AU-US Infrastructure Partnership Tests Africa’s Strategic Ownership

The African Union and the United States are building out their Strategic Infrastructure and Investment Working Group, launched in January to channel US private capital into building infrastructure that is aligned with the continent’s development plans. The first projects include port expansions in Mozambique, a hydrogen hub in Namibia, the Inga hydroelectric scheme in Congo, and a data center. The partnership could help address Africa’s annual infrastructure financing gap, estimated at between $68 billion and $108 billion. However, the AU must coordinate member states, communities, businesses, and financial institutions, while moving faster than its traditional bureaucracy. The US also faces challenges, including investor concerns about the rule of law as well as concerns about its shrinking diplomatic presence. Experts argue that African ownership, predictable business conditions, and stronger private-sector participation will determine whether the partnership succeeds.