A senior nominee from the administration of Donald Trump has set out a clear shift in how the United States (US) intends to engage with Africa, prioritising trade, security, and strategic partnerships over traditional aid-driven approaches.

In testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week, Frank Garcia, nominated as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, outlined a policy framework rooted in what he described as disciplined, strategic engagement aligned with US national interests.

Garcia, a former US Navy officer with nearly three decades of service and extensive experience in the United States Africa Command area, emphasised that Africa is entering a decisive phase in its development. He pointed to projections that, by 2050, one quarter of the global population will live on the continent, framing this as both an opportunity and a strategic challenge for Washington.

At the centre of his argument is a departure from what he characterised as decades of policy focused on aid and dependency, and a focus on spreading divisive ideologies. Instead, Garcia said the administration, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is repositioning US engagement toward trade and investment for mutual benefit.

This approach, he suggested, has been welcomed by African partners seeking practical economic co-operation rather than ideological or prescriptive engagement. The emphasis will be on identifying high-return sectors where US investment can deliver both economic gains and strategic advantages.

Garcia highlighted infrastructure and trade initiatives, such as the Lobito Corridor in Angola, as examples of this new direction, linking them to job creation, regional integration, and expanded commercial ties. These projects, he argued, represent a model for future US involvement that aligns development with economic self-sufficiency.

Security remains a central pillar of the proposed policy. Garcia warned that instability across regions such as the Sahel and North Africa, driven by trafficking networks and extremist groups linked to the Islamic State and al-Qaeda, poses direct risks to US interests. He stressed that counterterrorism efforts would remain focused on preventing attacks while strengthening local partnerships.

However, he made it clear that the US does not intend to take on a primary security role. Instead, African governments would be expected to lead in stabilising their own regions, with US support designed to reinforce, rather than replace, local capacity.

Garcia also pointed to diplomatic efforts, such as the Washington Accords between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, as evidence of a more assertive US role in conflict resolution. He described the agreement as historic, noting its aim to end decades of regional conflict and create conditions for economic growth.

Throughout his testimony, Garcia returned to a consistent theme that all US engagement in Africa must be tied directly to measurable outcomes. He stated that every dollar spent would be evaluated against its contribution to US national security and economic priorities, including humanitarian and health assistance.

The underlying doctrine, he argued, is one of peace through strength, combining credible diplomacy with security co-operation to create conditions for stability and growth.

For African countries, the proposed shift signals a more transactional, but potentially more investment-focused, relationship with Washington. For the US, it reflects a broader recalibration of foreign policy toward competition, economic return, and strategic positioning in a region set to play an increasingly central role in global affairs.