Africa’s Moment of Choice: Partnership or Exploitation

By Mavinga Mwene

April 2025

As Africa charts its next chapter, the question is no longer whether it will rise, but how—and with whom. Will it be through reciprocal partnerships grounded in shared history and mutual empowerment, or through transactional arrangements that undermine self-reliance? 

Drawing on the historical relationship between John Langalibalele Dube and Booker T. Washington, Mavinga Mwene highlights a longstanding tradition of collaboration between Africa and the United States and argues that the second Trump presidency presents African leaders with an opportunity to embrace a more pragmatic, trade-driven model rooted in shared values and self-reliance. While Chinese investments have delivered large-scale infrastructure, they have often reinforced extractive economic patterns, sidelined local industries, and deepened debt burdens. 

In contrast, Mwene points to emerging U.S. initiatives such as the Lobito Corridor, AGOA, and Prosper Africa as offering an alternative—centered on trade, institutional development, and long-term capacity building. Moreover, harnessing the potential of Black American entrepreneurs, faith institutions, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) could play a transformative role in fostering U.S.–Africa partnerships, drawing inspiration from the successful engagement between Israel and the Jewish diaspora. Africa’s future, he concludes, depends on visionary leadership, disciplined governance, and alignment with partners who invest not just in infrastructure, but in people, sovereignty, and long-term prosperity.