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During one of his final trips abroad as president, Biden will be visiting Angola to explore the country’s history, particularly focusing on slavery through a museum visit. Additionally, he will be highlighting a railway corridor that plays a significant role in his administration’s economic strategy for the region.
Written by Zolan Kanno-Youngs
Zolan Kanno-Youngs reports on White House news and will be accompanying President Biden on Air Force One for a trip to Angola.
President Biden is scheduled to embark on a trip to Africa starting Sunday night with a visit to Angola. This visit is focused on recognizing the difficult past between the two countries and pledging to build a future of economic development through investments.
President Biden’s visit to Africa marks the first time an American president has visited the continent since Barack Obama’s trip to Kenya and Ethiopia in 2015.
Mr. Biden is currently on his final overseas visit as President, fulfilling his promise to visit Africa to show the United States’ commitment to the continent’s future. Despite some setbacks, he is now embarking on a three-day diplomatic tour of Angola. During this visit, he will tour a slavery museum and highlight a rail corridor that symbolizes 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. These countries hold valuable minerals needed for smartphone and electric vehicle batteries. President Biden is promoting this project to strengthen American access to these resources in Africa and counter China’s increasing influence in the region.
Even though the Biden administration is making efforts to build friendly relationships, experts in foreign policy believe that the United States is still falling behind China and Russia in terms of economic and security influence in Africa.
Tibor P. Nagy Jr., who has served as an ambassador in Africa appointed by both President Bill Clinton and the Trump administration as assistant secretary of state for African affairs, stated that since the disengagement with post-colonial Africa, it has been a low priority. He criticized administrations that have grandiose African strategies that are more aspirational than practical, likening them to the old advertisement asking "Where is the beef?"
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