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You know what will really help that? Removing the only African-born member of the House of Representatives from the House Foreign Affairs Committee for performative racist, sexist, and Islamaphobic political theatre. 
That'll convince Africa we're on their side. \/s >

My hot take that I don't feel like justifying further than this comment is that George W Bush was the best president when it came to being a partner to African Nations. It's the closest the US came to striking a helpful balance between its interests and the interests of partnering nations. It might be the only win for his presidency. >

The way to counter them is to find fast ways to bring off-grid smart power and telecom systems to as many villages, small cities, and regional avenues as possible - the most important word being fast.
China and Russia are acquiring land and rights to go in and build their own grids and systems, happily using money to corrupt local leaders, until they control all infrastructure (and will bring in their own nationals to build and settle).
The US and allies need to back operations that can quickly install locally managed sustainable power and communications grids, to give African communities a shot at democratic infrastructure (and jobs). Things like what Toronto's Clear Blue Technologies is doing in many African regions. 
The tech already exists that could be quickly and broadly deployed, to undercut Russia and China by helping African nations and communities to beat them to the post with their own local and interconnected sustainable grids. >

honestly, with huge swaths of africa being the unstable money pits that they are. i say let em go for it.