Africa: Building Economic and Security Partnerships

July 8, 2025 | Chakotay, Sterling Tilley

Executive Summary

The Trump administration has a strategic opportunity to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative on the African continent while securing critical minerals and strengthening security partnerships. A Peace Through Strength strategic framework with Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal would prioritize economic growth to advance American industry while building security relationships that benefit U.S. national security by stabilizing the region.

Background

West and Central Africa are strategically vital regions due to growing critical mineral reserves and increasing geopolitical competition [1]. China has aggressively expanded its influence in these countries through corrupt infrastructure and mineral extraction agreements. Meanwhile, growing regional security challenges—including maritime crime and terrorism—threaten African economic development and U.S. interests [2].

Efficiencies

Creating a new strategic partnership with these five key countries presents an opportunity to advance U.S. national security and economic objectives. These nations are located on the frontier of critical mineral reserves—including iron, manganese, bauxite, and potential rare earth elements—which are essential to America’s defense, technology, and energy industries [3]. The United States should

• Negotiate access to critical mineral resources, mining infrastructure and processing facilities that will increase U.S. investment opportunities and reduce the dominance of China’s supply chains.

• Strengthen maritime and border security partnerships, increase Foreign Military Sales (FMS) tailored to African defense needs and expand U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) joint exercises [4]. The five countries continually face growing security challenges.

• Establish public-private partnerships with U.S. mining companies and African governments. Provide necessary alternatives to Chinese digital infrastructure through American technology partnerships.

Resource-Security Nexus

A strategic Africa policy should link critical mineral access to economic development and security partnerships, using defense cooperation as both an end goal and a means to secure mineral resources. Building on bilateral and regional relationships will ultimately counter China’s dominance on the continent [5]. Improving America’s economic competitiveness, military superiority, and strategic autonomy justify a nimble push to recover from years of low prioritization under the prior administration.

References

[1] The Africa Center for Strategic Studies. Africa’s Critical Minerals at a Critical Juncture. Spotlight.

May 20, 2025. url: https : / / africacenter . org / spotlight / africas - critical -

minerals-at-a-critical-juncture/ (visited on 07/07/2025).

[2] U.S. Sixth Fleet Public Affairs. Building Security Through Cooperation: Exercise Obangame Express 2025 concludes in Cabo Ve. U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa / U.S. Sixth Fleet. May 16,

2025. url: https://www.c6f.navy.mil/Press-Room/News/News-Display/Article/4188384/

building-security-through-cooperation-exercise-obangame-express-2025-concludes/

(visited on 07/07/2025).

[3] Zainab Usman and Alexander Csanadi. How to Advance U.S.-Africa Critical Minerals Partnerships

in Mining and Geological Sciences. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Apr. 9,

2025. url: https://carnegieendowment.org/posts/2025/04/how-to-advance-us-africacritical-

minerals-partnerships-in-mining-and-geological-sciences?lang=en (visited

on 07/07/2025).

[4] Matthew Olay. U.S. Africa Command Launches Multi-Nation Special Warfare Exercise. U.S. Department of Defense. May 14, 2024. url: https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/A

rticle/Article/3775192/us-africa-command-launches-multi-nation-special-warfareexercise

(visited on 07/07/2025).

[5] Peter Chin. Critical Minerals, U.S. National Security, and Africa. Insights. May 19, 2025. url:

https://irregularwarfarecenter.org/publications/insights/critical-minerals-u-snational-

security-and-africa/ (visited on 07/07/2025).