An ex-diplomat has said President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House could be good for Africa.
Dr. Kingsley Makhubela, a former senior South African diplomat and the former South African Chief of Protocol, has stated that Trump's directness and focus on negotiation could benefit African nations.
"The fact that Africans have better access to strategic minerals is going to work in the interest of Africa," Makhubela told National Security News.
Despite previous remarks that Trump has made that have been viewed as derogatory, such as previously referring to African nations as "shithole countries." Makhubela said, "We've never seen a policy position that raised concern about how he deals with Africa."
Newsweek reached out to Makhubela via X and the Trump campaign via email for comment.
A key issue for South Africa is its continued participation in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which provides duty-free access to U.S. markets.
In April, a bill was introduced in Congress to review Washington's relationship with South Africa. The bill alleges that Pretoria, South Africa's administrative capital, is strengthening ties with alleged "malign actors," including Russia, China and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
This could lead to Pretoria being cut off from AGOA. The bill extends to other states, including Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Makhubela said that Trump has never spoken publicly about ending South Africa's participation in AGOA.
"During the four years that he was at the White House, there was never even a discussion of the possibility of AGOA being terminated. He's never made such a statement," Makhubela said.
He also said that Trump's second presidency could transform conflict around the world and prevent further ones, including World War III.
"There are two areas that have been really troubling the international community: the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Palestine. But Donald Trump has made it clear during the campaign that as soon as he moves into the White House, he would like to stop both wars," Makhubela said.
Some concerns have been raised over Trump's cabinet picks and their potential implications for Africa.
Representative Elise Stefanik, Trump's pick for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, signed a letter to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken earlier this year in which she expressed "disgust" at South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
South Africa v. Israel is an ongoing case brought before the ICJ in December 2023. It alleges that Israel has committed genocide in the war in Gaza, which Israel has denied.
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