Main Highlights from the US – Africa Leaders’ Summit
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Back in September, we wrote about the new US strategy for Sub-Sahara Africa and the need to incorporate African countries’ priorities in any US-Africa relations. ?This week, the White House hosted African leaders for a 3-day US-Africa Leaders’ Summit to strengthen relations between the United States and African countries to ensure a win-win partnership. Discussions in the 3-day summit centered around pathways to advance the US and African countries shared priorities. The major areas of focus at the summit were trade and investment, governance, peace and security, space cooperation, climate and the promotion of health and development. The summit provided a forum for private sector leaders of over 300 American and African companies to discuss how to catalyze investment in critical sectors including health, energy, digital and agribusiness. The summit also prioritized discussions about upcoming presidential elections in 2023, and the challenges and opportunities facing democracies on the continent.
Leaders in the summit discussed the partnerships for Agenda 2063 ?— an initiative proposed and implemented by the African Union (AU). This initiative aims to make Africa a prosperous continent, with the means and resources to drive its own development, with sustainable and long-term stewardship of its resources. Leaders discussed how increasing trade and investment by the US into Africa’s large market would help Africa meet the objectives of Agenda 2063.
The leaders also discussed cooperation on security issues in Africa and the adoption of community-based approaches to ending security challenges in African nations, especially against faith-based terrorism such as Al-Shabaab in Somalia. African leaders highlighted under-equipped armies as a major factor limiting the fight against terrorism on the continent despite the US support on a bilateral level. The discussions also emphasized the role of democracy and inclusive governance in fostering security and peace in the region.
To strengthen partnerships on the continent to meet shared priorities, the Biden administration plans to invest at least $55 billion in Africa over the next three years. Some of the new investments and policy initiatives highlighted at the summit include the establishment of a new diaspora council to deepen the dialogue between the US officials and the African diaspora in the United States; support for the African Union to join the G20; expansion of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI); the establishment of a Memorandum of Understanding between the US government and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat to attract investment to the continent; the establishment of a regional multi-sectoral Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact to support regional economic integration, trade, and cross-border collaboration; and the launch of the Initiative on Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA). Read more of the policy initiatives by the US government here.
Overall, the summit was a major step forward in the process of redesigning and strengthening the frail relations between the US and African nations. It provided a chance to build stronger ties between the United States and African nations, and to create a partnership that is beneficial for both sides. This new path is welcome, but as the global response to the covid-19 pandemic, especially vaccine hoarding by richer countries including the US shows, African interests are relegated in crunch time. For this new strategy to be successful, the US must be fully committed to providing funds necessary for infrastructural development and tackling issues such as climate change.
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In the News
We're also tracking the latest current events in the news, and how they may affect the decisions of policymakers. Below are some of the latest developments.
Infrastructure | Sudan signed $6 billion deal with UAE-based companies for new Red Sea port. Earlier this week, Sudan’s military government signed a $6 billion preliminary agreement with a consortium led by two firms — AD Ports Group and Invictus Investment — from the United Arab Emirates to develop a new port and a special economic zone on the Red Sea coast.
Economy | IMF and Ghana have agreed on $3 billion financing deal for debt restructuring. Ghana has secured a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund for a $3 billion bailout to support economic policies and reforms. This is a key step in the nation’s plans to restructure its unsustainable debt.
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Agriculture | Kenyan farmers warn against the production of genetically modified maize. Last month, President William Ruto lifted a decade-old ban on the import of genetically modified maize in order to ensure food security in the country. This follows food shortages and a harsh drought which have compounded Kenya’s struggles to feed its population of 55 million people. However, local farmers have expressed concern that genetically modified crops lack long-term sustainability and would leave them dependent on foreign companies that own the license to the modified seeds. The Kenyan Farmers Association also criticized President Ruto’s policy decision in a statement, describing the move as rushed and not well thought out.
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