number of key emerging markets. In part, this is because much of the continent has embraced international trade opportunities at the same time as many key industrialized countries have adopted greater protectionism.
It is small wonder that nascent superpower China is showing the greatest interest of all in Africa, aiming to better connect its Belt and Road Initiative with the continent’s development. As well as bespoke trips to individual countries, Beijing is also a frequent host of China-Africa summits.
This is a model that Russian President Vladimir Putin is keen to embrace in order to entrench Moscow’s foothold in the continent and he held the first Africa-Russia summit in 2019, with plans to hold a second in 2022. As Moscow seeks to expand its international influence, Africa is a key target for economic and also geopolitical reasons.
Many other key nations, including India, Turkey and top EU states such as France and Germany, are also showering Africa with greater interest, giving countries there more diplomatic options than just Beijing, Moscow and Washington. The UK, following its withdrawal from the EU, is also raising its profile in the continent. Prime Minister Boris Johnson hosted a UK-Africa Investment Summit last year.
However, it is not solely through the lens of economics that London views the relationship with Africa. Instead, UK policymakers also highlight the need for greater African security ties with the West to tackle instability across the region, including the threat of Boko Haram and Al-Shabab militants, which UK troops are playing a part in countering as part of an alliance of countries.
This exemplifies that, while the upsurge of attention on Africa largely reflects economic calculations, broader political considerations are also in play. From Brexit to the great power game underway among Washington, Moscow and Beijing, interest in the continent is only likely to grow in the 2020s, especially if it comes close to fulfilling its significant economic potential.