UK new prime minister and wetin e mean for Africa

Victor Ezeama

Broadcast Journalist, BBC News Pidgin

Di finance environment, trade, aid, security and politics for Africa dey change. And very fast too.

Analysts believe say di new UK goment under Liz Truss go dey rather busy wit di economic challenges for UK and di internal wahala for di Conservative Party wey Boris Johnson cause.

“Dia is no clearly defined African foreign policy wey pesin fit identify for British politics at di moment,” na so one Professor of Political science in Nigeria.

Liz Truss don emerge as di new Prime Minister of di United Kingdom.

She emerge di new leader of di UK Conservative Party afta tight contest wit Rishi Sunak, a former Finance Minister.

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of di 1922 Committee of di party backbench announce Truss as di new leader of di Conservative party on Monday.

E say Truss win 81,326 votes compared to Sunak share of 60,399 votes.

Why UK new PM concern Africa

Although, pipo no hear plenty tins from Truss about her plans for Africa – hopes and fears dey say her policies may rub-off on di continent.

Prof Eme Ekekwe, a professor of Political Science observe say Truss fit dey forced to look inwards to first tackle di local challenges wey she inherit – “She already get work wey dey wait for her.

“I expect say she go use her first year for office trying to resolve issues wey dey affect pipo like; high cost of living, energy, ethical issues within di Conservative goment and so on.

“Dis na di issues wey she first tackle. How dem go regain di trust of di British populace.”

E explain say make Africa expect less from di new UK goment becos “already, withdrawal don dey to allow dem resolve dia own internal wahala.”

Truss emergence go favour Africa?

Di new British prime minister dey take office at a time wey many residents of di UK dey struggle wit worsening economic issues wey di war for Ukraine cause. Oda factors dey too.

Dr Anthony Egobueze, another Political Science Lecturer for di Rivers state University, Southern Nigeria say Africa need to dey interested in who become UK PM becos of sustainability.

E recall former PM Boris Johnson commitment for one Britain-African Summit for 2020wey hold for London to deepen relations between UK and Africa.

“Di emergence of Liz Truss put Africa in a good place knowing say she be Foreign secretary under her predecessor, Boris Johnson,” e tok.

Liz Truss praise for Boris Johnson during her acceptance speech for di Queen Elizabeth II Centre auditorium confam dis.

E explain say Britain go kontinu dia its commitment to promote development for Africa.

‘Policy line for Africa’

Oga Olufemi Hassan, believe say di population of Africans for UK get wetin fit determine di policy “line” of di country for di continent go be.

“Truss emergence na two-way tin. While Africa need to dey interested for her goment, she also need to begin to tink about wetin UK fit benefit from Africa,” na so oga Hassan.

Di Principal Consultant for Hatytude Consulting, Lagos Nigeria say di post – Brexit era bring di need for UK to explore opportunities beyond Europe and oda developed kontris.

Di economic expert say UK “need to see di plenty opportunities for Africa as against Africa and oda developed nations.”

Oga Hassan, say while di Africa Continental free trade Agreement don already dey in operation, “di UK go need to begin to encourage dia own businesses to see how dem fit strengthen dia strategic collaborations wit African business,” adding say di “AfCFTA go open di entire continent business opportunities for di UK.”

Wetin Truss go prioritise for Africa

Though former Prime Minister Boris Johnson for di 2020 summit declare Britain as being “investment partner of choice”, pesin no fit tok much how much di collaboration between UK and Africa don bring.

Di Covid-19 pandemic don make am difficult to assess di implementation of di agreements wey dem reach for di Britain and Africa summit dat year.

However, wit current realities setting-in, di analysts say Africa require attention in key areas including;

Free trade
Security – Conflict prevention
Technology
Promoting good governance
Human rights
Climate change
Issues of accountability and transparency
Lifting people out of poverty.

For Dr Egobueze, e “expect Truss to uphold di principles of di UK on free markets, democracy and human rights as conditions to encourage growth on di African continent.”

But oga Hassan believe say beyond wetin former PM Johnson don leave behind, di new Prime Minister fit no totally abandon im policies on Africa – “I tink she fit amend some of dem wit new perspectives from di attitude of African goments.

“Her focus should be on technology transfer in oda to develop di market fofr Africa in di areas of agriculture, energy and oda industries.”

Addressing commonwealth concerns

Trade among di 56 commonwealth nations na priority policy of Liz Truss.

For di beginning of di Commonwealth Games for Birmingham di new UK PM pledg to “ensure di Commonwealth dey for di heart of my plans for Global Britain.”

Dr Egobueze say ideological differences and political instability of some members states fit make Truss “work a little difficult.”

“Di emergence of Truss na new era, a new horizon and call to action for African leaders to look up to di UK because we don get strong relationship wit di kontri.”

E say need dey for African leaders to strengthen dia institutions rather dan making strong leaders – dis e tok say fit discourage free movement of pipo and technology to di UK.

Meanwhile, Prof Ekekwe believe say di commonwealth fit dey important to di new UK government becos of di “certainty say Britain dey actively engaged for doz kontris.”

‘Unrealistic expectations’

Britain dey redefine dia self-interest and dis one go make dem no too get time for Africa, Prof Ekekwe insist.

E say Truss pledge to extend di Rwanda scheme in spite of UN opposition make am more obvious say Africa no get enough monetary support from UK.

E say di interest of di United Kingdom for Africa na to “gain allies through di continent in dia competition against di likes of China, Russia, Turkey and so on”.

Di academic say while di UK no go completely abandon Africa, e go rather focus on stabilising di economy of partner nations to deepen free trade but “dis go come wit deep cut in foreign aid wey go hit a lot of African kontris.

“Liz Truss and di Conservative party go be more inclined not necessarily to disengage from Africa but play for Africa only to di extent dat clear benefit dey and di private sector for di UK get aas dem dey for Africa.”

Prof Eme Ekekwe suggest say need for African leaders to become strong wit Britain becos di effect of Brexit still dey in play.

Who is Liz Truss

For di age of seven, Liz Truss play di role of Margaret Thatcher for her school mock general election.

But unlike di prime minister, wey win huge majority for 1983, she no dey successful.

Many years later, Liz Truss recall: “I jump at di chance and give ogbonge speech for di hustings, but ended up with zero votes. I no even vote for myself.”

Thirty-nine years afta, she dey jump at di chance to follow di Iron Lady lead for real and become Conservative leader and prime minister. Di foreign secretary trail ex-Chancellor Rishi Sunak in all five rounds of voting by Tory MPs.

But bookmakers dey see her as di clear favourite to win, as she don spend years building relationships with constituency associations and remain loyal to Boris Johnson during di darkest days of im premiership.

In many ways, she no be conventional Tory.

Dem born Mary Elizabeth Truss for Oxford for 1975. She describe her father, wey be mathematics professor, and her mother, wey be nurse, as “left-wing”.

As a young girl, her mama take on marches for di Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, one organisation wey strongly dey opposed to di Thatcher goment decision to allow US nuclear warheads to dey installed for RAF Greenham Common, west of London.