- RVM News - https://www.rvmnews.com -

Africa Slips from U.S. Grasp: Biden’s Diplomatic Failures

Posted By Holly Tolleson On In News,World News | No Comments

Across the globe, President Biden’s foreign policy [1] has left the U.S. vulnerable to adversaries. Decades of development work and billions of dollars in aid to Africa, including life-saving efforts through PEPFAR, are being undone as the U.S. rapidly loses ground to warlords, Russian mercenaries, and the Chinese Communist Party.

In March, our military was unceremoniously asked to leave Niger in a significant diplomatic blunder. Adding insult to injury, Russian forces have taken over the newly vacated barracks built during the Trump administration for counter-terror operations. This event highlights how our enemies exploit U.S. investments in Africa for their own benefit. Rep. Matt Gaetz addresses the issue in a post to X, highlighting that we have U.S. troops stuck in Niger while Biden continues to talk:

China has reaped enormous benefits from prioritizing Africa for the past 30 years. In 2001, the U.S. traded approximately four times more with Africa than China. Today, that ratio has reversed. In 2021, China traded $254 billion with Africa, compared to America’s $64 billion. Over 10,000 Chinese companies now operate in Africa, with over $2 trillion in value. Our focus on aid has led to a neglect of crucial trade opportunities.

In short, Biden’s Africa policy is a failure and President Biden has yet to visit the continent. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has paid as many visits to Africa as he has to Belgium. The consequences of this neglect are dire. During the Trump administration, Sudan joined the Abraham Accords, was removed from the State Sponsors of Terror list, and was on a path to greater prosperity and stability.

The Biden administration claims it was caught unprepared by the civil war in Sudan, which has now thrust 5 million Sudanese women and children into near famine and has been labeled by many as “The Forgotten War [5].” Countries increasingly think they don’t need American trade since they have Beijing for commercial needs. While Biden’s team can claim ignorance of the events leading up to Sudan’s civil war, over a year ago, Rep. Byron Donalds listed the embassies America forced to evacuate during Biden’s tenure, including Sudan:

First, America needs to counter Chinese influence across the continent by focusing on trade. More than four years ago, the Trump administration initiated talks [8] on a free trade agreement with Kenya that was close to completion. The Biden administration dropped the ball, allowing the trade promotion authority to expire. The U.S. must be able to close deals and build markets for our companies.

Our foreign assistance must be conditioned on ensuring a level playing field where our companies not only get a fair shot at winning projects, but profits are fairly shared with African people and reliably returned to American shareholders.

Capitalism, not communism, has lifted billions out of poverty worldwide. Responsible African leaders recognize that the best way to help their people is through Western education and entrepreneurship. By promoting these opportunities rather than relying on handouts, Americans and Africans can build stronger, mutually beneficial relationships.

Niger has experienced a recent military coup, deposing the nation’s democratically elected president. Radical social agendas are a bigger turnoff on the continent than the brownouts caused by failed green technology promises. Expensive solar and wind farms that become obsolete before installation won’t work. Africa is vast and diverse, and an ‘all of the above’ energy approach, including clean, reliable, and affordable Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), is the best fit.

America can compete in Africa by developing natural gas infrastructure and robust energy exports. The first step is ending Biden’s political LNG export ban, which kneecaps American companies and forces countries to turn to Russian and Qatari LNG imports instead.