By WILFRED CLARKE

From the withdrawal of President Donald Trump’s USAID, the Chief Executive Officer of The Africa Centre in London sees things differently for this year, even though the year is still some few months from its beginning. 

Painting a rather glowing picture of some happenings in the Continent of Africa and beyond, he said: “2025 is certainly living up to expectations of being a pivotal year. 

“While some developments are worrying, especially the escalation of conflicts in DRC and Sudan, others provide us with opportunities. 

Delving deeper into his view of the current political and economic conditions of the continent of Africa, he stated: “The decision of the Trump administration to suspend the activities of USAID, the main agency responsible for administering financial assistance around the world, is especially a mixed blessing. 

Reiterating his stand-point, he added: “There is no gainsaying that there will be an immediate impact for several programmes across Africa in employment, access to certain medication, poverty alleviation and gender equality initiatives.” 

Although a cross section of some Africans are not too happy about the situation, he has got a different view, saying: “Beyond this though, Africa needs to see this for what it is: a moment of critical opportunity for the continent via its relevant agencies to develop internally focused and financed initiatives that would not be subject to the whims and caprices of international donor governments and agencies. 

“This would also help to alleviate some of the concerns that many have of how these Western agencies directly or indirectly contribute to insecurity.” 

According to the C.E.O of The Africa Centre, “The 5 biggest USAID beneficiaries in Africa last year were Ethiopia, Congo DR, South Sudan, Somalia and Nigeria, receiving between $1.2billion and $738m in 2024.” 

In his explanation: “These amounts are dwarfed by the remittances most of these countries receive from their Diaspora. These are also some of the most resource-rich nations on the continent.” 

Praising two presidents from the East and West of Africa Mr Olu said: “Kenya’s President Ruto and Ghana’s President Mahama have both been quite correct in identifying that there is opportunity in this seeming adversity.” 

Buttressing his points, he said: “With the right investment and the development or strengthening of appropriate institutions, this could be a catalyst for harnessing Africa’s natural resources into the development of pharmaceutical, healthcare and other sectoral industries.

“For long, we have stated that Africa needs trade and not aid. Now we have a wake-up call that can jumpstart an internally powered and sustainable engine for growth.”

Telling it as he sees it, he continued that: “It is apt that this conversation is happening in the month of the anniversary of the end of the 1884-85 Berlin Conference.”

Concluding with an Africa Centre statement, he said: “One of the key aims in The Africa Centre, is not just to highlight the history that continues to have immense impact on Africa’s geopolitics, but to also interrogate how we can gain true economic, cultural and political emancipation.”