The just
concluded U.S elections late last year saw the incumbent president Obama get re-elected
on the democratic ticket has in many ways exposed the divisions prevalent in the American
society as seen in the popular votes which were closely contested between the two
aspirants. The Americans were torn between passing a vote of no confidence in
the Obamas’ administration on grounds of slow economic growth, spiraling budget
deficits, unemployment inter alia but optimistic and placing a timeline on his
economic recoveries strategies, this meant getting nod for a second term but for the unlucky capitalist
republicans led by Mitt Romney who were voting against a liberal and a
president hell-bent on heavily taxing their plutocratic businesses in order to
run the economy.
One may
wonder how this affects African regimes as well their economies in this era of
globalization where geopolitics has become a vital tool in making socio
–economic decisions, it must be understood that a divided America augurs well
for the so called Brics Countries, an acronym for Brazil, China, Russia, India
and South Africa, these group of countries have emerged as economic powerhouses
and trade partners and not aid partners the former factor resonates with
changing policies of major African countries like Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana who prefer cheaper lines of credit to finance
their major infrastructural activities.
It must
be noted that Americans have been hit by series of hurricanes, the financial
meltdown effect that ushered the new president in the oval office on his first
term, are still carrying the burden of the Iraqi war that badly dented their
image beyond the Atlantic Ocean shores hence realized the need for rebuilding
their nation by creating jobs, rebranding their foreign policy in order to
cultivate goodwill around the globe e.g. withdrawal of it troops in Iraq, all
this provides the Brics an opportunity to
partner with Africa in a new form of barter trade that involves building schools,
infrastructure ,health facilities, energy
and setting up manufacturing firms in return for Africa’s ever virgin
but precious minerals as the US engages in rebuilding and restoring
hope in its citizens.
