Interview on January 27, 2025 with Lawrence Freeman by Addis Assefra on ‘Talk With OBN’, Ethiopia
February 12, 2025
You can hear in the 25 minute interview above, my preliminary thoughts one week after President Donald Trump was inaugurated as President of the United States.
There is no indication from President Trump or from his cabinet members that indicate a significant positive shift in United States policy for Africa. The glaring failure of U.S.-Africa policy for the last six decades has been its refusal to promote economic development. Contrary to all the unfounded attacks on China-Africa relations over the last twenty-five years, China has invested in many vital infrastructure projects across the African continent. To achieve real economic growth in African nations, trillions of dollars have to be invested in vital categories of hard and soft infrastructure. The model of simply providing aid has to be replaced with a commitment to foster economic growth.
I have two proposals for the new Trump administration to implement, which would be transformative in contributing to the elimination of hunger and poverty on the African continent.
- The most effective means for achieving the construction of necessary integrated-infrastructure platforms upon which African economies will develop, is for the U.S. to support the creation of an African Infrastructure Development Bank, capitalized at one trillion dollars.
- The U.S. must cease using African nations as pawns in its strategy to counter China. The U.S. should break from the diseased outlook of the rules-based order, zero-sum mentality, and partner with China to assist in the development of African nations.
It is in the self-interest of America, and beneficial to U.S. industrial capitalism, for African nations to increase their economic productivity and physical output.
My interview also discussed AGOA, the BRICS, South Africa, regime-change, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the rules-based order, Horn of Africa, and China.
Read below, my earlier posts:
America’s Self-Interest is to Generously Assist in Development of Africa
Will FOCAC Summit Strategize For Africa’s Future Economic Growth?
Lawrence Freeman is a Political-Economic Analyst for Africa, who has been involved in economic development policies for Africa for 35 years. He is a teacher, writer, public speaker, consultant on Africa, and an analyst of global strategic relations. Mr. Freeman strongly believes that economic development is an essential human right. He is the creator of the blog: lawrencefreemanafricaandtheworld.com, and also publishing on: lawrencefreeman.substack.com, “Freeman’s Africa and the World