David Ofosu-Dorte, Senior Partner at AB & David Africa, has described the potential return of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States as a pivotal moment for African nations to reassess their dependency on foreign aid and prioritise self-reliance.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show with Bernard Avle, Ofosu-Dorte addressed Trump’s decision to drastically reduce funding to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the broader implications for Africa.

He emphasised that Trump’s approach to foreign policy, particularly toward Africa, should serve as a wake-up call for the continent to explore innovative strategies for sustainable development.

Trump’s administration implemented sweeping cuts to foreign aid programmes, including significant reductions to USAID, which has long been a major source of development assistance for African nations.

Programmes targeting health, education, food security, and governance across the continent were directly affected by these cuts.

One of the most notable examples was the decision to withdraw $613 million in funding from South Africa, citing disagreements over the country’s land redistribution policies.

This move sparked widespread concern about the potential impact on initiatives ranging from HIV/AIDS treatment to economic empowerment programs.

Ofosu-Dorte noted that Trump’s attitude toward Africa has always been dismissive, pointing out that the former U.S. president had not even extended invitations to African leaders for his inauguration.

“This is an opportunity for us to take charge of what is important to us. Trump doesn’t care about Africa and he didn’t even invite Africa to his inauguration.

“About South Africa, he is talking about stopping their aid because of land issues and you look at the amount of money [$613 million] he is taking away, it tells us that Africa should realise there are things we need to do for us.”