1. 🚁 Heli view: Where Trumps hinders – and helps – to green Africa

In his first term, Donald Trump became the first US president since Ronald Reagan in the 1980s not to visit the African continent. 

• He sent his daughter instead, see the above photo from 2019. 

From afar: In the first week of his second term he may nonetheless have impacted Africa more than any foreign leader in living memory. Mostly but not exclusively for the worse. 

The deeds: Trump made a series of decisions that were not aimed at Africa but will have some of their most dramatic effects here. They include:

• Withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement

• Blocking support for renewable energy projects

• Slowing or freezing overseas aid of many kinds

• Withdrawal from the World Health Organisation (WHO)

The backdrop: This is driven by a generalised hostility in his administration to a green economy and to support of foreign allies and developing nations. 

The effect: Africa has felt the chill instantly. Over the past decade, the targets of Trumpian slashing had fuelled a green investment and talent boom on the continent. 

• No Trump cut on its own is fatal. But together they change the weather. 

Public money: US taxpayer funds had been a major driver of green growth in Africa. 

• In the second half of last year, this amounted to $32 billion across 400 projects. 

• On a visit to Angola, President Biden increased US funding for the Lobito corridor to export minerals critical for batteries by $600 million to $4 billion.

Corporate money: Carbon credits from Africa were often sold to US companies, including the major tech companies whose CEOs attended Trump’s inauguration.

• Meta used to shop for carbon credits across the globe.

• Now its founder Mark Zuckerberg calls for more “masculinity”.

Philanthropic money: Grants for green projects are likely depressed too. 

• The Bezos Earth Fund had been one of the biggest green funders on the continent. 

• Now its founder, Jeff Bezos, is vying to have dinner with the new president.

International money: The indirect impact of Trumpian slashing cascades further. 

• The WHO was a leader in fighting the healthcare impact of climate change in Africa.

• The American withdrawal is leaving a big hole in its budget. 

European money: There is also a knock-on effect in Europe, where far-right parties have started to mimic Trump and push to “kill the Green Deal”. 

• This could impact the largest source of green funding in Africa: EU taxpayers.

The good news: Some positives for Africa do come out of this. 

• Increasingly shut out of American markets, China is likely to focus further on Africa.

• This is especially relevant in the renewable energy and electric mobility sectors. 

• African governments could negotiate not only for more cheap imports but also the setting up of local manufacturing facilities.

Hello talent: Many American climate leaders, engineers and financiers will find their home nation a less attractive place to work. 

• African leaders would do well to offer them free work visas to come solve the planet’s biggest problem where the needs are greatest. 

• Europe has already spotted this opportunity. The EU central bank suggested attracting “disillusioned” US talent across the Atlantic. 

Hard noses: Perverse financial benefits may also derive from US climate-unfriendly policies. 

• Rising investment in fossil fuels will depress fuel import costs and hence inflation, says Kenya, freeing up funds for green investment. 

• Funders still seeking to invest in green infrastructure will find America less attractive, hence boosting Africa’s appeal by comparison. 

Next steps: African leaders are already burning up phone lines to confer on all the above. Here are three things they could do: 

• Make a fuss internationally. Fly to France together to demand the west sticks with the Paris Agreement. Trump is known to react to pressure. 

• Directly engage philanthropists and funders. Jeff Bezos’s Amazon is opening up in South Africa. Remind him of his Earth Fund commitments in Africa.

• Talk to China about a new cross-continental deal. Maybe that will wake the envious deal-maker in Trump.

2. Number of the week 

… is the estimate of Africa's unproductive or degraded farmland lost to mono-cropping and overgrazing. This has left over 270 million people facing chronic hunger. According to the African Union, Africa's soils are barren from using below-par fertiliser.

4. What we’re reading

• Green jewel: DR Congo is spearheading a plan to protect 540,000 km² of the Congo Basin, creating the world’s largest tropical forest reserve. The initiative, supported by the Virunga Alliance, integrates conservation with green economic development, aiming to generate 500,000 jobs and transfer 1 million tonnes of food annually from the country’s east to the capital Kinshasa. The Congo Basin, home to 10,000 unique species and a critical carbon sink, sequesters 1.5 billion tonnes of CO₂ yearly. Facing threats such as deforestation and armed conflict, the innovative plan combines renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and community engagement. (WeForum)  

• Nuclear leap: Ghana has launched Africa's first Small Modular Reactor (SMR) simulator at the University of Nuclear and Allied Sciences in Accra. Funded by the US Department of State, the simulator aims to train a new generation of nuclear scientists and advance Ghana's energy sector. The initiative includes a nuclear welding certification programme and partnerships with Texas A&M University. US diplomats praised Ghana's leadership in civil nuclear development, highlighting the project's role in promoting energy independence, safety, decarbonisation and economic growth. (B&FT Online)

• Anti-poaching tech: The Sabi Sand Nature Reserve in South Africa has achieved zero rhino poaching incidents in over 500 days, thanks to cutting-edge technology and community collaboration. The reserve employs drones, thermal cameras and AI-powered tools to monitor its 62,000 hectares, reducing response times to 7 minutes. The Connected Conservation Foundation (CCF), supported by partners like Cisco and Dimension Data, deployed a “Reserve Area Network” for real-time tracking and alerts. Dedicated rangers and community education have also helped to slash poaching. (My BroadBand)