President Joe Biden is making his first-ever bilateral trip to Africa as president, visiting Angola this week before his term ends. The two-day visit is seen as a last-ditch effort to fulfill a promise Biden made to visit Africa and to counter China’s growing influence on the continent. The trip will focus on a critical minerals infrastructure project at the Lobito Port, which is crucial for US trade relations with Angola.
Biden’s delay in visiting Africa has raised questions about the US administration’s priorities in the region. