Enhancing African Agency Amid Global Geopolitical Competition

The document examines how the competition between the US, China, and Russia affects African states, noting a shift toward non-alignment and the diversification of international relations to avoid becoming geopolitical pawns. It argues that African agency can be strengthened by empowering the African Union (AU), leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and demanding partnerships based on mutual benefit rather than great-power rivalry. The Lobito Corridor is cited as a model where competing interests can coexist to provide tangible regional benefits.

• China has become Africa's largest bilateral trading partner, with trade increasing from $11.67 billion in 2000 to $257.67 billion in 2022, driven largely by the Belt & Road Initiative's infrastructure and investment projects.
• The US has seen its influence in regions such as West Africa erode due to policy missteps and fractured relationships, creating gaps that Russia and China have filled with new security and political narratives.
• African states are adopting a strategy of non-alignment, which is described not as neutrality but as a means of preserving autonomy and options in a fragmented global order to avoid the mistakes of Cold War-era power struggles.
• The Lobito Corridor, connecting the Angolan coast to mining areas in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, serves as an example of how US and Chinese investments can complement each other for regional benefit.
• To increase collective agency, African nations should strengthen the African Union (AU) to lead negotiations during Africa-Country Summits and utilize the African Continental Free Trade Area to boost economic leverage.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2024). Enhancing African Agency Amid Global Geopolitical Competition. https://saiia.org.za/research/enhancing-african-agency-amid-global-geopolitical-competition/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Enhancing African Agency Amid Global Geopolitical Competition. 2024. https://saiia.org.za/research/enhancing-african-agency-amid-global-geopolitical-competition/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Enhancing African Agency Amid Global Geopolitical Competition |date=15 August 2024 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/enhancing-african-agency-amid-global-geopolitical-competition/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2024enhancing, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Enhancing African Agency Amid Global Geopolitical Competition}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2024}, month = aug, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/enhancing-african-agency-amid-global-geopolitical-competition/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }