When Rex Tillerson began the first ever trip by a senior official of the Trump administration to Africa last week, security was high on his agenda. But by the time he abruptly ended the five-nation tour it was the security of his own job that made headlines.
The tour came at a time when the US is trying to reset its relations with Africa. Meanwhile, China has also indicated it will further deepen ties with the continent based on a win-win model. Tillerson cautioned Africa against being financial dependent on one country, but this was before he was fired – leaving many African nations questioning the effectiveness of the trip in the first place. So what happens now to the outcomes of the meetings Tillerson had in Africa? And where does this leave the state of U.S.-Africa relations under President Donald Trump?
Beatrice Marshall is joined by Professor Peter Kagwanja, President and CEO of the Africa Policy Institute, and Michael Johns, former White House speechwriter to President George H.W. Bush and Africa policy expert at The Heritage Foundation, to find out more.
