US, African Union Launch Joint Investment Task Force

Is Trump ending failed aid dependency for real prosperity or is the U.S. in damage control mode as China expands its influence in Africa?
US, African Union Launch Joint Investment Task Force
Above: African Heads of State before the opening ceremony of the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa on Feb. 17, 2024. Image credit: Michele Spatari/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-Trump narrative

The new AU–U.S. infrastructure working group comes as Washington advances Trump’s shift from failed aid toward investment-driven partnerships in Africa. Cutting inefficient development programs and prioritizing private capital has refocused U.S. engagement on trade, infrastructure and economic growth. The pivot marks a strategic reset, with markets and enterprise replacing dependency as the engine for jobs, prosperity and long-term stability.

Anti-Trump narrative

The new AU–U.S. infrastructure working group comes as Washington seeks to regain ground in Africa after Trump’s chaotic retreat from the continent. Aid cuts and ruptured partnerships hollowed out U.S. influence, handing China and Russia strategic ground across key political and economic sectors. The pivot now looks more like damage control than a coherent strategy, with millions still exposed to preventable deaths, stalled development and deepening instability.

Metaculus Prediction


Public Figures



© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.20.3

© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.20.3