Trump needs to listen to Africa to shape AGOA’s future

In a time when the US is contemplating its global engagement, the author reflects on a crucial lesson from their government career. Over five decades of working on Africa, they emphasize the importance of listening and showing up. In 1999, when AGOA was being launched, the authors invited African diplomats to the State Department for a briefing.

However, their initial approach was met with resistance. Roble Olhaye, the dean of the diplomatic corps from Djibouti, reminded them that their advocacy for AGOA had been ongoing for five years. He questioned how they could treat them in such a "shabby manner." The authors acknowledged their mistake and changed their approach. They invited over 180 ministers from 43 African countries to Washington for discussions on trade, investment, conflict prevention, food security, democracy, and human rights.

This led to the selection of 32 African countries to benefit from AGOA. Today, AGOA is once again in flux, with Congress extending the program and the Trump administration looking to modernize it. This presents an opportunity to consider what the US-Africa commercial relationship should look like in the next 25 years. The authors argue that the answer should not be developed in Washington alone.

They stress the need for Africa's changing landscape to be taken into account, as it builds a continent-wide market and seeks investment in various sectors. The US also has its own interests: new markets, resilient supply chains, and access to critical minerals. However, the authors emphasize that Washington should not assume its interests align with Africa's.

They assert that listening is a strategic tool, not just a diplomatic courtesy. The Trump administration should convene the US-Africa Ministerial called for in the recently extended AGOA legislation and make it more than a ceremonial gathering. The goal should be identifying where US and African interests genuinely intersect, as well as where they do not, and building policy around that reality.

The authors conclude that a relationship centered on trade, investment, and mutually beneficial commercial opportunities can align with America's interests. However, they stress that transactional does not have to mean transactional-only. Successful commercial relationships are built on knowledge, trust, and sustained engagement.

The authors' experience in 1999 teaches them that showing up is not enough; one must listen before deciding the partnership's future.