Donald Trump has made a political comeback four years after he left the White House. Many African leaders are looking forward to working closely with and strengthening ties between their countries and the US.
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was one of the first African leaders to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory.
“I look forward to working together to further strengthen the relationship between our two countries during your term,” he wrote on X.
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, expressed his country’s readiness to collaborate with the new US administration, saying, “Zimbabwe stands ready to work with you and the American people to build a better, more prosperous, and more peaceful world.”
Close cooperation with the US
In a statement signed by his special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Bola Tinubu said “Together, we can foster economic cooperation, promote peace, and address global challenges that affect our citizens.”
There are however divided opinions on what a Trump victory means for and Africa as a whole.
Freeman Bhengu, National Coordinator for the Sofasonke Party in South Africa told DW he was happy that Donald Trump won the election because has the “same ideology as South Africa in terms of borders and
“It gives us a backbone, it gives us more strength to also fight the issue of illegal immigration here in South Africa,” he added.
Eric Matthews, a resident of Johannesburg, said that poverty was rife in South Africa and hopes that Trump’s management of the US economy will have a positive knock-on effect on the value of South Africa’s currency, the rand.
“We hope that as president, he will do something about the dollar and the rand situation because here in South Africa we feel it whenever things are changing [in the US]” Matthews told DW.
South Africa’s said he was looking forward to “continuing the close and mutually beneficial partnership” between his country and the US.
Many Africans optimistic about Trump win
Many Africans have been reacting to the US election on social media. Most say it’s a great win for the US, and that Trump will end the world’s ongoing wars. Others say the win occurred simply because Trump didn’t have a better opponent, and that Americans are not yet ready to let a woman lead the country.
Before Kenyan President William Ruto reacted to Trump’s victory, the country’s Rigathi Gachagua posted his congratulations on X. He called the win “one of the greatest political comebacks of our generation.”
Having lost his seat as vice president only two years into office, there are rumors that Gachagua is looking to make a political comeback and that Trump, who was impeached twice, is something of an inspiration.
However, with Trump’s win, African countries are also concerned that the will not be extended after it’s set to expire in 2025.
Trade pact hangs on the line
Analysts say the renewal of the AGOA, a US-Africa trade pact which allows duty-free, quota-free access for African exports to the US, may face significant hurdles under a Trump administration, given his previous demands for increased market access for US goods.
For the Congolese Minister of Foreign Trade, Julien Paluku Kahongya, the , which is organizing next year’s AGOA forum in Kinshasa, will work with the Trump administration to ensure that his country and, in particular, its businesses benefit from AGOA to the fullest.
“Under the administration of the new President we will work for the success of this great forum. It will allow the DRC to demonstrate investment opportunities available, and improve the country’s image so that we can attract enough investment to the country,” Paluku told DW
Other leaders from across Africa also offered their congratulations to Trump and shared hopes that the new US president will keep up engagement on the African continent.
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