Africa's wish list for the Biden administration: Expectations vs reality
NEWLY-ELECTED US President Joe Biden confronts enormous challenges in Africa with regard to reversing four years of the Donald Trump administration that was largely characterised by disdain, disinterest and derision toward the continent. The change of guard in the White House come January 2021 is expected to herald a shift in tone and style towards the continent, which has always yearned for a prime spot on a crowded US foreign policy agenda. As I argued previously, there are high expectations of his presidency because most Africans regard democratic administrations to be more closely aligned to Africa's concerns and interests. This article analyses growing perceptions in Africa about the Biden administration and the possibilities for it meeting some of the continent's objectives.
The current celebrations in Africa of Trump's loss are understandable because of his lack of interest in African issues. Although this view is somewhat exaggerated given the Trump administration's overall reduction of the US' role in global and multilateral affairs, many commentators have emphasised Trump's denigration of the continent. Against this backdrop, most African countries are prepared for a US administration that treats Africa with civility, certainty, dignity and respect. Similarly, most African ruling elites are looking forward to invitations to Washington that resonate very well with domestic audiences. There are already calls for a high-level Africa-US summit along the lines of the one hosted by former president Barack Obama in 2014 to underscore the seriousness the new administration will devote to African affairs.
Because of the precipitous decline in democratic governance across Africa in the last few years, some observers have lauded Biden's pledge to prioritise democratisation as a foreign policy objective. Guinea and Ivory Coast held elections in October after their leaders changed constitutions that enabled them to extend their presidential terms, sparking violence from opposition groups. In countries such as Tanzania and Uganda, authoritarian leaders seemed emboldened by Trump's authoritarian style and contempt for democratic norms. A recent Afrobarometer survey of African public attitudes revealed that most people consider US abdication of leadership on democratisation and accountability to be one of the reasons for the continental drift toward autocratisation.
Africa is looking to the Biden administration to ease multiple travel bans and restrictions imposed on Muslim countries, African students and the resettlement of refugees in the US. The Muslim ban was followed by Trump's decree to curtail citizens from Eritrea, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania from obtaining permanent residence status in the US, a move that many described as draconian and discriminatory. In September, Trump announced measures to prevent students from mostly African countries from studying in the US for more than two years. Even US analysts had decried the visa restrictions on students as selfdefeating because they deprive universities of revenues and undercut US' soft power through education.
Probably the most profound anticipation in Africa is the US's return to multi-lateralism, an equally pivotal plank of the Biden administration. Trump's “America First” policy renounced US participation in vital international institutions such as the World Health Organization ( WHO) and the repudiation of the Paris Agreement that governs the management of climate change. Biden has signalled the significance of multi-lateralism at the moment of the COVID-19 pandemic and the looming threats of climate change. With respect to the WHO, Africa expects that the return of the US will help inject the resources that are required in the fight against the pandemic and is keen to see US participation in constructing a new global architecture towards health pandemics.
Most African observers expect continued US engagement on African security issues, particularly anti-terrorism campaigns in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel. Trump had threatened substantive drawbacks of US troops in these two regions, but Congress has thwarted these moves. Although Biden has indicated US commitment to sustain its global anti-terrorism campaign, it is not clear how much resources he will devote to Africa's security. Nonetheless, many African countries hope that Biden will maintain most of the bilateral defence agreements established over the years.
In the critical domain of trade and investment, African countries anticipate the start of negotiations for the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) that permits a select group of countries to export commodities to the US, duty- and quota-free. The current AGOA arrangements are due to expire in 2025. While AGOA is one of the major trade programmes that has consistently received bipartisan support, presidential support will be crucial to any renewal efforts. On investments, the Trump administration had established new institutions under its signature initiative, Prosper Africa, designed to help US companies invest in Africa. In addition, Congress, under Trump, enacted the Better Utilisation of Investments Leading to Development (BUILD) Act that established the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to strengthen investments in Africa.
Is Africa's wish list realistic? Can the Biden administration meet these expectations?
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