THE STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS OF THE US AND CHINA’S ENGAGEMENT WITHIN AFRICA

Abstract

The role of external involvement within Africa is not a new phenomenon by any standard; in fact, Africa’s recent political history is rife with similar examples. From the onset of colonisation, European powers have been subjugating and manipulating Africa’s people for their vast supplies of natural resources and raw materials. The Africa of today is no different, with a noticeably growing trend of external involvement within the continent. The changing geostrategic realities of the post-9/11 world have entrenched Africa as a new strategic destination due to the prevalence of crucial resources and possible markets and the security interests of global powers. The shift in focus towards Africa as a strategic partner in the changing geo-political realities of the contemporary international system has posited the emergence of the so-called ‘new scramble for Africa’. In essence, this scramble revolves around the widespread interest in Africa’s resource-rich countries as a vital source of security for the world’s economic powers. Recent engagement within Africa is rooted in the quest of foreign countries to secure access to finite resources and raw materials as well as to open export markets.