Kenya is urging African countries to strengthen self-reliance and deepen multilateral cooperation as global tensions—from the Iran conflict to the war in Ukraine—reshape markets and alliances. Speaking in London, Foreign Affairs chief Musalia Mudavadi said Africa must convert its economic potential into geopolitical influence while managing risks such as rising oil prices. Nairobi is pursuing a “multi-alliance” strategy, maintaining ties with partners including the US, UK, EU, China, India, and Gulf states, while expanding intra-African trade through the AfCFTA and digital platforms like BiasharaLink. If successful, the policy will deliver a boon to African exporters and regional trade networks positioned to capture new markets potentially worth billions of dollars. However, for traditional global superpowers, increased self-reliance would reduce their ability to demand exclusive geopolitical loyalty from African nations. In the long term, this strategy will accelerate Africa’s transition from a vulnerable importer into a unified, self-sufficient geopolitical bloc capable of weathering external crises.
African Business
