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During his final overseas trip in office, President Biden is expected to visit Angola to explore the country’s history and economic potential. He plans to visit a slavery museum and showcase a rail corridor that aligns with his administration’s goals for the region.
Written by Zolan Kanno-Youngs
Zolan Kanno-Youngs reports on news related to the White House and will be accompanying President Biden on Air Force One for a trip to Angola.
President Biden will start his planned visit to Africa on Sunday night by going to Angola, with the goal of recognizing the difficult past and relationship between the two countries and pledging to focus on economic development in the future.
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.
It is anticipated that this trip will be the final one Mr. Biden takes abroad during his presidency. He had promised in 2022 to visit Africa to show support for the continent’s future. Despite some setbacks, Mr. Biden is now embarking on a three-day diplomatic visit to Angola. During his time there, he plans to visit a slavery museum and highlight a rail corridor that is seen 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. These countries are abundant in essential minerals used in 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 on the continent.
Foreign policy experts believe that despite efforts by the Biden administration to strengthen relationships with Africa, the United States is still falling behind China and Russia in gaining economic and security influence on the continent.
Tibor P. Nagy Jr., a former ambassador to Africa appointed by both President Bill Clinton and the Trump administration, expressed that Africa has been neglected as a priority since disengaging with post-colonial Africa. He criticized administrations for creating ambitious African strategies without substance, comparing it to a lack of actual content, similar to the phrase "Where is the beef?" from an old advertisement.
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