Africa should engage the U.S. through “flexible and constructive” trade negotiations, Adesina says in exclusive interview with CNN’s Amanpour
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, May 21, 2025/APO Group/ --
As the United States imposes higher tariffs with global ramifications, African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has warned that these measures could trigger significant economic disruptions across Africa, affecting numerous nations and accelerating a strategic shift in global partnerships.
African Development Bank’s Adesina Warns of Economic Shockwaves from United States (U.S.) Tariffs, Calls for Strategic Global Engagement
In an exclusive interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Dr Adesina revealed that 47 of Africa’s 54 countries will be impacted directly by the new U.S. trade policies, with potential declines in export revenues and foreign exchange reserves.
“When those currencies weaken, two things will happen: first, you will find that most of these countries are import-dependent. So, you're going to find that high inflation becomes a problem,” said Adesina. “And secondly, you find that the cost of actually servicing a lot of their debt, which is foreign currency debt, but in local currencies, is going to get worse.”
Almost all African countries have been hit by higher tariffs announced by the Trump administration, with at least 22 nations facing up to a whopping 50 percent for almost all their products. Among the hardest hit countries are Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Botswana, Angola, Algeria, and South Africa.
The impacts of these higher tariffs are further exacerbated by significant cuts to USAID programs, which have already begun affecting access to essential medical supplies and humanitarian services in many countries, raising serious concerns about the future trajectory of U.S.-Africa relations.
Africa’s Strategic Response
Despite the challenges, Adesina emphasized that Africa cannot afford a trade confrontation with the United States, noting that the continent accounts for only 1.2 percent (approximately $34 billion) of America’s global trade—with a trade surplus of just $7.2 billion.
Instead, he proposed a pragmatic three-point strategy for the continent: Engage the U.S. through flexible and constructive trade negotiations, diversify export markets to reduce dependency on any single partner, and accelerate the African Continental Free Trade Area implementation to unlock the potential $3.4 trillion market.
He stressed the need to expand Africa’s domestic market and boost domestic savings to develop consumption as a bigger share of its GDP, leveraging its massive population growth. More importantly, the continent must take advantage of the increasing external interest in its natural resources, such as cobalt and lithium, to negotiate a better trade and investment deal.
Addressing speculation that Africa may shift more decisively toward China in response to the higher U.S. tariffs, Adesina dismissed any notion of binary alignment. “U.S is a key ally of Africa—and so is China,” he stated. “Africa is building bridges, not isolating itself.”
He stressed that Africa seeks balanced, transparent, and mutually beneficial partnerships with all major global players, including the U.S., China, the European Union, and the Gulf states. “I think at the end of the day, we want to make sure that whatever deals that are being done with Africa are transparent, fair, equitable, and led by Africa and in Africa's interests,” Adesina reiterated.
Beyond Aid: Driving Africa’s Self-Reliance
Dr. Adesina, who concludes his second and final term as president of the Bank in September, firmly rejected the long-standing paradigm of foreign aid dependency. “The era of aid as we’ve known it is completely gone,” he declared, calling instead for bold investments in domestic resource mobilization, infrastructure, and value-added industrialization.
He said aid must be turned into concessional financing to allow multilateral financial institutions like the African Development Bank to do more for the continent by mobilizing more private capital to develop and derisk projects.
While Africa represents nearly 20 percent of the global population and under three percent of global GDP, the Bank Group chief pointed to a resilient and transformative growth narrative: ten of the world’s twenty fastest-growing economies are in Africa.
He highlighted flagship initiatives under the African Development Bank’s “High 5” agenda that have impacted more than 565 million people through investments in power, food security, industrialization, regional integration, and initiatives to improve the quality of life of the people of Africa.
Over the past decade, the African Development Bank has invested more than $55 billion in infrastructure to bolster economic integration across Africa, alongside other critical investments to drive inclusive growth. It is by far the largest financier of infrastructure across Africa.
Adesina also cited the great potential of the Mission 300 project, a joint initiative by the World Bank and the African Development Bank to connect 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030. “Because without electricity, what can you do? You can't industrialize, you can't add value, you can't be competitive in the dark,” he said.
He highlighted the achievements of the Africa Investment Forum, launched in 2018 by the Bank and eight other partners, saying it has since mobilized more than $225 billion in investment interest to the continent. The Forum is a multi-stakeholder, multi-disciplinary platform that advances projects to bankable stages, raises capital, and accelerates deals to financial closure.
Adesina believes that despite its challenges, Africa is the largest greenfield investment destination in the world, and it remains “the investor’s dream.”
