Washington (AFP) - The United States on Monday unveiled a comprehensive reformulation of its policy in sub-Saharan Africa, where it intends to confront the Russian and Chinese presence and develop non-military methods against terrorism.

This new strategy, which takes into account Africa's growing population importance and its weight in the United Nations as well as its vast natural resources and opportunities, coincides with the start of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's second African tour that will lead him to South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.

This shift also comes at a time when some assert that the US focus on combating extremist groups in Africa militarily has not yielded significant results.

The new guidance document unveiled on Monday affirms that "the United States has a significant interest in ensuring that the region remains open and accessible to all, and that governments and peoples can make their own political choices (...)".

"Open societies generally tend to work in concert with the United States, attract more US trade and investment (...) and counter the harmful activities of the People's Republic of China, Russia and other foreign actors," she added.

The document, titled "U.S. Strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa," details four five-year goals: supporting open societies, delivering democratic and security gains, working on post-pandemic recovery, enabling economic opportunity, supporting climate conservation and adaptation, and equitable energy transition.

The US document refers to the White House's allegations against Beijing and Moscow in Africa.

It considers that Beijing is acting in it as "an arena to challenge the rules-based international order, to promote its exclusive commercial and geopolitical interests (...) and to weaken US relations with African peoples and governments."

As for Russia, it "believes that the region represents a permissive environment for parastatal and private military companies, often creating instability to gain strategic and financial advantages," according to the US document, which also refers to the use of "disinformation."

And while about 70 percent of Africans express firm support for democracy, the number of so-called free states has shrunk to eight, a number that was not so low thirty years ago.

The document proposes increased efforts to "stop the recent wave of tyranny and military coups by working with allies and partners in the region to respond to democratic backsliding and human rights abuses."

She added that the United States would use its "unilateral capabilities", that is, military, against terrorist targets "only when it is lawful and where the threat is most acute."

The aim is to prioritize "civilian-led approaches where this is possible and effective".
The US interest in Africa has often not been overshadowed by its priorities and the US administration's hopes to change its policy.
An American-African summit is scheduled for December 13 in Washington.