Congress poised to remove hurdles to U.S.–Africa development aid

African economies account for many of the world’s fastest growing economies and are increasingly attractive as investment locations due to low labor costs. However, poor energy and transportation infrastructure stymie much of this potential, particularly in Africa’s sixteen landlocked countries. Under the new law, MCC would be able to contribute to greater infrastructure solutions, including road construction and large-scale projects like the West African Gas Pipeline, which carries crucial energy resources across borders.

MCC would also be poised to better engage in a space that has been dominated by China, which has invested heavily in regional projects such as the $4 billion Ethiopia-Djibouti railway. Historically, the United States has limited itself to smaller, country-specific engagement, while the estimated $1 trillion China has committed to its Belt and Road Initiative aims to link economies across borders.

The bottom line: This new effort by Congress will go a long way to removing self-imposed obstacles and modernize the United States’ involvement in emerging economies.

Aubrey Hruby is a nonresident senior fellow in the Atlantic Council's Africa Center.