Just as the U.S. is Trying to Bolster Its Standing in Africa to Challenge China’s Rising Influence, Washington Stumbles in Ethiopia

U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion to the Sudanese and Israeli prime ministers in a call last weekend that Egypt might “blow up” the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam if Cairo and Addis Ababa can’t reach a settlement, is not sitting well at all in Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian foreign ministry summoned the U.S. ambassador, Mike Raynor, to explain the president’s comments and among civil society stakeholders in the press and social media, there’s a widespread sense of being “betrayed” by Washington.

The President’s comments come at an awkward time for the United States in Africa after a steady stream of high-level officials ranging from Defense Secretary Mark Esper to Under Secretary of State Keith Krach has visited the continent in recent weeks to argue that the U.S. is a more reliable partner than China.

Ethiopia, in particular, is strategically vital to both the U.S. and China given its strategic location, its emergence as a manufacturing hub, and its diplomatic significance as home to the African Union.

It’s unlikely that the U.S. President fully understood the ramifications of his remarks but the consequences nonetheless could be severe. Consider that this whole scandal broke out just as the government is in the final stages of its telecom reform process that will result in the privatization of Ethio Telecom (ET). Persuading the government to avoid Chinese technology vendors in new ET projects probably just got a lot harder.

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The post Just as the U.S. is Trying to Bolster Its Standing in Africa to Challenge China’s Rising Influence, Washington Stumbles in Ethiopia appeared first on The China Africa Project.

source https://chinaafricaproject.com/2020/10/28/just-as-the-u-s-is-trying-to-bolster-its-standing-in-africa-to-challenge-chinas-rising-influence-washington-stumbles-in-ethiopia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=just-as-the-u-s-is-trying-to-bolster-its-standing-in-africa-to-challenge-chinas-rising-influence-washington-stumbles-in-ethiopia