China and Russia’s Economic Takeover in Africa: The Global Shift America Cannot Ignore – The American Spectator | USA News and PoliticsThe American Spectator

Africa has long been a continent of vast natural wealth, yet today, it is at the center of an economic power struggle that could reshape the global financial order for decades. China and Russia have systematically embedded themselves into Africa’s trade, infrastructure, and financial sectors, all while working to diminish the influence of the U.S. dollar and Western-led economic institutions.

This is not just an isolated regional trend but a deliberate, well-coordinated effort to restructure the global economic balance of power. With the Sahel now accounting for over half of the world’s terrorism-related deaths, the region’s political instability has provided the perfect opening for Beijing and Moscow to establish a long-term presence under the pretense of security and economic assistance.

The consequences for the United States are staggering: if China and Russia succeed in locking Africa into their economic ecosystem, America’s influence over global commodity markets, trade routes, and currency systems will erode significantly, shifting control over critical industries — including energy, technology, and defense — to Washington’s chief adversaries.

The Numbers: How China and Russia Are Reshaping Africa’s Economic Landscape

The shift is already well underway. Recent data points to an undeniable trend:

• China–Africa trade reached $282 billion in 2024, a 34 percent year-over-year increase, making China the continent’s dominant economic partner.
• China has overtaken the U.S. in African foreign direct investment (FDI), funneling billions into infrastructure, energy, and mining while securing long-term trade agreements that favor Beijing.
• Russia has secured access to key African resources, including uranium in Niger, gold in Sudan, and diamonds in the Central African Republic, often in exchange for military aid and security partnerships.
• The Sahel region alone accounted for 51 percent of global terrorism-related deaths in 2024, providing a convenient justification for Russia’s growing security operations in the region.
• China’s currency, the yuan, is now used in trade agreements in multiple African nations, accelerating a move away from the U.S. dollar in global commodity markets.

This transformation is not happening by accident — it is the result of a strategic, long-term vision by Beijing and Moscow to lock Africa into their economic orbit at the expense of U.S. global power.

China’s Strategy: Infrastructure, Debt, and Currency Dominance

China’s expansion into Africa is driven by three core strategies: infrastructure investment, debt diplomacy, and currency manipulation. The goal? To entrench Africa within China’s economic sphere of influence while displacing the U.S. dollar from key industries.

1. The Belt and Road Initiative: Infrastructure Control at a Price

China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has transformed Africa’s infrastructure landscape—but at a steep cost. These projects, financed primarily through Chinese state-backed loans, have left several African nations deeply indebted to Beijing. (RELATED: Avoiding the McNamara Trap With China)

• In Zambia, Chinese firms have taken over critical copper mining operations after Lusaka failed to meet its loan repayment obligations.
• In Kenya, reports indicate that China could seize control of Mombasa’s strategic port if Nairobi defaults on its infrastructure debt.
• In Ethiopia, China has financed multi-billion-dollar railway projects while increasing its influence over the country’s export economy.

By controlling Africa’s roads, ports, and railways, Beijing is dictating the flow of trade — ensuring that African economies remain dependent on Chinese markets, financing, and supply chains.

2. The Push for Yuan-Denominated Trade: A Direct Challenge to the U.S. Dollar

China is not just focused on infrastructure — it is also aggressively promoting the yuan as an alternative to the U.S. dollar in African trade. This is a deliberate effort to de-dollarize African economies, reducing America’s ability to influence global markets.

• Several African central banks now hold yuan reserves, allowing them to conduct trade in Chinese currency rather than dollars.
• Oil and commodity transactions in Africa are increasingly being settled in yuan rather than the U.S. dollar—a major shift that could weaken America’s financial leverage over global energy markets.
• China has signed currency swap agreements with multiple African nations, creating a parallel financial system that bypasses Western monetary institutions entirely.

If this trend continues, the dollar’s dominance in global trade could be severely weakened — driving up U.S. inflation, increasing borrowing costs, and eroding the country’s ability to impose sanctions on adversarial nations.

Russia’s Playbook: Military Alliances and Resource Seizure

While China’s approach has been economic, Russia’s engagement in Africa is heavily centered on military support, security partnerships, and direct resource extraction. The Kremlin’s Wagner Group (now rebranded as the “Africa Corps”) has become the primary vehicle for expanding Moscow’s influence across the continent.

1. Military Partnerships in Exchange for Mining Rights

Russia has established deep military relationships with several African nations, often in exchange for access to critical resources:

• Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have expelled Western forces and replaced them with Russian-backed military advisors.
• In Sudan, Russia has secured lucrative gold mining contracts while providing arms and training to local security forces.
• Russia has brokered exclusive uranium trade agreements with Niger, ensuring Moscow retains a dominant position in global nuclear energy markets.

This security-for-resources model has allowed Russia to expand its economic footprint across Africa without making significant financial investments, leveraging military influence to gain access to critical commodities.

2. Undermining Western Counterterrorism Efforts

Russia’s growing presence in Africa is actively undermining Western-led counterterrorism initiatives. As Moscow strengthens ties with African military regimes, it is pushing U.S. and European forces out of key strategic locations—making it harder for the West to combat terrorist organizations like ISIS-Sahel and al-Qaeda-affiliated groups.

• Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have all withdrawn from Western security agreements, opting instead to work with Russia’s Africa Corps.
• The vacuum left by Western forces is being filled by Wagner-linked paramilitaries, who often profit from prolonged instability rather than working to restore security.
• The Sahel’s growing terrorist networks now have direct access to Russian arms and financing, creating a long-term security crisis that could extend beyond Africa’s borders.

By aligning itself with military governments and non-state armed groups, Russia is ensuring that African nations remain reliant on Moscow for both security and economic survival — a direct challenge to U.S. and NATO interests in the region.

Why This Matters for America

The growing influence of China and Russia in Africa is not just an African issue — it is a direct economic and security threat to the United States.

• If Africa fully transitions to a yuan-based trade system, it will accelerate global de-dollarization, weakening U.S. financial influence worldwide.
• If China and Russia control Africa’s mineral wealth, the U.S. will become increasingly dependent on adversarial nations for critical commodities, making American industries vulnerable to supply chain disruptions.
• If Russia consolidates its military alliances in Africa, it will create long-term instability that could spill over into Europe and the Middle East, threatening U.S. allies and interests.

The Path Forward: What America Must Do

To counter China and Russia’s growing dominance in Africa, the United States must take a bold and strategic approach:

1. Expand Trade and Investment in Africa — The U.S. must offer better trade agreements and investment incentives to African nations, creating an alternative to China’s predatory lending.
2. Strengthen Military Alliances — Rebuilding counterterrorism partnerships and supporting pro-Western governments will prevent further Russian encroachment.
3. Secure Critical Mineral Supply Chains — The U.S. must invest in African mining projects and sign long-term resource agreements to ensure continued access to uranium, lithium, and rare earth metals.
4. Defend the U.S. Dollar’s Role in Africa — Washington must expand financial cooperation with African central banks and counter Beijing’s yuan-based trade initiatives.

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