FOCAC Comes as Both China and the U.S. Are Evolving Their Africa Policies

US President Joe Biden and South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa at the G7 summit in Carbis Bay, Cornwall on June 12, 2021. Leon Neal / POOL / AFP

The upcoming FOCAC summit comes at a critical time when both the United States and China are actively transitioning their engagement strategies in Africa.

For the Chinese, the summit will provide an opportunity to formally lift the veil on a new set of priorities that have been taking shape over the past several years. The emphasis will shift from financing large, expensive projects like railways, ports, and highways to smaller, nimbler initiatives in the health, tech, and green energy sectors.

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by Eric Olander

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