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Ahead of the United States of America’s election on Tuesday, diplomats and international relations experts posit that whoever emerges the next President of the country matters not only to Africa but a concern to the global community. That is because of the country’s leadership role in international politics and security.
Former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Belgium, Luxemburg and the EU, Prof. Alaba Ogunsanwo, Amb Joe Keshi and immediate past Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Prof. Bola Akinterinwa, were of the view that since America was acting as the global policeman, whoever wins the election, automatically, becomes the primus inter pares, first among equals.
Keshi, a one-time Nigeria’s Consul-General in Atlanta, Georgia, asserted that the international community will be better if the Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris, emerges President of the United States, as against his Republican counterpart, Donald Trump, “who is neither an internationalist, nor does he have any regard for Africa and even NATO. He has no knowledge and view of the world.
“If all things go well in the polls, and Kamala Harris wins on Wednesday, the world will wake up on Thursday with a big relief. But if Trump wins, there will be a pall of sadness across the globe. But for sure, the world will breathe a sigh of relief if Harris wins,” Keshi said.
He added that Trump’s fixation to make America great again, “as if the country is not great and will not continue to be great, is to the detriment of other countries, because he is not a team player but a candidate who abhors competition and is in this election in order to avoid going to jail.”
To Akinterinwa: “The victory of either of the candidates means a lot to everyone, especially to all blacks and Africans. Donald Trump is a racist; he does not have any regard for black dignity. If any African or black is, for whatever reason supporting Donald Trump, he is engaging in self-destruction; more so, as his policies will be unfavourable to blacks and immigrants.”
According to the former DG, NIIA, in view of the fact that Nigeria’s foreign policy takes Africa as its centre-piece, and it is on record to be a major defender of black dignity, and African interest, Nigeria’s foreign policy will be interested in Donald Trump not winning the election.
“Foreign policy is the protection of national interest, and …although whether it is Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, generally, both of them are likely to continue to protect American interest. American interest comes first for anyone of them. But the only thing is that the protection of one national interest must not be too detrimental to our own. For me, we have a choice to make between two Devils. We must learn how to take a better Devil. For me the better Devil in this case is Kamala Harris.”
“Europeans will need to be convinced that America is still great, and that is the way E.U’s allies are looking at the US. But Donald Trump, who has been convicted 34 formalized times, now that does not look good to them because they cannot contemplate having an ex-convict as President of the US. So, this election matters a lot,” Akinterinwa added.
Citing additional reasons the election was very important to the global community, Akinterinwa said: “America has been the leader of the Western allies, and in this case, Western allies are being objected to nowadays. That is why the BRICS has been established in protest against Western hegemony, especially in the conduct and management of global affairs. So, the manner the Bretton Woods institutions, the International Monetary Funds, the World Bank, all of them put together, have been managing international economic relations, are being complained against. They are now saying all these oppression and injustices should stop. So, they set up BRICS, which is now being joined by many countries, because they want to liberate themselves from Western stranglehold.”
In the area of international security, Akinterinwa added that America’s role in the war between Israel and Hamas, supporting Israel, a country that has no respect for international law, which makes Israel, a major committer of genocidal crimes, as well as the war between Russia and Ukraine, where North Korea is providing huge support to Russia and developing nuclear arms are of huge interest to global security.
“You can imagine the position of Trump on Israel; what is the position of Kamala Harris on Israel? Russia started a war with Ukraine. The West thought that by giving massive support to Ukraine, they would defeat Russia but the war is still on. Now, North Korea decided to develop nuclear weapons, which the permanent members of the UN, do not want, neither do they want it to be involved in the Russia/Ukraine war. But it has sent troops to Russia. It is not in the interest of the West. So, which American President would be more favourable to maintain global security? This is why the whole world must be interested in who becomes the next President of the U.S.,” Akinterinwa said.
He also alluded to the face-off between North Korea and South Korea, where the U.S. supports the latter and the former’s aligning with Russia, asking: “What does that mean? Insecurity is being strengthened the world over. So, it cannot be in their interest. You don’t also forget China in the equation. China is already preparing to enter into the shoes of the U.S. as the global world leader, and China has a more robust economy. America has a fundamental problem with China. So, America wants to remain the global leader but other are fighting against it. So, America needs to assure Israel, Russia and the rest of the world that it is still very strong.”
Ogunsanwo, on his part, added that Trump has never hidden his foreign policy focus on immigration and development, and urged African leaders to develop the continent and stop depending on foreign handouts.
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