ABUJA, Nigeria, CMC — Jason Miller, a communication strategist and former advisor to President Donald Trump, says that Africa ought to ally itself with the USA as Washington “will make Africa nice once more” as partnerships with US firms “current alternatives nobody else can match.”
Miller shared his perspective on the Africa Export-Import Financial institution’s annual conferences (AAM2025), which wraps up right here on Saturday, noting that the conferences had been going down at a crucial juncture “not simply in world historical past, however a crucial juncture in Africa’s historical past” as the worldwide economic system is “quickly shifting.”
“President Trump’s management has restored America as the most popular nation on this planet to do enterprise with,” Miller informed delegates, together with the prime ministers of the Caribbean Group (CARICOM) nations of The Bahamas, Grenada and St. Kitts and Nevis.
He stated technological advances within the fields of synthetic intelligence (AI), power, and plenty of different sectors are quickly altering the way forward for the workforce, noting that Africa has the in-demand pure sources wanted to energy the AI technological revolution.
“And, after all, Africa itself is rising quickly. The sheer workforce obtainable in Africa now and within the coming years, at a time when different areas of the world are dealing with inhabitants declines, creates a brand new dynamic. That, too, will change the steadiness of energy.”
Miller stated these adjustments have created a pivotal second for Africa to grab its alternatives, “but when these alternatives should not taken benefit of, Africa and its individuals threat falling additional behind.
“And if Africa isn’t strategic about learn how to benefit from these alternatives and who Africa chooses as its closest allies, the continent itself dangers being taken benefit of.”
The previous Trump advisor stated that for many years, too many “exterior nations” have come to Africa “and brought, taken, taken, abandoning nothing however damaged guarantees with none regard to Africa’s individuals or Africa’s future.
“This must not ever be allowed to occur once more,” he stated, making it clear that he was addressing the assembly as a proud American, a non-public citizen not in authorities, however a robust ally of President Donald J. Trump.
“And I include a really completely different message, not the hole rhetoric of guarantees, however the potential for partnerships so that every one may share within the financial success.”
Miller stated Africa has seen sufficient of “debt diplomacy and unrequested navy occupation.
“This can be a second that requires friendship and mutual respect and a transparent roadmap of what’s in it for you. That’s as a result of that is Africa’s time. That is Africa’s century.”
He acknowledged that by 2050, Nigeria could have the ninth-largest economic system on this planet, whereas Africa is more likely to surpass Europe because the third-largest financial bloc by the identical yr.
“And in only one extra era, Africa has the potential to cross Europe in financial dimension,” he stated, including that by 2100, Sub-Saharan Africa could have 4 of the world’s high 10 most populous nations, and the continent will more than likely have the second largest economic system on this planet, trailing solely Asia.
“For these causes alone, Africa deserves extra. Africa can accomplish extra. And dealing with the USA, the whole lot is feasible. Nonetheless, it’s Africa and Africa’s leaders — you — that should make a selection,” Miller stated, including that Africa should make a number of selections to comprehend this success.
He stated Africa should place itself for the long run and demand extra from these seeking to do enterprise on the continent.
“African leaders from each authorities and companies alike should keep away from offers that sound tempting however generate nothing however unsustainable debt. As an alternative, Africa ought to look to associate with allies making commitments of overseas direct funding that additionally handle Africa’s wants.”
He stated this implies “fundamentals” similar to peace, meals sustainability, entry to wash water, life-saving medicines and healthcare, and schooling for kids.
“And it additionally means an funding that appears towards the economic system of the longer term, in order that Africans should not left additional behind, new roads, railways, ports, all of this assist generate Africa’s economic system,” Miller stated.
“Knowledge facilities and fiber optic cables are wanted to maintain up with the developments in AI and the remainder of the tech economic system. The truth is — it is a crucial level — the AI revolution is poised to create financial progress not seen for the reason that Industrial Revolution. That’s how large it’s. And with this revolution, Africa has a chance to emerge as the guts of the AI provide chain and expertise an financial increase by no means earlier than thought doable.”
Miller spoke about electrical energy and identified that the power demand continues to emerge as the best impediment to financial progress in each a part of the world.
“Specializing in the longer term and the instruments wanted to stay aggressive sooner or later will assure that when the pits and the mines are empty, the African individuals of tomorrow proceed to learn from the investments being made at present.”
