Charting Southward: Navigating the Africa-EU relationship after the US elections
agv
Thu, 12/05/2024 – 01:28
6 minutes
Given rapid changes including demographic shifts, its vast natural resources and investment potential, as well as the fact that African countries account for about one quarter of the votes at the UN General Assembly, Africa is a continent that others neglect at their own peril. Many geostrategic competitors of the United States such as China and Russia, as well as middle powers such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Türkiye, have fully grasped this reality, while India and Brazil are increasingly engaging with African counterparts.
Africa does not always feature prominently in the foreign policies of the US and the EU – except in reaction to increased competition from rivals. Pressure from domestic audiences in both the US and the EU often pushes for a focus on internal issues rather than external engagement. However, considering the ongoing transformations in both Africa and Europe, their evolving interests and the likely shifts that will intervene in US foreign policy …read more