By Rosette Kagushi
Ugandans are watching the U.S. presidential contest between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris with less interest. Most countries in Europe and other parts of the world are tracking the race more closely than Uganda.
But does it really matter for Ugandans, Africans to watch the election even though they are not voters?
Ugandans need to think about how this election can shape the future of relations worldwide.
The US gives Uganda close to a billion dollars on aid. Whoever sits in the oval office determines how this money is distributed in Uganda.
Under Biden whose administration backs gay rights, funding has been partly stiffled and this comes with trickle down effect. This has been felt in the space of trade with Uganda being stripped of its AGOA privileges. It is safe to say that unet Kamala, status quo is likely to be maintained. Following the polls closely will help one to align their priorities.
The United States is one of the stakeholders in the world politically, socially, and economically and it contributes to global stability. Even now with the war in Ukraine and Russia, Israeli and Palestinian conflict. It seems to be in the middle of the conflict as a protector for some of these countries. And the whole world including Uganda is watching the United States election closely even if most citizens are aware of the details of the election. It’s important to note that all global affairs have a ripple effect and even us in the global south can be affected by all these significant events. I think it’s also another moment in history as President Biden stepped down and backed his Vice President Kamala Harris. Kamala Harris is the first black American female candidate for the presidency of the United States.
The United States election which will take place on November 5th will usher in a new era that will shape global politics. Even if the president is Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris, they will have to face the uncertainties in the ever-changing world and issues affecting the globe as a whole which are a lot currently.
Outcomes of this election towards geopolitics
The rocky U.S.-Russian relationship goes back the the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Both presidential candidates were asked at former President Trump’s debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, whether the U.S. has a national interest in securing Ukraine’s win in its war with Russia?
Former President Donald Trump is contesting for his second term with his famous slogan, “America First” policies which is very popular among his voters.
AI and Technology
The emerging artificial intelligence (AI) has led researchers to predict the beginning of a new era in geopolitics. However,, TikTok and other foreign technology companies in the United States of America raise concerns among policymakers who see them as a threat to national security.
Kamala Harris’s Perspective on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology
Harris stated that Washington ought to ensure that corporations adopt Artificial Intelligence mechanisms appropriately. Harris has presided over prior efforts to generate a federal approach to AI administration and the Biden-Harris administration took actions to slow down China’s expansion of progressive technologies.
President Donald Trump
Also, president, Trump unveils his first national vision on rising sectors such as Artificial Intelligence and cybersecurity. He outlined the evolution of artificial intelligence as a technological race with China amidst tensions with the U.S. Big tech that drives the industry evolution.
According to the Pew Research Center, grown-ups below the age of thirty years in the United States consider different foreign policy priorities described about the older generation. Six out of ten Americans between the ages of eighteen and twenty-nine look at combating climate change as their top priority. Only about four in ten Americans over the age of thirty feel the same way. Conversely, nine in ten Americans over the age of fifty see preventing terrorism as a top priority. Just 55 percent of young Americans do. The young and the old show similar divergences on issues such as Iran, Israel, NATO, and Ukraine, with younger voters being less supportive. One thing to keep in mind. Older Americans are far more likely to vote than younger ones.
More research shows that Americans see both Harris’s and Trump’s proximate resilience and shortcomings. One consequence is that a significant possibility exists amongst Harris and Trump voters on permissible presidential actions. It has been reported that most of the parties approve that both presidential candidates need to employ executive orders when they fail to acquire their policies through Congress, consensus ceases there. Statistics show that fifty -four percent of Trump voters convey that it is permissible for President Trump to mandate federal law enforcement officials to examine Democratic political opponents. It is reported that 27 percent of Harris’s voters approvethat it would be appropriate for President Harris to do so. Likewise, 41 percent of Trump supporters see no problem with a future President Trump terminating federal employees who arenot loyal to him.. Only 12 percent of Harris’s backers were satisfied with acting similarly.
