There is a chance to reset U.S.-Africa relations, and it requires investing in renewable energy.

The relationship between the U.S. and Africa has not been great in recent years. Former President Donald Trump was openly hostile to several African nations, calling some “shithole countries.” On a visit to sub-Saharan Africa in August, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a reboot in U.S. engagement on the continent – but is it too late to re-establish flourishing ties? Perhaps.

The Chinese and Russians have invested handsomely in Africa to fill the U.S. leadership vacuum. The strategy has paid off. China is one of the major funders of infrastructure projects through its Belt and Road Initiative, and in Africa’s growing technology sector. Russia’s deep links on the continent were on display as countries like South Africa largely kept silent on Ukraine and refused to take sides on the Russian invasion.

While the road to re-establishing robust relations will be difficult, there is a clear path the U.S. can follow. That path runs through South Africa’s rapidly changing energy needs. The national electric utility, Eskom, operates a fleet of aging coal-powered plants in desperate need of repairs.

A green energy gold rush is now taking place because South Africa’s climate is perfect for wind and solar energy creation. Chinese companies are leading efforts to supply solar energy infrastructure. Yet, there is a real opening for American green energy companies to establish a stake in South Africa’s green revolution.

Coinciding with Blinken’s tour, a group of U.S. green energy investors with more than $1 trillion in assets under management visited South Africa in a trip organized by USAID and Prosper Africa. When these companies make their first investments in the energy transition, they will follow in the footsteps of Amazon, which opened a solar farm in early 2022 to power its growing operations in South Africa.

“There are not enough public resources in donor budgets and in local budgets, for example, in South Africa, to solve the climate crisis,” Cameron Khosrowshahi, a senior investment adviser for Prosper Africa, said during the visit. “There will need to be a scaling up of private capital alongside public capital to meet the challenge. And that’s part of the reason why we’re here.”

China has established itself as a cheaper lender to fund infrastructure projects in Africa. Under Trump, there was no interest, but President Joe Biden has acknowledged Africa’s vital importance to U.S. strategic interests and is now following China’s playbook.

For this strategy to deliver results, the U.S. must tap regional partners to aid in Africa’s shift to green energy. Middle Eastern countries such as Israel and the UAE have already established themselves as critical partners in Africa’s energy transformation.

The U.S. might have the capital and knowledge to invest in Africa. Still, it will need to lean on regional partners to ensure that its investments bring about a real green energy revolution on the continent.

JOSEPH DANA is editor-in-chief of emerge85. He was previously Monocle’s Istanbul bureau chief. This story first appeared in The Arab Weekly.