AFRICA DIARY
PM Theresa May has visited Abuja , Nigeria
Haram . Nigeria is among the top five recipients of the UK ' s aid globally , receiving the second-highest assistance in the continent after Ethiopia ; and on the other side , Kenya ’ s is one of the largest travel markets for the UK with over 168,000 British visitors in 2017 .
However , trade is the biggest of all agendas as Nigeria and South Africa are the UK ’ s biggest trading partners in the continent , — with trade worth $ 3.3 billion and $ 8.7 billion respectively in 2016 — and are Africa ’ s two largest economies ; Kenya ranks ninth . All three exert significant economic influence across the region and are key gateways for investment into the rest of the continent .
Operation Fear : A Deal before Brexit
Britain leaving the EU without a deal posed an " existential threat " to the country , as it would have a " big impact " on " regions such as Scotland ". The government ministers were part of Operation Fear , whose intention was to scare the EU into compromising on a deal . PM May ’ s trip to Africa focused on " deepening and strengthening its global partnerships " ahead of her country ’ s departure from the EU in 2019 . The main objectives that her nation – through her – was hoping to achieve were boosting the UK ’ s fortunes via a trade mission after the Brexit period . This marked her first trip to the country following her election as the PM in 2016 .
The Africans are being wooed by multiple economies , and they need to declare their pick : a go-getting but welcoming China , the huge European Union community , the yet-to-beexplored potential of the United States , or the historicallyconnected United Kingdom . The trade figures also clear matters ; in 2015 , trade between the UK and Africa amounted to $ 36bn (£ 28bn ), which was way behind EU ’ s $ 305bn . In the same year , Africa ' s trade with China reached $ 188bn ; and between the US and Africa , it totalled $ 53bn .
Standing Alone : How Far UK Could Go ?
African influence in geo-economics should not be underestimated ; a united African position can be a powerful force as the recent African support for the Paris climate change agreement showed . Revisiting its term with African states can be an important part of the May administration ' s efforts to shore up its international relevance and influence after it leaves the European Union .
The UK accounts for just three percent of trade with the entire African continent ' s goods and services imports . The UK ’ s trade presence in Africa was not always this low : until late-1990s Britain accounted for nearly seven percent of the continent ’ s imports .
The present UK administration appears optimistic that it can change this . “ As the Prime Minister announced during
54 • Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 6 • Issue 9 • September 2018 , Noida