November 8^th, 2016 is definitely a day that, not only America, but the world at large will live to remember. America took to the polls to elect the 44^th president; who was either going to be billionaire businessman Donald Trump or former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. The election was an unprecedented one because of Republican candidate Donald Trump; his character, his rhetoric, and his views, which, almost always, stirred controversy. Having no experience whatsoever in public service and losing endorsement from his own party, it was thought that he stood no chance at getting into the White House. Most, if not all of the opinion polls had called for the winner to be Democrat candidate Hilary Clinton, but come D-day, it was Republican candidate Donald Trump that won the vote.

Coming to terms with a Donald Trump presidency was and still is difficult for some Americans who fail to understand how an outrightly racist and misogynistic man, whose intolerant remarks on issues, such as refugees, terrorism, and Islam among others brought division to a country that has long struggled and is still struggling with building tolerance and appreciation for difference, could become President. In an interview with Babita Sharma for the BBC’s 100 Women season, US singer and songwriter Alicia Keys stated that she was disappointed that so much hateful rhetoric, sexism, and intolerance is rewarded with a Trump presidency. [1]

At her fundraising concert in Miami, icon Madonna called Donald Trump toxic stating that she felt ashamed to be American and ashamed to be a human being, really.[2] The results sparked protests across the country from New York to Atlanta to San Diego with protesters chanting ‘not our president.’[3] The latest anti-Trump move has been to call for a recount of votes in various States in a bid to reverse the results.[4]

The impact of his messages of hate throughout the campaign period has been evident through bullying in schools and a wave of hate crime attacks. Minorities in one school faced bullying and had chants of ‘build the wall’ thrown at them.[5] Elsewhere, a Shasta High School student gave out phony deportation notices to several students of different ethnicities at the school urging them to go back to Africa.[6]

Despite the dislike for the president-elect, he is set to be America’s next President. So what does a Trump presidency mean for peace in Africa? While campaigning, Donald Trump gave a speech on foreign policy stating that America had done so well until the idea that America could make Western democracies out of countries that had no experience or interest in becoming a Western democracy.[7] The impact was the destruction of institutions, hence the mistakes in Libya, Egypt, and the Middle East. His proposed solutions were to halt the spread and reach of radical Islam by working closely with American allies in the US and by revising immigration policies, rebuilding the military, mending relations with China and Russia, and revising deals previously made.[8]

Different experts have made observations on the president-elect’s foreign policy and what they think he will do to deal with the different peace situations in the world. According to Anne-Marie Slaughter, an international lawyer, foreign policy analyst, political scientist, and public commentator: Trump thinks that the war is against Islam. There have been many suggestions to overthrow the Islamic Republic of Iran and that, is a huge problem.[9] Ian Bremmer, an American political Scientist specializing in U.S. foreign policy, states in transition, and global political risk thinks that the danger under Trump is that Muslims in the US will feel unwelcome and that his position is contradictory. Iran is one of the greatest fighters of ISIS and he wants to befriend everyone fighting ISIS, but he is hostile against Iran.[10]

The president-elect has been known to be very favourable towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite Russia’s controversial annexation of Crimea and its ongoing onslaught in Aleppo. Carl Bildt, a Swedish diplomat, and politician opined that it was the end of the West as we know it and that if an invasion is tolerated in one country, then it becomes tolerable for everyone.[11]

Professor Peter Kagwanja, a Kenyan intellectual, expert on security, governance and strategic issues, and founder and Chief Executive of the Africa Policy Institute in an interview with Phillipa Thomas for the BBC Weekend noted the following: America’s priorities are security issues and Trump was a double edged sword to security, in that his Islamophobia will fuel the tension between cultures, but he has a no-nonsense approach to terrorism.

Luke Hartig, a fellow at New America National Security Program notes that the Obama approach has been to have an ally on the ground and help that ally protect the US. What the Trump administration’s approach will be is tough to say.[12] According to General Glenn, National Security Advisor to the president-elect, the Obama administration has not been forceful enough. According to him, we need to watch the lawyers that will draft the laws to justify the actions that will be taken.[13]

It is noteworthy that the president-elect wants no more boots on the ground. This could essentially mean that his administration will do its best to solve problems diplomatically. It is safe to conclude that Africa could expect intervention aimed at overthrowing their leaders and the systems in place, as was done in Libya and Egypt. For example, they will have less support, in terms of troops deployed by America abroad to keep peace, cooperation with the US to fight terrorism, which continues to rock Kenya and neighbouring Somalia, the pursuit of dialogue and diplomacy to solve conflicts, such as those in South Sudan and most of all, in line with America first, that they will have to pull their own weight and contribute (more) should troops be sent to African countries.

The president-elect is, however, known to be very contradictory in his remarks from day-to-day, therefore, we can only wait and see what steps he will, in actual fact, take and whether his approach will be different from outgoing President Barrack Obama.

[1] ‘100 Women 2016: Alicia Keys on why a ‘girl can’t be herself’,www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-381016556

[2] ‘Madonna repeatedly slams ‘toxic’ Donald Trump and says she’s ashamed to be an American at Miami concert’, www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3996588/Madonna-raises-7-5M-Malawi-slams-Trump-Miami-show.html 3rd December 2016

[3] Catherine E. Shoichet, Amanda Jackson and Rolando Zenteno, CNN, ‘What do anti – Trump protesters want?Here are 5 key demands’, November 15^th 2016 https://edition.cnn.com/2016/11/11/politics/trump-protests-key-demands/

[4] Jon Swaine and Mona Chalabi, Monday 28^th  November 2016, ‘US election recount: how it began and what effect it could have’ https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/28/election-recount-jill-stein-hillary-clinton-donald-trump

[5] CNN, ‘The World Right Now with Hala Gorani’, 14^th November 2016

[6] BBC, The Inquiry, 15^th November 2016

[7] ‘Donald J. Trump Foreign Policy Speech’, April 27, 2016, https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/donald-j-trump-foreign-policy-speech

[8] Ibid

[9] CNN, Fareed Zakaria GPS, 14^th November 2016

[10] Ibid

[11] CNN, Amanpour, 16^th November 2016,’Bildt: It’s the end of the West as we know it’ https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/11/16/intv-amanpour-carl-bildt.cnn

[12] 29^th November 2016, 9:45 a.m., BBC Newsday

[13] Ibid