The recent visit by US President Donald Trump to China has renewed discussions among African observers about the importance of cooperation between the world's two largest economies for global stability and Africa's development.

Analysts and business leaders say collaboration between Beijing and Washington could ease geopolitical tensions and create broader opportunities for trade, investment and infrastructure development across Africa.

Mark Badmus, chief executive of AMB Global Trade Finance Consultants, said a partnership between the two countries is essential to maintaining peace and sustaining global economic progress.

Developments between the United States and China often have far-reaching implications for Africa because global economic disruptions can quickly affect energy prices, trade flows and financial markets, Badmus said.

China-US cooperation can create opportunities for African economies in infrastructure, technology, climate action and trade, he said.

However, African countries must also strengthen collaboration among themselves to fully benefit from engagement with global powers, he added.

A unified African position in global affairs would help the continent secure better outcomes when engaging with major economies, Badmus said.

"If Africa speaks with one voice, it will gain more advantage," he said. "But if countries continue aligning individually based on historical ties, such as with former colonial powers, they may not achieve much."

Steph Davy Nguimbi, deputy CEO of Warwyck Private Bank in Mauritius, said China-US ties are crucial for global economic stability.

"The world today is like a village," he said. "When those two fight, the repercussions are felt everywhere, even in African countries that may not be directly involved."

Nguimbi expressed hope that outcomes between Washington and Beijing during Trump's visit could help address ongoing economic and geopolitical challenges.

While African nations maintain diplomatic and economic ties with both powers, a cooperative relationship between the US and China would reduce global uncertainty and help foster a more stable environment for Africa's growth, he said.

James Mwangi, CEO of Africa Climate Ventures, said stronger China-US cooperation would have a significant impact on Africa. Geopolitical rivalry between them could undermine Africa's efforts to address climate change, food insecurity and industrial development, he said.

Climate-smart farming solutions in Africa rely on interconnected global partnerships, he said.

Mwangi said agricultural projects across Africa depend on carbon demand from US and European Union buyers, manufacturing inputs with significant Chinese participation, and implementation by African farmers and businesses.

"All three have to work together," he said. "When geopolitical rivalry creates friction in any one of those links, an East African smallholder farmer loses access to a product that could protect her yields through a drought year."

Green transition

Mwangi added that China-US cooperation is also essential to Africa's transition to cleaner transport systems and green industrialization.

"Chinese technology is what makes the economics viable at African price points, while US development finance is what makes early-stage investment bankable," he said. "Rivalry doesn't produce a winner in Africa. It produces a gap."

Citing climate-related risks, Mwangi warned that Africa could face a projected 5 to 10 percent decline in crop yields with less than 2 degrees of global warming, while an estimated 52 million Africans have already been affected by droughts or flooding over the past two years.

"The businesses we are building are a direct response to that and they need the world's two largest economies pulling in the same direction," he said.