Africa's Response to Shifting Geopolitics: Industrialization and Integration
The global geopolitical landscape is shifting, with the petrodollar system facing challenges and countries reassessing their alliances. Africa, in particular, is responding to these changes by focusing on industrialisation and regional integration.
The petrodollar system, which has long dominated global finance, is being challenged. Countries are stockpiling gold and moving away from U.S. Treasury bills. This shift is partly driven by former U.S. President Donald Trump's geoeconomic policies, which have accelerated the decline of Western-led hegemony. Trump's worldview, mirroring that of ancient Chinese emperors, sees the U.S. as the center of the world, further straining international relations.
Africa is at the forefront of these changes. As of 2024-2025, South Africa and Egypt are official BRICS members, with Ethiopia and Nigeria engaged as partner countries. Other African nations like Algeria and Uganda have also been invited, indicating growing African involvement in the BRICS bloc. This shift is a response to Trump's policies, which have led to a greater emphasis on geoeconomics, guided more by instinct than strategy, reflecting a far-right national populism. American aid systems have been dismantled, migration pathways restricted, and trade preferences left in limbo for Africa under these policies.
In light of these changes, Africa is discussing industrialisation, regional integration, and resilient supply chains. However, the continent faces significant challenges, including high debt, underdeveloped infrastructure, and chronic shortfalls in financing its Sustainable Development Goals. Four key issues could determine Africa's trajectory in the emerging geoeconomic landscape: BRICS as a platform for growth, the future of the dollar in global finance, debt relief, and demographics as a determinant of Africa's destiny.
Africa's future lies in its own hands. It must prioritise regional integration, South-South alliances, global financial reform, and investing in its people to navigate the complex geoeconomic landscape. Despite the challenges, Africa is poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of global politics and economics.
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