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During his final overseas trip in office, President Biden will visit Angola to focus on history and economic opportunities. He plans to visit a slavery museum and highlight a rail corridor that is part of his administration’s regional strategy.
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 his trip to Angola.
On Sunday night, President Biden will embark on a much-anticipated trip to Africa, starting with a visit to Angola. This visit is intended to recognize the complex and difficult history shared by the two nations, while also showing a commitment to fostering economic growth and investment in the future.
President Biden’s visit to Africa marks the first time a U.S. president has traveled to the continent since Barack Obama’s trip to Kenya and Ethiopia in 2015.
This visit, which is expected to be President Biden’s final overseas trip while in office, follows his promise in 2022 to visit Africa to emphasize the United States’ commitment to the continent’s future. Despite several postponements, President Biden is embarking on a three-day diplomatic tour of Angola, where he will tour a slavery museum and highlight a rail corridor that his team sees as a key aspect of 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 important minerals needed for smartphone and electric vehicle batteries. President Biden is showcasing this project to strengthen efforts to increase American access to these crucial resources in Africa and to rival China’s increasing influence on the continent.
Foreign policy experts believe that despite efforts from the Biden administration to strengthen 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., 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 a famous advertisement asking "where is the beef?"
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