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During what is expected to be his final overseas trip as president, Biden will visit Angola to explore the country’s history, with a focus on slavery. He will also bring attention to a rail corridor that is part of his administration’s economic strategy for the region.
Written by Zolan Kanno-Youngs
Zolan Kanno-Youngs reports on the happenings at the White House and will be accompanying President Biden on Air Force One for a trip to Angola.
President Biden is set to embark on his long-awaited trip to Africa, starting with a visit to Angola on Sunday night. The purpose of the visit is to recognize the complex and difficult history shared between the two countries, while also emphasizing a commitment to future economic development and investment.
The recent visit by Mr. Biden to Africa marks the first time an American president has traveled to 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 international trip as president. He promised to visit the continent in 2022 to show the US’s commitment to Africa’s future. Despite some delays, he is now on a three-day diplomatic tour of Angola. During his visit, he will tour a slavery museum and highlight a rail corridor that showcases his administration’s economic strategy in the region.
A project called the Lobito Corridor, with a budget of $1 billion, aims to connect Angola with Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These countries are abundant in important minerals needed for making batteries for smartphones and electric vehicles. President Biden is promoting this project to strengthen American access to these vital resources in Africa, ultimately aiming to counter China’s increasing influence on the continent.
Foreign policy experts believe that despite efforts from the Biden administration to improve relations, 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 President Bill Clinton and later as assistant secretary of state for African affairs under the Trump administration, stated that ever since the disengagement with post-colonial Africa, it has been given the lowest priority. He criticized administrations for coming up with ambitious African strategies that lack substance, comparing it to a famous advertisement asking "Where is the beef?"
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