By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
National Security Advisor John Bolton presented the White House’s Africa strategy last Thursday that is aimed at increasing efforts to counter Russian and Chinese influence on the Continent. The Strategy is focused on three areas: advancing U.S. trade and commercial ties in Africa, pushing back against Islamic terrorism and violent conflict, and using U.S. aid more “efficiently and effectively to advance peace, stability, independence, and prosperity in the region.”
Bolton unveiled the White House strategy on Africa in remarks delivered on December 13, 2018 at the Heritage Foundation, Washington, D.C.
Bolton stated that: “The United States will no longer provide indiscriminate assistance across the entire continent, without focus or prioritization. And, we will no longer support unproductive, unsuccessful, and unaccountable U.N. peacekeeping missions. We want something more to show for Americans’ hard-earned taxpayer dollars.”
Bolton said that under the Trump administration’s new Africa strategy, “we will target U.S. funding toward key countries and particular strategic objectives. All U.S. aid on the continent will advance U.S. interests, and help African nations move toward self-reliance.”
HIGHLIGHTS FROM BOLTON SPEECH:
“Our first priority, enhancing U.S. economic ties with the region, is not only essential to improving opportunities for American workers and businesses; it is also vital to safeguarding the economic independence of African states and protecting U.S. national security interests.
Great power competitors, namely China and Russia, are rapidly expanding their financial and political influence across Africa. They are deliberately and aggressively targeting their investments in the region to gain a competitive advantage over the United States.”
“From 2016-2017, China’s foreign direct investment toward Africa totaled $6.4 billion dollars. And, over the past several years, China has devoted considerable state-directed and state-supported financing to projects in the region.”
“China uses bribes, opaque agreements, and the strategic use of debt to hold states in Africa captive to Beijing’s wishes and demands. Its investment ventures are riddled with corruption, and do not meet the same environmental or ethical standards as U.S. developmental programs.”
