Media Alert: A Trump Presidency: Africa Responds

The US is a significant trade, investment and development partner for Africa. In a recent poll, 83% of participants were convinced the outcome of the US elections would have an impact on Africa.

For this reason, SAIIA asked leading partners across Africa for their views on US priorities for Africa under the new administration. The responses have been published in a new feature, ‘A Trump Presidency: Africa Responds.’ Some excerpts are included below:

“With Trump’s clear opposition to free trade, US alliances and foreign aid, some US engagements in Africa may be adversely affected. This lack of interest in supporting foreign projects and programmes is likely to be extended to US support to Africa’s health and education sectors.”
— Chukwuka Onyekwena, Executive Director, Centre for the Study of Economics of Africa, Nigeria

“Trump’s greatest impact will be on global efforts to combat climate change. The UN’s Paris Agreement on Climate Change will be severely compromised without US support (including financial), and without US national policy to stem carbon emissions.”
— Anton du Plessis, Executive Director, Institute for Security Studies

SAIIA expertise

SAIIA has a number of experts available for comment on the US elections:

Chelsea Markowitz: Trump’s approach on AGOA, trade and investment in Africa
Romy Chevallier: Trump’s approach to climate change
Steve Gruzd/Yarik Turianskyi: Eye witness account of the elections, from their position in Washington last week.

The heads of institutions who are quoted in the article may also provide comment, availability permitting.