“We got hydropower. We have a massive youth population that can become the labor force of the world. Sixty-five percent of the arable land left in the world to feed almost 9.5 billion people by 2050 is in Africa, so what Africa does with it will determine the future of food in the world,” he affirmed.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
This is ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. Hirsi Gaab will bear the brunt of this illegal arrest.
I believe anyone who instigates insecurity in any country on the Planet is liable to face the law of that country. If the former government is proven guilty beyond doubt, he must face the justice, otherwise he should be released immediately.
Furthermore, we the people of Somaliland must stop using tribal outcry, whenever someone is arrested without us knowing the crime committed. This will not take us anywhere and should be stopped.
Omar Hussein Dualeh please have a common sense. If this man has committed a crime, your competent government would have charged him in court of law or bring him to court to request for legal detention. The law is clear. No one can be arrested more than 48 hours without due process of law. We know for sure why Guleid is detained. He is detained because he is campaign against the Ignorant government of Somaliland's attempt to dislodge an Isaaq clan from Burao. Somaliland peace can only be maintained if the rule of law and due process of law equally apply to all citizens. As we have heard recently Kulmiye party is in disarray. The other two Somaliland political parties are caught up up with internal infighting that treating their existence. To save Somaliland from doom, it is important both opposition parties sort out their difference and come with United front to send the regime out of power. We cannot afford another around of Kulmiye party domination in Somaliland otherwise the real existence of Somaliland is in grave danger.
I promise you if I were made minister of internal affairs in the next government of Wadani that I will harass, intimidate and abuse Siilaanyo's dignity publicly. I will send the RRU to his house every few days, confiscate his property until he willingly leaves the country for his own safety. This dude deserves nothing less.
one person for public disorder should be arrested for inciting violence that caused for killing innocent indigenous and should charges for murders counts !!!!!! who is he ????????????? he diverse to be in Mandela prison than berbera custody
Since Kulmiye party succeeded the administration of government they immediately to began to breach the law and misuse as a favoritism, from my point of view as you all mentioned no once can be arrested without warrant of court, inline with that breach of rights Guleid has the rights to get a legal remedy according to article 23 of UDHR and 27 of Somali-land Constitution and also am suggesting the Kulmiye Administration to stop all these shameful action.
Ladies & Gentlemen and Boys & Girls,
“Justice DELAYED is justice DENIED” Contrary to that is just a BANANA!
Every citizen has the right to be heard in a court of Law. The rights if this man in Jail is awfully being abused and right in our faces (he could be mine and your uncle, brother and father), by an individual who is welding, in the very open and without shame, “POWER” that neither belongs to him nor bestowed upon him by his superiors. He is in a fast forward mode for his own demise. Attention, if you see this character, please stay away and do not attempt to have any contact with him. We have seen and witnessed the likes of this young man in the past. “Those who bounce faster than the revolution are to be chopped”! Mind you, this is not even an elected official. How dare, can such be allowed and entertained in a place we all know, how we painfully acquired from the Jaws of shark regime?
Those of you chanting for this illegal action and trashing those speaking for the “RIGHTS” of a Somalilander, being irrefutably quashed and slaughtered by a few young bad men, should remain brave enough to withstand it, should this non sense, (GOD forbid) ever drops by your front yard or over your fences and through your windows, in that matter. This is a new Tsunami in the making and better watch for it. It is time to speak against this kind of illegal and Banana Republic style of Governing of our people.
What is urgently suggested and highly required by the Silanyo Administration, is to immediately drop “The Xersi Factor” (no more added value in this guy) and take him completely out of the picture as there is absolutely no reason and need for him to be part of any international or domestic missions (he must remain in the State House enclave), unless, otherwise, as correctly mentioned by a Professor in one of his earlier writings as just being a mere watch-dog for the President which can eventually cost him dearly in reputation and legacy wise, if action is not swiftly taken on his uncontrollable and ever damaging behaviour that must come to a complete halt and YESTERDAY!
If anyone in the Silanyo administration and the President’s immediate family are watching and are willing to pay any further attention to this ever ending episodes and menace, Xersi has unequivocally become a "The mother of liability “to the Silanyo Administration and got to be muzzled if Silanyo ever wants to be re-elected and see the light of a second term as President of Somaliland anytime soon, Period!
How long more can President Silanyo carry this young endeavouring man on his aged back? Remains to be seen. To be continued.
Chief K
Gulaid, the former deputy Governor of Burco, finally got out of the jail today without bail or preconditions after Siilaanyo administration failed to prove that he commited a crime. In a press release shortly after he was released, Gulaid vowed that he will not leave alone those who were behind his arrest. Hopefully he would return to Burco as a hero.