U.S.-China Engagement in Africa: Risk-Informed U.S. Engagement with China in Africa Better Supports U.S. Long-Term Interests and Policy Efforts
Abstract
The U.S. and China are engaged in sizable development efforts in Africa. The continent has significant essential natural resources, namely petroleum, and minerals. It forms three major sea lane choke points the Bab-el-Mandeb Straits, the Suez Canal, and the Strait of Gibraltar. It also has the worlds fastest growing population, rapidly expanding urban centers, and expanding youth numbers. Coupling these demographics with extreme poverty, environmental fragility, and poor governance, Africa is a geopolitical engine of instability regionally and globally. The U.S. and China have taken differing approaches to engagement on the African continent. Over the last two decades, U.S. policy and efforts in Africa often focused on improving partner nations' security abilities as part of America's global counter-terrorism efforts. China's interest in Africa, however, is on economic development. The differences, like their activities, have prevented them from interfering with each other's efforts. Analyzing the convergence and divergence of each nation's efforts, three general options that could affect U.S. policy in Africa for the next twenty to thirty years appear to be adopting a more pragmatic approach (engagement), supporting the status quo (disengagement), or open competition (confrontation). Those risk-informed U.S. meetings with China better support U.S. long-term interests on the African continent while reducing the potential risk of escalating tensions or even an inadvertent incident.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 14, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1214593
Entities
People
- Darin Fox
- Edgardo Batinay
- Eric Rabarijaona
- Marcus Franzen