Middle powers like Canada, Germany, and Brazil are caught in an escalating geopolitical vice. As protectionist sentiment in Washington creates new trade barriers, middle powers face growing pressure to seek alternative markets. However, reflexively pivoting toward Beijing carries significant strategic risks. China currently holds a near-monopoly on critical mineral processing, controlling over 90 percent of global battery-grade graphite and rare earth elements. Trading economic reliance on the United States for strategic dependence on China does not deliver autonomy; it merely exchanges one vulnerability for another. The true, sustainable off-ramp for middle powers lies across the Atlantic by deepening strategic trade partnerships with African economies. Long relegated to the periphery of Western foreign policy or viewed through the outdated lens of foreign aid, the African continent is undergoing a massive structural transformation. Driven by the African Continental Free Trade ...
President Trump’s tariff strategy, aimed at revitalizing American manufacturing, continues to spark debate across economic and political circles. While the intent is clear, the broader implications raise important questions about its alignment with long‑term economic trends. The U.S. manufacturing sector has steadily shrunk over the past five decades, falling from 23% of GDP in 1970 to just 9.7% in early 2025. Job losses have followed suit, prompting concern among policymakers and workers alike. Yet this decline is not unique to the United States—similar patterns are evident in Canada , Germany , and Japan . Economists point to a natural evolution in advanced economies: agriculture gives way to manufacturing, which is eventually overtaken by services. In the U.S., the service sector has expanded from 71.8% of GDP in 1997 to 83.7% in 2025, driving employment growth and contributing to a low unemploy...