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During his final overseas trip as president, Biden will be visiting Angola to explore the country’s history and economic potential. He plans to visit a slavery museum and highlight a rail corridor that aligns with his administration’s regional strategy.
Authored by Zolan Kanno-Youngs
Zolan Kanno-Youngs is a journalist who reports on the activities at the White House and will be accompanying President Biden on his trip to Angola aboard Air Force One.
On Sunday night, President Biden will embark on a long-anticipated trip to Africa, starting with a visit to Angola. The purpose of the visit is to recognize the complex and difficult history between the United States and Angola, while also expressing a commitment to future economic partnerships and investments.
President Biden’s visit to Africa is the first time an American president has visited the continent since Barack Obama’s trip to Kenya and Ethiopia in 2015.
This trip is expected to be the final one Mr. Biden takes overseas while he is in office. He promised in 2022 to visit Africa to show the United States’ commitment to the continent’s future. Despite facing several delays, Mr. Biden is now on a three-day diplomatic visit to Angola. During his visit, he will tour a slavery museum and highlight a rail corridor that his team sees as a key part of his administration’s economic plan for the region.
A project called the Lobito Corridor, with a budget of $1 billion, aims to connect Angola with Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These countries have an abundance of important minerals used in the production of batteries for smartphones and electric cars. President Biden is emphasizing this project as a way to strengthen American access to these vital resources in Africa, and to counter China’s increasing presence and influence on the continent.
Even though the Biden administration is making efforts to strengthen relationships, the United States is still not as competitive as China and Russia in terms of economic and security influence in Africa, as stated by foreign policy experts.
Tibor P. Nagy Jr., a former ambassador to Africa appointed by both President Bill Clinton and the Trump administration, stated that since disengaging with post-colonial Africa, it has been a low priority for the United States. He criticized administrations for creating ambitious African strategies that lack substance, comparing it to the saying "Where is the beef?" from an old advertisement.
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