The consultancy Oxford Economics believes that Southern Africa, including Angola and Mozambique, is “at the forefront of the global competition for natural resources”, with the United States of America (USA) and China vying for influence in the region.
In a commentary on the 17th US-Africa Business Summit, held in June in Angola, sent to clients and accessed by Lusa, analysts stated that “the power struggle between the US and China in Africa gained momentum after Beijing announced its intention to remove all tariffs on 53 African countries.”
According to Oxford Economics, “this rivalry between the US and China has heightened the geopolitical importance of Southern Africa, placing the region at the forefront of the global competition for natural resources,” while also reinforcing its strategic weight on the African continent.
The US, in turn, “is increasing its presence through the Minerals Security Partnership and has directed investment financing towards infrastructure with the aim of counterbalancing China’s dominance, for example, in the Lobito Corridor,” the analysts said.
The consultancy also highlighted the differences in the two powers’ approaches: “China has gained more ground on the continent through long-term investments in roads, railways, and energy infrastructure,” while the US strategy “is more focused and transactional,” it concluded.
Source: DE
