Us-China rivalry puts Cameroon in trump’s economic crosshairs

Under Donald Trump’s administration, Washington has recalibrated its Africa policy to counter China’s growing influence—particularly in critical mineral supply chains.

At the heart of this strategy is an aggressive push to secure rare earth elements and transition minerals like nickel and cobalt, with Cameroon positioned as a strategic partner.

GreenMet, a company founded by Drew Horn—former senior advisor to Trump’s National Security Council—has emerged as the public face of this initiative. Horn’s recent visit to Yaoundé, though discreet, underscored the depth of U.S. ambitions in the region. His network includes close Trump associates like former White House Counsel George Sorial and Keith Schiller, ex-head of Trump Organization security.

American Renaissance Minerals (ARM), a GreenMet affiliate, has already secured a leading role in Cameroon’s Nkamouna nickel and cobalt project. Washington’s focus now extends to rare earth elements, with U.S. officials actively negotiating memoranda of understanding (MoUs) whose details remain undisclosed.

Breaking from traditional diplomatic channels, Trump circumvented congressional restrictions to reinstate Cameroon in trade discussions. The administration has leveraged the American Chamber of Commerce in Cameroon (AmCham) as a conduit for commercial agreements, prioritizing transparency in extractive industries and legal frameworks—a sharp contrast to China’s opaque mineral deals in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.

U.S. intelligence has reportedly intervened following revelations from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) about illicit gold trafficking, with Washington collaborating with Yaoundé to dismantle these networks.

The American diplomatic offensive extends beyond economics. In an eight-month span, Cameroonian President Paul Biya hosted two AFRICOM commanders: General Dagvin Anderson (September 2025) and Lieutenant-General John William Brennan Jr. (May 2026). These high-level engagements signal strengthened security cooperation.

Washington’s push for improved business conditions in Cameroon comes with a clear message: “I would love to see more American businesses investing in Cameroon, fostering trade relationships, and forming joint ventures with Cameroonian firms. This benefits both nations—it creates jobs in the U.S., supports American industries—a priority for President Trump—and boosts Cameroon’s economy.”

Christopher Lamora, U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon, emphasized this vision after meeting with President Biya earlier this year.

With China having poured over $700 billion into 49 African countries, the U.S. is determined to reclaim ground. Some analysts draw parallels between Trump’s strategy and the transformation of Asian “tiger economies” (South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore), suggesting Cameroon, Nigeria, and Kenya could follow a similar developmental trajectory under U.S. patronage.