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During what is expected to be his final trip abroad as president, Biden will visit Angola to explore the country’s history, particularly its connection to slavery, and to emphasize the importance of a rail corridor that is a key part of his administration’s economic plans for 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 to Angola.
President Biden is set to start his visit to Africa on Sunday night by traveling to Angola. This visit is intended to recognize the difficult past between the two countries and to show a commitment to future economic investments.
President Biden’s visit to Africa is 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, which is probably his final trip overseas while in office, is part of his promise to show support for Africa’s future. Despite some delays, he 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 aspect of his administration’s economic plan for the region.
A project called the Lobito Corridor, with a budget of $1 billion, is being developed to connect Angola to Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These countries are abundant in critical minerals used for making batteries for smartphones and electric vehicles. President Biden is emphasizing this project as a way to increase American access to these important resources in Africa and to counter China’s rising influence in the region.
Even though the Biden administration has made efforts to improve relationships, the United States is still not as successful as China and Russia in gaining economic and security power in Africa, as stated by experts in foreign policy.
Tibor P. Nagy Jr., who has served as an ambassador in Africa appointed by President Bill Clinton and later as assistant secretary of state for African affairs by the Trump administration, emphasized that since disengaging with post-colonial Africa, it has not been a top priority. He criticized administrations for creating ambitious African strategies that lack substance, comparing it to the old advertisement slogan "Where is the beef?"
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