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During his final overseas trip in office, President Biden will visit Angola to explore its history and economic potential. He plans to visit a slavery museum and emphasize a rail corridor that is a key part of his administration’s regional strategy.
Authored by Zolan Kanno-Youngs
Zolan Kanno-Youngs reports on the White House and will be accompanying President Biden on Air Force One for a trip to Angola.
President Biden is set to embark on his long-awaited trip to Africa, starting with a visit to Angola on Sunday night. The purpose of the visit is to recognize the difficult history shared between the two countries and to pledge to a future of increased economic support and investment.
The journey to Africa taken by Mr. Biden marks the first time an American president has visited the continent since Barack Obama’s visit to Kenya and Ethiopia in 2015.
Mr. Biden’s visit to Africa is expected to be his final overseas trip as president. He promised to visit the continent in 2022 to show the United States’ commitment to Africa’s future. Despite some setbacks, Mr. Biden is now on a three-day diplomatic tour of Angola, where he will visit a slavery museum and highlight a rail corridor that showcases his administration’s economic approach in the region.
A project called the Lobito Corridor, costing $1 billion, aims to connect Angola with Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, countries abundant in essential minerals needed for smartphone and electric vehicle batteries. President Biden is showcasing this project to strengthen American efforts to access these crucial resources in Africa and to counter China’s increasing influence in the region.
Foreign policy experts believe that even though the Biden administration is making efforts to strengthen relationships, the United States is still falling behind China and Russia in terms of economic and security influence in Africa.
Tibor P. Nagy Jr., a former ambassador to Africa appointed by both President Bill Clinton and the Trump administration, pointed out that since disengaging with post-colonial Africa, it has been given very little importance. He criticized administrations for creating ambitious African strategies that lack substance, likening it to the phrase "Where is the beef?" from an old advertisement.
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