The Africa Report published on 16 April 2025 an article titled "As Trump and China Disengage, Africa Turns to Gulf States, Says Carlos Lopes" by Carien du Plessis.
Carlos Lopes, former head of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, commented recently that the Trump administration has disrupted China's Belt and Road Initiative and ties with Africa by focusing on opening an Artic Sea route and taking steps such as dismantling USAID. Gulf States are beginning to fill the void in Africa. The UAE, for example, has replaced China as the continent's largest investor. But Lopes sees China as only pausing engagement and eventually returning in a major way.