Obama: an enduring legacy for advocates of democracy in Africa?
Comparisons of Obama’s respect of constitutional due process and his successor’s reckless, bigoted and uninformed actions are inevitable, writes John J Stremlau
US President Donald Trump’s February 13 calls to Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari and SA’s President Jacob Zuma are his first signals of interest in sub-Saharan Africa. Trump reportedly raised two US priorities: terrorism and trade. We don’t know if his counterparts found his assertions to be credible or even accurate. What we do know is that mutual confidence is essential for successful international relations — and confidence in Trump appears to be rapidly waning at home and abroad amid the chaos, divisiveness and alarming decisions that have marked his first month in office. Africa’s democrats fear Trump’s autocratic leadership traits will give political cover, comfort and confidence to the continent’s remaining strongmen. It remains unclear whether this will be the case, but it is a safe bet his leadership will not inspire the confidence in Africans that his predecessor, Barack Obama, enjoyed throughout his two terms. In a survey of nine sub-Saharan countries in 2015 the Pew...
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