British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Henry Nicholls/Pool via Reuters.
The UK announced that it will prioritize strengthening trade and investment ties with Africa under its new engagement strategy, reflecting Washington’s recent shift in focus from aid to trade, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
In a speech, Africa Minister Jenny Chapman said Britain — which this year cut its aid budget by 40% — was “moving from donor to investor” by supporting economic partnership agreements. She also said the UK, ahead of its G20 presidency in 2027, will work toward reforms of the global debt system. “The whole point of this is to scale up private capital for Africa’s development priorities,” she said.
The policy launch, more than a year after Britain’s government took office, follows several months during which the White House’s unpredictable tariff policy upended global trade. The UK government, which has sought trade deals since leaving the EU, is one of many wealthy countries looking for business opportunities on the continent. The US, in its recently published National Security Strategy, said it will prioritize deals on critical minerals and energy in Africa.