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During a visit to Africa, President Biden will emphasize historical significance and economic opportunities. In Angola, on what is expected to be his final international trip as president, he will visit a museum dedicated to slavery and highlight a railway project that aligns with his administration’s goals in the region.
Written by Zolan Kanno-Youngs.
Zolan Kanno-Youngs is a journalist who 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 start his long-awaited trip to Africa by traveling to Angola on Sunday night. The visit is intended to recognize the difficult history shared between the two countries and to show a commitment to future economic investments.
The visit to Africa by Mr. Biden is the initial one made by a U.S. president since Barack Obama’s visit to Kenya and Ethiopia in 2015.
This trip is expected to be President Biden’s final visit abroad before he leaves office. He promised in 2022 to visit Africa to show that the United States is fully committed to the continent’s future. Despite some delays, President 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 $1 billion project called the Lobito Corridor aims to connect Angola with Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, countries that have valuable minerals needed for smartphone and electric vehicle batteries. President Biden hopes to strengthen American access to these resources in Africa and counter China’s increasing influence on the continent by promoting this project.
Foreign policy experts claim that, despite the Biden administration’s efforts to build friendly relationships, the United States is still falling behind China and Russia in terms of competing for economic and security power in Africa.
Tibor P. Nagy Jr., who has served as an ambassador in Africa under both President Bill Clinton and the Trump administration, pointed out that post-colonial Africa has not been a priority for the US. He criticized administrations for making big promises about their African strategies but not following through with concrete actions. Nagy likened these empty promises to a famous advertisement slogan asking, "Where is the beef?"
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