By: The Fatu Network Editorial
According to a Seneweb article published on February 6, citing an interview in Le Soleil newspaper the same day, Senegalese economist Papa Demba Thiam views Donald Trump’s 90-day freeze on U.S. foreign aid as a potential advantage for Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, and the Sahel States Alliance (AES) nations—Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali.
Thiam argues that Trump could be a strategic ally for African governments seeking greater sovereignty, as he opposes what Thiam describes as the “institutionalized manufacturing of poverty” by multilateral organizations and instead advocates for business-oriented, mutually beneficial partnerships.
He further suggests that this shift could encourage African nations to reduce reliance on foreign aid and focus on developing strategic growth opportunities and inclusive value chains.
