Vol. 12(1), pp. 55 -70. May, 2024. 

ISSN: 2360-784X

https://doi.org/10.14662/ijpsd2024100

 

Full Length Research

 

Abstract

This study investigates whether US foreign policy towards Africa has become more securitized since the late 1990s through a qualitative single case study approach. It argues that three key interrelated factors have driven this securitization: energy security concerns amidst heavy US reliance on foreign oil supplies and instability in the Middle East; the incorporation of Africa into the Global War on Terror to combat weak states seen as havens for terrorists threatening US interests post-9/11; and most significantly, the perception of China’s expanding African ties as undermining US dominance and access to critical resources. The paper utilizes securitization theory to examine how US policymakers have employed security rhetoric to portray Africa as a “high priority” threat, justifying expanded militarization like AFRICOM’s establishment. It adopts an incremental view that securitization intensified gradually after the Cold War rather than suddenly. Although Africa faces genuine security challenges, the paper argues that an imbalanced US focus on security governance without sufficient economic development assistance risks exacerbating tensions. A more calibrated US strategy integrating development and security is vital for sustainable Africa partnerships.

 

Keywords: Energy Security, Terrorism, China-Africa Relations, U.S. Foreign Policy, Securitization Theory, Global War on Terror, Militarization

 

	Cite This Article As: Dapaah, D. (2024). Energy security, Terrorism and the Rise of China: The Securitization of U.S. Foreign Policy in Africa. Int. J. Polit. Sci. Develop. 12(1):55-70