Africa escapes US grip: Biden's diplomatic failures

Worldwide, President Biden's foreign policy has left the US 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 US rapidly loses ground to mercenary warlords Russians and the Chinese Communist Party.

In March, our military was unceremoniously asked to leave Niger in a major diplomatic blunder. Adding insult to injury, Russian forces have seized vacant barracks built during the Trump administration for counter-terrorism operations. This event highlights how our enemies exploit US investments in Africa for their own benefit. Rep. Matt Gaetz addresses the issue in a post on X, noting that we have US troops stuck in Niger as Biden continues to speak:

While American troops are being held hostage in Niger and American taxpayer dollars are funding programs that train coup leaders, Joe Biden wants to help Africa “build back better” from the damage caused by his own administration!

Rebuild AMERICA better and bring our troops home! https://t.co/ojA2g6n40z pic.twitter.com/JOk26gp4Qx

— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) June 5, 2024

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China has reaped enormous benefits from prioritizing Africa over the past 30 years. In 2001, the US traded roughly four times more with Africa than with China. Today, that ratio has been reversed. In 2021, China traded $254 billion with Africa, compared to America's $64 billion. More than 10,000 Chinese companies now operate in Africa, worth more than $2 trillion. Our focus on aid has led to the neglect of crucial business 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 made as many visits to Africa as to Belgium. The consequences of this negligence are dire. During the Trump administration, Sudan joined the Abraham Accords, was removed from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, and was on the road to greater prosperity and stability.

The Biden administration says it has been caught off guard by the civil war in Sudan, which has now brought 5 million Sudanese women and children to near starvation and has been called by many “The forgotten war.” Countries increasingly believe they don't need US trade as they have Beijing for trade needs. While the Biden team may claim ignorance of the events leading up to Sudan's civil war, more than a year ago, Representative Byron Donalds listed the embassies the United States was forced to evacuate during the tenure of Biden, including Sudan:

Biden evacuated 4 embassies in 3 years:

🇦🇫 Afghanistan
🇺🇦Ukraine
🇧🇾 Belarus
🇸🇩 Sudan

They tell US citizens to duck but evacuate the diplomats.

SECURE the embassy so Americans have a safe haven to evacuate.

America never left people behind, but Biden is becoming an expert. pic.twitter.com/wKwYMI35vm

— Congressman Byron Donalds (@RepDonaldsPress) April 24, 2023

First, America must counter Chinese influence across the continent by focusing on trade. More than four years ago, the Trump administration started conversations on a free trade agreement with Kenya that was about to expire. The Biden administration dropped the ball, allowing trade promotion authority to expire. The US must be able to close deals and build markets for our companies.

Our foreign assistance must be conditional on ensuring a level playing field where our companies not only have the chance to win projects, but profits are shared fairly with Africans and reliably returned to northern shareholders – Americans

Capitalism, not communism, has lifted billions out of poverty around the world. 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 aid, Americans and Africans can build stronger and more mutually beneficial relationships.

Niger has experienced a recent military coup, which has deposed the nation's democratically elected president. Radical social agendas are a bigger turnoff on the continent than the fallouts caused by the failed promises of green technology. Expensive solar and wind farms that become obsolete before installation will not work. Africa is vast and diverse, and an “all of the above” energy approach, including clean, reliable and affordable liquefied natural gas (LNG), is most appropriate.

America can compete in Africa by developing robust natural gas infrastructure and energy exports. The first step is to end Biden's policy ban on LNG exports, which affects US companies and forces countries to turn to LNG imports from Russia and Qatar.

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