Let all of Africa pursue win-win ties with the US

President Joe Biden and other leaders pose for a family photo during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. [AP Photo]

The just-ended US-Africa Leader's Summit bringing together 49 African leaders for talks with President Joe Biden offers the best chance for the continent to reset its relations with Washington.

Following a similar meeting held by former President Barack Obama, this one was termed a "listening session". And there are all indications that America is keen to topple China's dominance in trade with Africa, which has been sustained on the back of massive investment in infrastructural development.

For long, the US has been seeking to dissuade African countries from tightening ties with Beijing, warning that they were being shepherded into a debt trap, exploitation of its massive natural resources and that their democratic gains were in danger of being eroded.

While this is largely true, Africa should chart a new journey with America as equal partners to ensure it is a win-win relationship.

As President William Ruto aptly put it, Africa must be regarded as an investment destination and not a trade destination market for manufactured goods. It is good that during the summit, Biden laid emphasis on massive investments the US is looking to undertake in various sectors in Africa to build on previous programmes such as the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), Prosper Africa and Power Africa.

While there is no doubt that the programmes have been of benefit to African countries, including Kenya, it is also true that their success has been slow.

As analysts have noted, Africa, for instance, only accounts for just over 1 per cent of US foreign trade, which is dominated by petroleum imports from Nigeria and Angola.

It is a move in the right direction to expand US programmes aimed at uplifting the continent. This week, President Biden detailed his administration's commitment to spend $55 billion on government programming in Africa over the next three years, over and above the billions that American private companies would invest.

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President Ruto, for instance, revealed that apart from traditional areas such as health, counter-terrorism and regional peace and security, Kenya will be looking for partnerships in areas such as agriculture and water, especially in concerted efforts to manage climate change. These are all welcome especially in light of the current drought in the country that has affected millions of people and animals.

Already, Biden has announced plans to spend US$2 billion to help bolster food security on the continent, which is a good starting point.

With Biden planning to visit the continent next year, it is an indication that the US is keen to re-engineer its relations with Africa, which is projected to be home to 42 per cent the global youth by 2030, most of who are highly educated and tech-savvy. They are waiting for decent opportunities.