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During one of his final trips abroad as president, Biden will visit Angola to explore the country’s history, particularly its connection to slavery. Additionally, he will showcase a railway project that is a key component of his administration’s economic strategy in the region.
Written by Zolan Kanno-Youngs
Zolan Kanno-Youngs reports on White House news and is scheduled to accompany President Biden on Air Force One to Angola.
On Sunday night, President Biden will finally embark on his planned trip to Africa, starting with a visit to Angola. The purpose of the visit is to recognize the difficult past between the two countries and to show a commitment to future economic development and investment.
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’s visit to Africa is expected to be his final trip abroad as President. He promised in 2022 to visit the continent to show the United States’ commitment to Africa’s future. Despite some delays, Mr. Biden is now embarking on a three-day diplomatic tour of Angola. During his visit, he will tour a slavery museum and highlight a rail corridor that symbolizes his administration’s economic focus 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 are abundant in minerals essential for making batteries for smartphones and electric vehicles. By emphasizing this project, President Biden is aiming to strengthen American efforts to secure access to these vital resources in Africa and to counter China’s increasing influence on the continent.
Even though the Biden administration is making efforts to improve 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 under both President Bill Clinton and the Trump administration as assistant secretary of state for African affairs, pointed out that post-colonial Africa has been neglected as a priority. He criticized administrations for creating ambitious African strategies that lack substance, comparing it to the phrase "Where is the beef?" from an old advertisement.
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