Trump's Return to Power: A Shift in Global Politics?

One of the most anticipated shifts is a change in US foreign policy, particularly concerning the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Dr. Ntsikelelo Breakfast, a senior lecturer in the Department of History and Political Studies at Nelson Mandela University, said, citing the fact President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly pledged to cease funding Ukraine, leading to hopes for a swift resolution to the conflict.

"Trump, in the buildup to the elections, made a commitment that he's going to stop funding Ukraine. So we might see a policy shift on a global scale in terms of how America is going to respond to international conflicts," Dr. Breakfast told Sputnik Africa. "I anticipate the end of the war between Russia and Ukraine."

In addition, US-China relations are expected to be strained, given Trump's previous approach to Beijing, the expert said. The return of tariffs on Chinese goods and a focus on domestic interests could exacerbate existing trade tensions and potentially lead to a new "trade war."

"Trump is a reactionary person, and he believes that America is doing very well when it was not trading that much on a global scale," Dr. Breakfast stated. "The problem with Trump is that he can be very unpredictable."

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The Republican politician's stance on international conflicts could also affect African trade deals. The new administration's potential for increased competition with Russia's and China's growing influence in Africa is a concern: "I'm just sensing a danger that South Africa, for instance, has been having tensions with the US because it supports Russia and China."

"The Americans, under the Democrats, they wanted South Africa to arrest Putin, but South Africa refused. And the debate was whether America should not withdraw the trading agreement between South Africa and America. So with Trump now in power, I think there might be consequences if countries like South Africa don't want to comply and give in to the demands of the US," he argued.

Dr. Breakfast believes that the potential impact on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is another area of concern, as Trump has stated his commitment to continue funding Israel.

"These are double standards because he wants to stop financing Ukraine. But at the same time, he doesn’t want to stop financing Israel," he said. "I think the magnitude of the conflict with the West, indeed, will be escalated."

Despite potential shifts in global relations, Dr. Breakfast believes Africa's key demands will remain unchanged. "Africa has always wanted to have a strong footprint on a global scale and to be recognized as a continent that has a role to play in the global market and also in multilateral institutions… So I think those demands will continue to be made."