Is Africa a Victim or Beneficiary of Geopolitical and Geoeconomic Tensions?

Having been a playground for the major powers for nearly three centuries, Africa is particularly sensitive to global geopolitical tensions. The continent is also the scene of persistent internal geopolitical tensions. Finally, although relatively marginalized in the global economy, Africa particularly suffers from global shocks, as demonstrated by the Covid crisis and the war in Ukraine. Within this context, global geopolitical and geoeconomic tensions are beginning to be reflected by a politicization and a decrease of external financing flows for development in Africa, and even more so in the 32 poorest and most vulnerable African countries. If the pessimistic scenario bears out, these trends will continue against a backdrop of worsening internal tensions on the continent. But another scenario is possible, in which Africa would take advantage of the new geopolitical and geoeconomic landscape to better integrate itself into the global economy.