President-elect Trump has the opportunity to make a historic course correction, and to do so in a manner consistent with his administration’s stated goals.
By renegotiating the US African Growth and Opportunity Act, which was first initiated by the Clinton Administration, he can strengthen American exports, create new export-related jobs and foster development-oriented investment on the continent.
By reforming US humanitarian aid to Africa, he can cut considerable bureaucratic waste, effectively increasing assistance without upping the cost.
Meanwhile, Trump’s commitment to strengthening US military capacities can and must include due attention to AFRICOM — both in terms of the resources it needs, and with respect to the need to partner with indigenous militaries, which should become the world’s first line of defense from terror based in Africa.
All these measures — in benefiting Americans, winning goodwill among Africans and strengthening US military capacities in the area — will in turn challenge China’s dominance of Africa, gaining America leverage as it moves to challenge Beijing in other ways.
Donald Trump will find that helping Africans achieve their dreams is a cause that smartly complements his plans and goals to benefit the United States.
By Ahmed Charai. This article first speared in the National Interest
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