The African Union summit, convening on February 13, 2026, is heavily influenced by U.S. President Donald Trump's policies, despite his absence. Trump's approach, characterized by a shift from multilateral aid to transactional partnerships, has introduced significant uncertainty for the 55 member states. As reported by Clash Report, the U.S. policy document, spanning 29 pages, dedicates only three paragraphs to Africa, focusing on countering Chinese influence and replacing the 'foreign aid paradigm' with investment models. Carlos Lopes from the University of Cape Town noted that 'US policy toward Africa has introduced a degree of uncertainty.' The dismantling of USAID, which previously provided 26% of the continent's foreign aid, has disrupted health programs, potentially contributing to between 500,000 and 1,000,000 deaths annually, according to the Center for Global Development. Belinda Archibong of Johns Hopkins SAIS highlighted the 'huge, detrimental negative impacts' of these changes.