New US legislation shows continuity in Africa trade policy

US President Donald Trump signed into law the African Growth and Opportunity (Agoa) Act and Millennium Challenge Act (MCA) Modernisation Act on 23 April. In so doing he approved legislation aiming to promote foreign trade, support lower tariffs, and extend the domain of US development aid, showing the less-publicised, softer side of his approach to foreign policy. The signing was followed at the end of April by a visit to Washington by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, the first African head of state to visit Trump in the White House.