U.S. to Africa: Pick Either US or China and Russia, Not Both
WASHINGTON—President Trump plans to reshape America’s policy in Africa by challenging the continent’s leaders to make a strategic choice to align themselves with America instead of Russia or China.
As he has done in other parts of the globe, Mr. Trump is angling to strengthen ties with like-minded African allies and isolate uncooperative leaders who work with America’s biggest adversaries.
“ Thursday in a speech unveiling the new approach.
The “Prosper Africa” plan is part of a broader Trump administration effort to shift U.S. focus from counterterrorism efforts to a fight for global supremacy with Russia and China.
While the administration is worried about a growing threat from militant groups across Africa, the Pentagon is preparing to cut 10% from the 7,200 American military service members working across the continent.
U.S. officials said the Pentagon now would focus on hot spots like Libya and Mali, where Islamic State and al Qaeda fighters remain potent threats. They didn’t say what countries would get less attention.
“We have developed a plan where we can scale back, but continue to provide the support to those governments that are fighting terrorism,” said one senior U.S. administration official.
Mr. Bolton’s speech on Thursday at the conservative Heritage Foundation in Washington marked the launch of a new effort by the Trump administration to strengthen ties with African leaders after some early missteps.
Mr. Trump, who has yet to visit the continent in his nearly two years as president, asked during an Oval Office immigration debate earlier this year why the U.S. should accept immigrants from “shithole countries” in Africa, according to people briefed on the meeting. The president’s private comments triggered widespread condemnation when they became public, forcing U.S. officials to undertake damage control efforts with key African leaders. Mr. Trump later denied making the comment.
During her solo trip to Africa in the fall, first lady Melania Trump was criticized for wearing a white helmet associated with colonial rule. Ms. Trump later said she wanted people to focus on what she does, not what she wears.
First lady Melania Trump was criticized for wearing a pith helmet, a symbol of colonial rule, while on safari in Kenya during her Africa trip in October.
First lady Melania Trump was criticized for wearing a pith helmet, a symbol of colonial rule, while on safari in Kenya during her Africa trip in October. Photo: saul loeb/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Now, the administration is aiming to shore up African allies with increased trade and scale back aid to places run by what Mr. Bolton said were unreliable partners in places like South Sudan.
One overriding concern, U.S. officials said, is China’s expansive presence on the continent, from its East African military base in Djibouti to its role as one of Zambia’s biggest debtholders. China is also spending billions of dollars to build railways, dams, oil refineries and other major projects across Africa.
China’s deepening ties come as Russia has expanded its military cooperation on the continent, including places like the Central African Republic, where Moscow has provided weapons. The administration is now framing those developments as national security threats to America as it tries to offer a reliable alternative with trade and investment.
“We can’t do any of that if these countries are being overwhelmed by malign influence from China and from Russia,” the administration official said.
U.S. trade with Africa represents a small percentage of the country’s exports and imports. In 2017, the U.S. exported about $14 billion in goods to sub-Saharan Africa and imported nearly $25 billion, according to the U.S. Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. China recently agreed to invest more than $60 billion more in Africa, a move that gives Beijing more leverage and influence to counter any new American initiatives.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Nikolay Lakhonin, a spokesman at the Russian Embassy in Washington, declined to comment Wednesday night on Mr. Bolton’s planned speech and instead referred to previous statements by Russian leaders in support of Moscow’s relations with African leaders. It didn’t immediately comment on Thursday.
Mr. Bolton also warned the United Nations that the Trump administration could end its support for peacekeeping efforts in Africa, home to seven of the 14 ongoing “blue helmet” operations, if they are unable to forge lasting peace deals
The Trump administration has expressed concerns about U.N. peacekeeping operations in the Western Sahara and Mali. And Mr. Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. and a longtime critic of the global body, said the White House would re-evaluate America’s support for the U.N. in Africa. The U.N. didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
