We look at what will a second Trump term will mean for Africa – a continent the President elect has never visited and has openly denigrated.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
African leaders are sizing up the prospects of a second Donald Trump term, possibly with some trepidation. During his last time in office, the president-elect’s most famous contribution to diplomatic relations was his derogatory reference to African countries. But there is a lot at stake for Africa this time around as then. And we hear from three of our reporters on the continent in the West, South and, to begin with, East Africa.
EMMANUEL IGUNZA: I’m Emmanuel Igunza, here at the Deliverance Church in Nairobi, Kenya. It’s fully packed in. Although America is thousands of miles away, the faithful gathered here are celebrating Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. elections. And it’s got much to do with his campaign promise to protect Christian values in a region where about 70% of the population identify as Christians. Trump’s pro-life message and his stance on issues are what draw him support from people like Pastor Peter Musembi.
PETER MUSEMBI: I think every true Christian agrees with his message. He was supporting, you know, prayer, people going back to the Bible, people respecting God. I think it was good for Republicans to win. I think we need a break from the Democrats. Their message seems not to be in touch with the people.
IGUNZA: But there are those who worry that Trump’s America First agenda could significantly cut down on U.S. financial aid to Africa. In 2022, President Joe Biden committed $55 billion to the continent. Eastern African countries are among the biggest recipients of American assistance globally. This region is also home to the worst displacement crisis in the world, in particular Sudan. There have been calls for the U.S. to have a more robust involvement in the conflict that’s left half of the population starving. But the view here is it is unlikely to be an America First presidency priority.
KATE BARTLETT: I’m Kate Bartlett in Johannesburg, South Africa, where Trump’s reelection has been viewed by many with dismay. Newspaper columnists here haven’t minced their words this week. One op-ed in the Mail & Guardian was headlined “Fascism Has Won – This Is What Americans Want.” Trump has raised ire here before, particularly for repeatedly comparing himself to South Africa’s anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela.
NDABA MANDELA: Our grandfather, Nelson Mandela, is known as a leader who sacrificed his own life for the betterment of his people.
BARTLETT: Speaking to NPR, Ndaba Mandela was quite blunt about that comparison.
MANDELA: Now, here is a person known as Donald Trump comparing himself to Nelson Mandela. Well, first of all, that is not something that angers us. That is something that is quite a laughable matter, actually.
BARTLETT: But there is at least one South African who’s thrilled at Trump’s reelection – billionaire X owner Elon Musk, who was raised in apartheid South Africa before moving to the United States. He publicly supported Trump’s campaign, and there will likely be a role for him in the new U.S. administration. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and other African leaders have congratulated Trump on his victory. They know his reelection could have serious consequences for the continent and are awaiting his policy announcements on trade, aid and security. China is also going to be watching Trump’s Africa policy closely amid growing rivalry between the two superpowers in the mineral-rich region.
DEBORAH BRAUTIGAM: There’s so much we don’t know yet.
BARTLETT: Deborah Brautigam is a China Africa expert at Johns Hopkins University.
BRAUTIGAM: What we do know is this – a Trump presidency will be far less respectful of African choices. This will only exacerbate America’s losses to China in the Global South.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
JEWEL BRIGHT: I am Jewel Bright in Lagos, Nigeria, where President-elect Trump’s victory has been greeted with excitement by the vast majority of Nigerians.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
BRIGHT: This song was produced by Nigerian singer in honor of Trump, and it has gone viral across the country since the election results were announced.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
JAMIL MAJIANCY: (Singing in non-English language).
BRIGHT: President-elect Trump has never visited Nigeria or any other African country. And during his first term, he had little to do with the continent. So many have wondered why he’s so popular here.
ASUU ISAAC: I’m a staunch Trump supporter. I love the man. I love him so much.
BRIGHT: Twenty-nine-year-old Asuu Isaac is a businessman in Lagos. He says he is excited about the election results because the Trump administration would not exert itself in the affairs of Nigeria.
ISAAC: Trump has always been a man that does not interfere in any election in sovereign country. We saw what happened in 2015, the Democrat under Obama. So why I love Donald Trump is that he’s not going to interfere in our election.
BRIGHT: But despite this support for Trump, not everyone is happy. Thirty-year-old Clement Okafor says he is worried about Trump’s deportation rhetoric and the effect it will have on migrants.
CLEMENT OKAFOR: I am not too happy that Trump won because of his treatment to African nations, that he’s ready to deport as many as possible.
BRIGHT: Beyond Nigeria, many across the West African subregion have also wondered what a second Trump term will mean for them. The region has seen multiple military calls in the last two years, climate disasters that have claimed thousands of lives and rising attacks by insurgent groups.
BOLAJI AKINYEMI: Nigeria and Africa are not going to be of any value to Trump.
BRIGHT: Bolaji Akinyemi is a former diplomat in the West African subregion.
AKINYEMI: I don’t want to use the term that he used for us. He will have other areas of the world that are of more immediate interest, and that’s turned up in this campaign.
SIMON: That was Emmanuel Igunza, Kate Bartlett and Jewel Bright.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
MAJIANCY: (Singing in non-English language).
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
