Kenya’s candidate for the highest job on the African Union Fee, Raila Odinga, has stated that if United States President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t wish to have interaction with Africa, the continent has “different associates” keen to step in.
In an interview with AFP in Addis Ababa on Saturday, Odinga, a veteran Kenyan politician, expressed cautious optimism about Trump’s stance on Africa following his victory within the US presidential election.
Odinga, who’s one among 4 candidates vying to interchange Moussa Mahamat as the pinnacle of the African Union Fee subsequent 12 months, stated that whereas he doesn’t wish to prejudge Trump, Africa is open to working with the U.S. if the president-elect is keen.
“I don’t wish to prejudge him,” Odinga stated. “If he needs to work with Africa as a good friend of Africa, we are going to welcome him and work with him. If he doesn’t wish to work with Africa… Africa has acquired different associates.”
Odinga’s feedback got here amid ongoing competitors for affect in Africa, a continent of over 1.5 billion folks, with powers equivalent to China, Russia, and Turkey all vying for partnerships alongside Western nations.
Regardless of Trump’s controversial remarks throughout his first time period, the place he referred to African international locations as “shithole” nations, Odinga appeared untroubled.
“No, it doesn’t fear me in any respect as a result of that was Trump then. That is now one other new Trump. So, we wish to see the brand new Trump, the one we’re going to take care of,” Odinga acknowledged.
The 79-year-old politician, who has run unsuccessfully for the Kenyan presidency 5 occasions, is now specializing in his marketing campaign for the African Union Fee chair.
He’s dealing with robust competitors from Mahamoud Youssouf, Djibouti’s long-serving overseas minister, together with Anil Gayan from Mauritius and Richard Randriamandrato of Madagascar.
The election for the brand new African Union Fee chair will happen by secret poll in the course of the February 2025 summit.
