The recent three-day summit between the United States (US) President Joe Biden and African leaders, is a very significant step towards rebuilding and strengthening relations between Washington and Africa. The conference, which held in Washington, D.C. from December 13–15, 2022, was attended by leaders from 49 African countries, as well as the head of the African Union Commission. The summit focused on a wide range of issues relating to health, climate change, food security, conflicts, and space cooperation.
This is the second time a US leader would host such a summit. The first meeting was held in 2014 by the then President Barack Obama. Under the administration of President Donald Trump, the US foreign policy emphasis was shifted away from Africa. Attempts to regain the lost grounds in the US/Africa relations, in the event of rising influence of other powers, such as China, informed the convening of the just concluded summit.
The aim was to strengthen ties with African nations based on the principles of mutual respect and shared interests and values. It also served as an opportunity to listen to and collaborate with African countries on key areas the US and Africa considered critical for the future of the continent and the global community. The summit featured sessions on topics ranging from trade and investment; to health and climate change; to peace, security, and governance; to space cooperation. It also touched on trade and investments between the US and Africa.
In a joint statement after the conference, the African Union and the United States reaffirmed their shared commitment to realise Africa’s food security by establishing a strategic partnership to guide and accelerate it. Some of the strategies for achieving the goal include building on existing bilateral, regional, multilateral, non-governmental, and philanthropic frameworks to advance food security in Africa. Others are leveraging the public and private sectors to address immediate and acute food and fertilizer needs in the short-term and addressing food supplies that have been disrupted and promoting transformational investments in medium to long-term sustainable and resilient food systems.
Another major outcome of the conference was the announcement by President Biden to commit $350 million to facilitate digital transformation in Africa. According to him, the intervention would help to ensure that more people across Africa participate in the digital economy. The commitment included partnerships and collaboration with Microsoft and Viasat to bring Internet access to five million Africans. The initiative includes programmes to train African entrepreneurs with a focus on women entrepreneurs to code and build skills needed to start their own businesses and to secure good-paying jobs. President Biden also urged African leaders to enthrone good governance and respect the will of their people during elections. He specifically asked leaders of African nations holding elections in 2023 to ensure that the exercise is free and fair.
The conference presented Nigeria and other African countries the opportunity to demand certain things from the US leader. Signing the historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the US and the African leaders on the African Continental Free Trade was a giant stride at unlocking new opportunities for trade and investment between the US and Africa. The MoU will guarantee protections for workers across Africa and in the United States; create environments for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs and enterprises to have fair share of competition. It will also open opportunity for women-owned businesses, diaspora-owned businesses, and businesses owned by the participating countries as well as supporting and investing in Africa’s growing urban economies.
The holding of the summit is commendable. It came at a time China is having a domineering influence in Africa. If properly managed, the outcome of the summit will go a long way in giving the continent a new focus in trade and good governance. However, beyond the US meeting, there is need to implement the agreements. For African countries to gain from the summit, there is need for them to widen their export base and shift from their current import-dependence and deepen democratic governance.
Nigeria and other countries in Africa holding elections next year must ensure that the wishes of their people are respected and that their votes count. Africa cannot develop with the frequent violation of the electoral process in many African countries. Manipulation of electoral outcomes will only enthrone an orgy of violence and anarchy on the continent. That is why we welcome President Muhammadu Buhari’s avowed commitment to ensure that the 2023 general election is transparent and credible. He must fulfill this solemn promise.
