Ignoring Africa Endangers America

"Africa is so important … from a national security view," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told a State Department town hall in May, promising that the continent "will continue to receive our attention." Sadly, those words ring hollow.

From its hasty proposals to slash diplomacy and aid, to its glacial pace of filling key posts, the Trump administration is dangerously underestimating Africa's importance to American interests. To the extent that there is a current "Africa policy," it is devoid of high-level leadership and increasingly militarized.

As a result, the United States is essentially ignoring an entire continent replete with far-reaching challenges as well as economic opportunities. This neglect exposes Americans to greater risks from terrorism and other transnational threats, reduces U.S. economic competitiveness and diminishes U.S. global influence.

First and foremost, the Trump administration fails to understand that partnering with African countries is necessary to keep Americans safe from international risks, including terrorism. As top U.S. military officials have pointed out, the presence of Islamic State group in Africa poses a real danger. Other extremist groups are also looking to broaden their reach on the continent, and beyond. Al-Shabaab in Somalia, for example, has solicited Americans for new recruits and to encourage attacks on U.S. soil.

The Trump administration's primary response has been to sell more weapons to Nigeria and increase military engagement in Somalia. This approach misses the bigger picture: that the conditions in Africa's many weak and failed states make it easier for risks like terrorism and criminal activity to spread. The only long-lasting solution is to improve the stability of African countries, which in turn depends on sustainable economic growth, good governance, justice and a sense of opportunity for youth. As the head of the United States Africa Command, General Thomas Waldhauser, has said, "We have got to find a way to get at education, health care, hopelessness, livelihood, and the like" because "we cannot kill our way to victory here."

Nor is violent extremism the only threat to Americans; weak institutions in Africa also contribute to trafficking, piracy, and epidemics. Take, for example, the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak, which could have infected 1.4 million people in only four months – and potentially killed millions in Africa and beyond. Only U.S. leadership (including U.S. troops deploying to West Africa) and international support prevented this worst-case scenario.

A second reason why ignoring Africa is negligent is because it undermines U.S. economic competitiveness. More than 40 million American jobs depend on international trade; supporting and growing those jobs hinges on our ability to attract consumers worldwide, including in Africa, the last frontier in emerging markets. Africa's young and growing population will shape global markets for decades, yet American businesses remain underinvested. Meanwhile, China and other global competitors are not hesitating: more than 10,000 Chinese firms currently operate on the continent, and they could be worth $440 billion by 2025. China surpassed the United States back in 2009 to become Africa's largest trading partner, and gains more ground by the day.

True, the U.S. government alone cannot reverse these trends. But the Trump administration is making them worse by undercutting the commercial and development agendas pursued by the previous three U.S. presidents, especially President Barack Obama's emphasis on trade and investment. Frankly, this administration is not providing the tools, financing and high-level advocacy needed to make American companies optimally competitive.

Third, by overlooking Africa, the administration makes it harder to advance an international order that benefits the United States. This is not lofty international relations theory: Quite simply, the U.S. needs African support to meet national security goals that it cannot accomplish alone. African countries represent the largest bloc of votes in many international fora, including the United Nations – a body that the U.S. relies on to advance priorities like restricting financial flows to terrorists and enforcing sanctions against hostile regimes.

Conversely, ignoring Africa opens the door for other willing partners whose agendas may run counter to American interests. For instance, North Korea has made deals with African countries to access hard currency for its weapons of mass destruction program. As China deepens its political, military and cultural connections with African states, it rakes in over $50 billion in annual profits on infrastructure investments. Russia, too, hopes to take advantage of a limited U.S. presence by expanding trade with African countries, selling more weapons and accessing resources as a buffer against Western sanctions.

In fairness, both Democratic and Republican administrations – as well as the general public – tend to underestimate Africa's importance to U.S. national security. Yet this administration's persistent neglect of Africa constitutes nothing less than foreign policy malpractice. Without a rapid change of course, there is no doubt that Americans will be suffering the consequences for years to come.