Trump’s Space Opportunity in Africa
A 2015 image of Earth taken by a NASA camera on the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite.
Donald Trump’s second administration has a unique opportunity to grow the US space industry, while ushering in a new era of US-Africa collaboration writes Scott Firsing.
President Donald Trump is a man who fully understands the importance of the space domain. Returning to the Oval Office on 20 January, Trump is once again responsible for shaping US Space Policy. He has SpaceX’s Elon Musk in his corner and has nominated a new head for NASA, Jared Isaacman. Additionally, Vice President JD Vance will take the helm of the National Space Council.
Trump will look to grow his already long list of significant space policy accomplishments during his first term, which included his 2019 creations of the US Space Force, the Artemis programmeon best practice in space, and the finalisation of the 2020 national space policy.
Trump wants Americans on the Moon and Mars, and to dominate international security with geopolitical supremacy. If the US is to lead the world in economic, scientific, and technological advancements, it is essential for America to engage its allies on the African continent, as well as the African diaspora.
Why increased US-Africa space relations?
Trump and soon to be Secretary of State Marco Rubio have an ideal opportunity to forge robust partnerships with African nations in the realm of space. The African space sector is anticipated to expand to over £17.84 billion by 2026, and showing no indications of slowing down. A rising number of African space enterprises are increasingly engaging in cutting-edge technologies including AI, big data, propulsion systems, and robotics.
Space provides a plethora of developmental benefits. It’s almost impossible to do city planning in today’s world without relying heavily on geospatial data and imagery. Key industries like agriculture and mining also use satellites and their capabilities for key aspects such as drought management or mineral exploration.
Important strategic military and security considerations are another beneficial component. The new US Space Forces Africa at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, which supports both the US European Command and US Africa Command, underscores the importance of Africa. Collaborative US-Africa space surveillance networks between the US and Africa can be established to not only monitor security situations on the ground but to enhance capabilities to manage space traffic and monitor space activities. This is crucial in an era where space is a potential future battleground.
Economically, Trump can harness his “America First” policies to realise much needed economic and diplomatic gains in Africa through more space collaboration. It will dispel the notion of waning US interest in the region. Only a handful of African nations, Angola, Nigeria, and Rwanda, have signed onto the NASA and US State Department Artemis Accords.
Talking business, Trump is a businessman at his core and there is an African market. Companies like SpaceX have already made inroads through services like Starlink that is currently available in 15 African countries. In early November 2024, the demand for Starlink in Africa was so high that it sold out in major cities across five African countries.
If we think bigger, we can imagine US firms collaborating with African nations on space infrastructure, from launch facilities to satellite operations. One can even envision Trump’s Prosper Africa initiative assisting with space projects that will drive economic growth, job creation, and technology transfer in sectors that are also crucial to the US like agriculture, mining and telecommunications. In short, US companies gain new avenues for growth and Africa’s space ambitions get a boost.
Only a limited number of US companies are currently involved in Africa. This includes Maxar Space that provides 90 per cent of the geospatial intelligence used by the US government for national security and keeping American troops safe on the ground. At the same time, Maxar provides their African clients with several Earth Intelligence products to help address many of their own national priorities.
It is important to point out that, together, this will build a network of mutual benefit and is not a one-sided affair. In 2005, after Hurricane Katrina devastated the US city of New Orleans, it was a Nigerian satellite that provided the first images to local disaster response teams so they had better situation awareness of the realities on the ground.
Individual academic, business and science leaders from both the US and Africa should collaborate. Programs are already in place to assist here including the US-Africa Frontiers of Science Symposium and the Young African Leaders Initiative. Expanding these to be more space focused will encourage not just technological, but overall business and cultural exchanges.
Next steps and why now?
The US has numerous policies and entities that touch on the topic of US-Africa space relations.
Ideally, as advocated by Rose Croshier of the Center for Global Development, Trump should establish a new agency to be the main point of contact on US-Africa space relations. The individuals leading this endeavour must have the ability to see the bigger picture and then encompass, involve and shape the US Government’s approach to this broad field. It should be an urgent priority to counterbalance the influence of China and Russia in Africa as part of the great power competition.
The Americans involved in this field need to be faster and more engaging with the private sector. The federal government can be slow and is still home to many basic misconceptions of what is taking place across the African continent.
The good news is, and excuse the pun, the stars have aligned, and the timing couldn’t be better. Substantial frameworks have been established to enhance collaboration between the US and Africa in the space sector. This includes the new US-Africa Space Forum and the US-Africa Commercial Space Stakeholders Meeting. Moreover, the upcoming April 2025 inauguration of the new African Space Agency (AfSA) based in Egypt presents ideal timing for engagement. The AfSA is part of the African Union Commission and will officially oversee and coordinate Africa’s space-related activities and goals. In a broader context, we have the 2025 US-Africa Business Summit in Luanda Angola in June, and the next US-Africa Leaders’ Summit is expected to take place in Washington DC in November.
Let 2025 be the year when the Trump Administration announces significant US-Africa space initiatives. In essence, Trump can pioneer a model of global space diplomacy that could define international relations for decades to come. This will not only boost diplomatic, economic and security ties but also restore US prestige in global scientific and technological leadership, aligning with Trump’s narrative of making America great again in all spheres, including space.
Originally published by the London School of Economics and Political Science on 17 December 2024: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/2024/12/17/trump-has-an-opportunity-for-space-diplomacy-with-africa/