China in Africa and Why US Role is Shrinking in Africa in the 21st Century
Recently, I was watching a discussion on The Bottomline program on Al Jazeera on the rise of Sino-Africa relations and the decline in the role of the United States in Africa. What became apparent from the discussion was that Africa had slowly but steadily drifted away from the grip of the United States in the past two decades. Statistics also show that trade between China and Africa has risen exponentially in the past decade to reach an all time high in 2021. However, there are reasons that we can attribute to the decline of the US role in Africa.
Background
It is critical to understand that trade and investment are about more than just money and prosperity. They also provide assistance, peace, stability, and security. The Economist labelled Africa as a hopeless continent in the year 2000, but it has experienced two of its best cumulative consecutive decades in the current century. Trade with Africa has increased by 300 percent over the last two decades, outpacing global averages (196%). This basically means that increasing trade, investment, and technology in Africa provides enormous economic growth and increased prosperity for both regions.
Despite Africa’s tremendous economic growth and potential, the US has lost substantial ground to traditional and emerging partners, especially China. While Sino-African trade reached an all time high of US$261 Billion in 2021, US-Africa trade accounted for a paltry $64 billion in the same year. While one might think that China began making strides in Africa recently, that is not the truth. Even before the Belt and Road Initiative was formally announced in 2013, China was making strides into the African infrastructural development sphere. Below are two main reasons why the US role in Africa has shrunk in the 21st century.
1. Superiority Complex of the United States
The African continent has always had a problem with various administrations of the United States for treating them like “toddlers.” The US has not always treated African countries as equal partners. The US foreign policy on Africa is anchored on disrespect for the continent and its treatment as a humanitarian backwater and a case to be resolved.
This has been depicted even in their relation with African countries even in the summits that they have organized for Africa. For instance in the first US-Africa leaders Summit organized in August 2014, the agendas for the discussions were set by the White House. The same case happened last year when the Biden administration organized a second US-Africa Leaders Summit in December. Additionally, the US treats Africa as a single unit without considering that it’s a continent made up of 55 countries.
On the other hand, China treats Africa as an equal partner and recognizes the unique history and experiences of each state that make up the African continent. China is now Africa’s biggest trade partner with Sino-African trade worth over $200 billion per year. In fact, Africa has eclipsed Asia as the largest market for China’s overseas construction contracts. It is against this background that the Sino-Africa relations has grown exponentially in the current century as Africa dictates respect from its trading partners.
2. Africa as Humanitarian Case vs Africa as a Land of Opportunity
Another reason why the US has lost its grip on Africa is that it sees Africa as a humanitarian backwater that is not a priority to its foreign policy. This is because for a long time narratives about Africa have overemphasized on the negatives i.e. challenges our continent faces including drought and famine, politically instigated, corruption among others. This has prompted the US to assume that Africa only needs aid and social services. On the other hand, China has seen the potential of the African continent.
China acknowledges the need for infrastructural development of Africa in order to leverage on both the land and labor resources in the continent. This has seen unprecedented growth in China-supported infrastructural projects. The past decades has seen construction of over 10000 kilometers of railway lines, over 100,000 kilometers of roads, 100 ports, 1000 bridges and many hospitals and schools. Instead of whining about the problems Africa is facing and lecturing them on what solutions to employ, China has decided to provide the necessary solutions as they have been in a similar situation in less than a century.
It is important to note that infrastructure is what Africa needs most and infrastructure is what china is most equipped to provide at a cheaper cost. Since 2011, China has been the biggest player in Africa’s infrastructure boom, claiming a 40 percent share that continues to rise. On the other hand, the US has concentrated on lecturing Africa on the dangers of working with China. Noteworthy is the fact that China has not just invested in Africa alone but in other countries spread across the globe especially in Latin America.
Damage Control for the US and its Allies.
It is important to note that the two US-Africa Leaders Summits, organized by President Obama and President Biden in response to the rising Africa-China bromance, have yielded nothing because the US has controlled the discourse.
As a result, the United States and the European Union recently announced a $600 billion investment in African infrastructure development. However, such a reactionary approach will be disastrous because it is ill-considered. What the United States should do is revise its foreign policy, which is based on disrespect for Africa and its people. Their African foreign policy must change to allow the US to treat Africa as a priority.
Second, Africa deserves a seat at the table of global governance institutions, particularly the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the Bretton Woods Financial Institutions (World Bank and IMF). Furthermore, they must temper their attacks on China as a country that uses debt-trap diplomacy to trade with its partners. The propaganda isn’t working, and the sooner they realize it, the better.
What Opportunities Africa Provides to the World
The continent of Africa will have 1.1 billion people by the year 2050, according to estimates. Since Africa is the sole continent supplying the world with young, motivated workers, the world will virtually be dependent on it for labor in the next 30 to 40 years. African countries have a 19-year-old median age, compared to the US’s 38, the EU’s 44, and the UK’s and EU’s combined 44. This suggests that Africa is the future of both the labor force and the consumer market.
Africa is a crucial ally to any permanent member of the UN Security Council when viewed through a geopolitical lens. This is due to the fact that in recent years, Africa as a whole has voted in unison on a number of global governance problems. Hence, voting patterns are crucial for any geopolitical heavyweight if they are maintained. Hence, every state seeking to assert its dominance in the world must establish a friendly relationship with Africa.
Final Thoughts
Unless the US changes its tact on how it deals with Africa and its perception of our continent, then we will continue to trade with those who respect us. There is a need for a mindset shift for the US and the west on how they perceive Africa for them to take advantage of the opportunities that the continent offers now and in the years to come.
