How SA can benefit from a Biden administration
The General Services Administration on Tuesday informed Joe Biden that the Trump administration is ready to begin the formal transition process, according to a letter from Administrator Emily Murphy. This paves the way for President-elect, Joe Biden, to build his cabinet and prepare for takeover in January next year. But how can South Africa benefit from a Biden administration?
President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday started building out his cabinet as he prepares for his time in the White House.
This, after the General Services Administration informed Biden that the Trump administration is ready to begin the formal transition process, according to a letter from Administrator, Emily Murphy sent on Monday afternoon.
This turn of events indicates for all practical reasons that President Trump is admitting defeat shortly after the results of the battleground state of Michigan certified Biden as the winner. But besides the go-ahead from GSA, Trump has not said a word yet.
So far, President-elect Joe Biden unveiled a slate of top foreign policy and national security picks. All of the cabinet positions will require senate confirmation, in addition to some of the other cabinet-level positions. One of the more well-known names in the list that have been announced thus far, is that of former presidential hopeful, John Kerry, who will head Biden’s turnaround strategy for America’s climate crisis policy.
But the big question here is if South Africa can benefit from a Biden administration. Izak du Plessis asked a few experts what they think.
The political commentator and brand manager Solly Moeng said America should only get involved in South Africa and the rest of Africa if they “support the good governments, not the despots who make their people suffer”, while the economist Dawie Roodt is of the opinion that Biden’s administration will turn a blind eye to the ANC’s irrational economical decisions, and therefore will not be much of a benefit to the country.
Political analyst and head of the Mapungubwe Institute, Dr Oscar van Heerden said he hopes America’s law enforcement agencies will help to bring the Guptas to book.
The president of Agri SA, Christo van der Rheede, is of the opinion that the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) should get renewed attention from Biden which will be beneficial to agriculture in South Africa.
Watch the report compiled by Izak du Plessis