Miller stated he was going to be blunt in his second level that “to draw these wanted investments, African nations should proceed making the wanted reforms to enhance the enterprise local weather, ending corruption, imposing contracts and the rule of regulation, stabilizing currencies.”
He stated it was not a want listing however “precisely what’s required to generate the crucial funding Africa wants to comprehend its full potential,” as an funding is required to create virtually something, together with jobs, infrastructure, power, and alternative.
“And the primary pool of capital on this planet is in America beneath President Trump’s new management,” Miller stated, whilst he famous that that is each private and non-private sector capital.
“This can be a key distinction. Non-public capital is important for making certain success for all events concerned, as no firm will spend money on a failing undertaking or a dropping proposition.
“Non-public capital calls for outcomes and personal capital delivers accountability, however this funding gained’t come to Africa from the USA except extra reforms are made.”
Miller acknowledged that the rule of regulation have to be enforced, and nations and corporations alike should perceive that contracts have to be adhered to.
“Buyers should know that nations are dedicated to persevering with to eradicate corruption.”
He stated there was “some nice progress towards financial and authorized reforms in Africa in recent times,” and a few nations must be counseled for his or her work.
“However extra have to be completed. The sooner these reforms are made, the sooner American capital and American funding goes to come back pouring in, and there can be a lot capital that comes pouring in.”
Miller’s third level was that Africa wants to recollect who its true associates are, including that for years, the US and Africa have had “a really particular relationship” in well being and humanitarian help, and coming to the Horn of Africa’s help in occasions of famine and political instability.
“It’s additionally been by means of safety and counterterrorism assist to battle violent teams similar to Boko Haram, al Shabaab, and ISIS.”
Miller stated Trump has made peace one in all his high aims, serving to to finish the battle between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, in addition to mediating tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia.
He stated that the US continued to assist with combating HIV/AIDS and offering humanitarian assist “however now current in a extra streamlined and targeted technique that now not mixes nation-building and political ideology with individuals who need assistance.
“This was a drastic and wanted reform to the correct dimension. The US shouldn’t be invested in nation-building. It must be invested in creating partnerships.”
Miller acknowledged that sooner or later, the USA will proceed to be concerned in selling peace throughout Africa.
“The humanitarian help the USA has offered and can proceed to supply is unmatched by another nation. And the financial improvement tasks supported by the USA within the current and the longer term should not tasks that can load up African nations with debt, however reasonably they’re tasks that can assist produce income for the nations of Africa.”
He requested that this be contrasted with what Africa has seen from different nations, “similar to China.”
“Whether or not that’s unregulated fishing trawlers within the Gulf of Guinea, environmental disasters from sloppy firms, and even inescapable, crippling debt offers. The US provides one thing a lot completely different.
“The way forward for the US-Africa relationship can also be one which can be primarily based on mutual respect. Respect for one another as a individuals, respect for one another as funding companions, respect for one another as buying and selling companions, and respect for one another and recognizing nationwide sovereignty.”
He stated it’s important, including that the USA and each nation in Africa ought to respect one another’s immigration legal guidelines.
Miller spoke of the current information that the USA had raised the specter of a further journey ban with nations dealing with journey restrictions.
“What didn’t obtain important media consideration was the right rationalization of what was behind that. Very merely, the USA is asking its key allies and companions to make it possible for not more than 10 p.c of their visa candidates who’re in the USA overstay their visas. They’re asking, very merely, for not more than 15 p.c of the scholars to remain behind the USA illegally, and not using a visa.”
Miller stated these had been all “very affordable requests,” and with the assistance of the governments of Africa, “we will all have safe borders and finish unlawful immigration.”
He stated Africa’s future and his partnership with the USA “stay as brilliant as ever, and organizations similar to Afreximbank and the individuals on the conferences are “shining examples of what might be made doable as a result of collectively, we’ll make Africa highly effective once more. Collectively, we’ll make Africa rich once more.
“We are going to make Africa robust once more collectively. We are going to make Africa proud once more collectively. We are going to make Africa protected once more, and collectively, we’ll make Africa nice once more,” Miller stated.
The previous Trump advisor’s feedback got here hours after Dr. Kishore Mahbubani, a distinguished fellow on the Asia Analysis Institute, urged Africa to take a impartial place amid the US-China wrestle, including that Asia’s expertise has proven that commerce, reasonably than a political system or help, drives financial progress.
