One week after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrapped up his three-nation African tour, a number of reviews considering the direction of Washington’s current foreign policy in Africa are just coming in. There’s an emerging consensus among a growing number of policy and media observers that competition with China now serves as the foundation for the Trump administration’s engagement strategy on the continent.

• THE FINANCIAL TIMES: The FT published a scathing editorial on Monday that blasted the Trump administration’s Africa policy saying that “it can do better than China bashing.” The editorial concluded with a warning that unless the U.S. changes its approach in Africa, and fast, its influence will continue to wane. (READ MORE/PAY WALL)

• THE DIPLOMAT: Even though Pompeo didn’t talk much about the Chinese on his trip, he really didn’t have to, wrote George Washington University doctoral candidate Eleanor Albert. “Pompeo’s remarks [about China] frame the U.S. view of China’s foreign policy and economic engagement squarely in a competitive lens, one that echoes an adversarial tone that is reminiscent of the Cold War era.” (READ MORE)