{"id":58234,"date":"2022-12-16T18:29:24","date_gmt":"2022-12-16T18:29:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kumasionlinegh.com\/?p=58234"},"modified":"2022-12-16T18:29:28","modified_gmt":"2022-12-16T18:29:28","slug":"us-africa-president-joe-biden-courts-the-continent-as-rivals-make-advances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kumasionlinetv.com\/?p=58234","title":{"rendered":"US-Africa: President Joe Biden courts the continent as rivals make advances<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

EPA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Anne Soy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senior Africa correspondent<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Africa appears to be the potential bride being courted by suitors from across the world.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each is keen to sweeten the deal, but there seems to be an acceptance that these days, insisting on an exclusive relationship with African countries may no longer be tenable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washington is fighting for attention with Beijing, and to some extent Moscow, and the just-concluded US-Africa Leaders Summit is the latest example of this struggle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent years, China has stolen a march on the US. Its trade with Africa now surpasses the amount that the US, or other Western nations, does with the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The previous US administration of President Donald Trump had been explicit in its assessment of China\u2019s relationship with Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It centred its Africa policy around countering what it saw as a \u201cpredatory\u201d China when it was unveiled by the former National Security Advisor John Bolton. He also talked about not wanting to waste \u201chard-earned taxpayer dollars\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this week\u2019s rhetoric from the White House showed a different approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Montage<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

First of all, the word \u201cChina\u201d did not pass President Joe Biden\u2019s lips in his main address to the African leaders on Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken had given some hint to this approach when, during his first visit to the continent he said: \u201cOur Africa policy is about Africa, not China.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, there is no doubt about the rivalry and the US made clear its intention to promote and expand its interests in health, environment, clean energy and security as well as trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discussions at the summit have focussed on building on already existing programmes, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n