US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo capped his three-country visit to Africa where he pitched strengthening economic relations with the United States as the path towards “true liberation” for all African nations. Pompeo warned that Africa needs to be “wary of authoritarian regimes with empty promises,” a veiled reference to China’s presence on the continent, and added that government’s like that of the Communist Party in Beijing “can only lead to corruption and dependency.”

 

Though he made no specific reference to China, Pompeo’s comments at the UN’s Economic Commission for Africa in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa was a direct swipe at China, which has been both Ethiopia’s and Africa’s biggest trade partner over the past decade.

Amid growing influence and investments made by China in Africa, Pompeo’s five-day visit to Senegal, Angola, and Ethiopia was aimed at bolstering the US’ case as a viable alternative economic partner. He lauded the transparency, proven quality of work of American industries, and the creation of local job opportunities as the main benefits of partnering with the US.

https://www.neweurope.eu/article/pompeo-concludes-africa-trip-with-a-challenge-to-chinese-economic-influence/

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