- The United States introduced a new Commercial Diplomacy Strategy for Africa, focusing on trade, private investment, and partnerships.
- The strategy aims to reposition U.S.-Africa relations on commercial engagement rather than traditional aid-oriented approaches.
- This approach intends to enhance U.S. economic influence in Africa amidst competition from global actors like China and Russia.
Announced in Abidjan on May 14, 2025, the strategy by the US- Africa Bureau is the most explicit shift yet in how the U.S. engages with African countries: by putting trade outcomes, private-sector investment, and bankable partnerships at the center of its foreign policy agenda.
While delivering his strategy speech, Ambassador Troy Fitrell, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of African Affairs noted that the U.S.-Africa business partnerships remained a central priority for the Trump Administration in Africa.
“From Washington we see what everyone in this room sees – Africa’s extraordinary commercial potential. It’s the world’s largest untapped market and by 2050, will be home to a quarter of the world’s population – 2.5 billion people with a projected purchasing power of over $16 trillion. This will rival the economies of our three largest trading partners: Canada, China, and Mexico.” Fitrell noted
The move further explains Washington’s goal as it moves to redefine its influence on the continent in an era of growing Chinese and Russian economic presence.
Under the strategy, all U.S. embassies in Africa are now tasked with delivering measurable commercial results.
Senior diplomats are expected to go beyond high-level meetings and instead be judged by the number and quality of deals they help broker for American businesses on the ground.
Each mission will host a “Deal Team,” a designated group of commercial and economic officers responsible for actively identifying trade opportunities, matching U.S. firms with local projects, and accelerating transaction timelines.
Performance will be evaluated based on real investment outcomes.
Source: Africa Business Insider