More Trade, Less Aid: Rethinking US-Africa Relations
Published July 11, 2025
For decades, U.S. policy toward Africa has been episodic and reactive, treating the continent as a charity case rather than a geopolitical partner. That neglect has created space for China and Russia to entrench their influence, extract critical resources, and destabilize fragile governments. Yet Africa holds vast promise: abundant green energy potential, essential minerals, and the world’s fastest-growing workforce. As Beijing and Moscow pursue their multipolar vision, the U.S. must elevate its engagement by modernizing trade frameworks, reforming multilateral institutions, and investing in African-led peace and development. By supporting Africa’s agency, America can secure its own interests, ensuring democratic values, global stability, and economic growth in a region critical to the international order.
Check out more from Jendayi Frazer:
- Read "Helping Africa Boom", an interview with Jendayi Frazer here.
- Listen to "U.S.-China Geopolitical Competition in Africa", a podcast with Jendayi Frazer here.
- Watch "Great Power Competition in Africa" by Jendayi Frazer here.
Learn more about Jendayi Frazer here.
__________
The opinions expressed in this video are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hoover Institution or Stanford University.
© 2025 by the Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University.
>> Jendayi Frazer: For too long, American leaders, politicians and policymakers all have treated most of Africa as primarily a humanitarian concern, failing to recognize its value as a strategic geopolitical and economic partner. Washington's neglect has created an opportunity for autocracies like China and Russia to make inroads onto the continent.
China and Russia have both eagerly exploited this opportunity as China has become the largest bilateral creditor in Africa in over 170 billion in loans. And Russia has used its Wagner Group mercenaries to prop up governments in the Central African Republic, interfere in elections, and otherwise fuel continental instability.
The United States must adopt a new perspective on Africa, one that recognizes its geostrategic importance and its key role for global prosperity, given its abundant renewable and mineral wealth and its fast-growing, youthful population. A more strategic and holistic approach is required if the United States truly hopes to push back against Xi Jinping as he eyes a potential military invasion of Taiwan.
As well as the creation of a multipolar Sinocentric world order, and push back against Vladimir Putin as Russia continues its war in Ukraine against the West. Meaningful relationships and partnerships with African nations would not only help safeguard American national security and counter both Chinese and Russian ambitions. It would also benefit Africa's young and growing population, reducing global poverty and supporting political stability.
Failure to cultivate these relationships and partnerships, on the other hand, will likely contribute to radicalization and extremism fueled by economic hardship and political instability. Africa possesses 30% of the world's strategic minerals, essential for semiconductors, aerospace technology, and green energy. Its forests absorb more carbon than the Amazon and Southeast Asia combined.
By 2035, Africa will have the world's largest workforce, with 1.1 billion working age people. By 2100, it will house 40, 40% of the global population and 50% of the world's youth. China recognizes this potential. China has secured control of critical supply chains. Fifteen of the Democratic Republic of Congo's 19 cobalt mines are Chinese-owned, with 97% of production exported to China.
In doing so, they have also taken advantage of the labor force there, providing jobs, but also taking advantage in promoting China's vision as well as sowing anti American, anti Western sentiment. In addition to exploiting natural resources in a labor force, China is working to undermine the Bretton woods global governance and economic order.
Capitalizing on growing discontent with such organizations as the UN and the IMF, Xi Jinping is attempting to provide alternatives. Expanding BRICS membership, creating a new development bank which issues opaque loans using Africa's natural resources as collateral, and calling on partners to abandon the US Dollar as a global reserve currency.
The United States can counter this growing influence once it recognizes the same potential and then, through strategic engagement, prioritize African agency and mutual interests. Success requires building on past successful initiatives like the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which started in 2003, saved over 25 million lives, and created lasting health infrastructure.
Success depends on innovation to redesign the African Growth and Opportunity Act as a trade agreement focused on commercial relations that generate more demand and create more jobs in Africa and the United States. The Millennium Challenge Account and a Development Finance Corporation should be focused more strategically to finance the building of infrastructure.
Including digital infrastructure needed to better integrate African markets as part of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Economic updates like these will create the necessary prosperity to create political and social stability. Success depends on reform, particularly in international bodies like the UN. America still retains a diplomatic advantage on the continent.
As a veto wielding member of the UN Security Council, Washington has opportunity to leverage its influence to ensure African led peace operations have adequate mandates, funding, training and equipment to protect civilian populations and maintain regional peace. Africa deserves a greater voice at the UN. Most UN resolutions and peacekeeping operations focus on the African continent.
Increased representation in decision-making Security Council would give Africans the stronger voice they deserve. In doing so, faith can be restored and make China's attempt at parallel organizations redundant. The alternative to American success. China and Russia reshape Africa's trajectory away from democracy, transparency, peace and stability. A continent-sized vacuum from US Leadership would undermine global governance, threaten access to critical resources, and squander the tremendous potential of Africa's youth.
By engaging Africa on its own terms, America can help build a more mutually prosperous, stable, and democratic future.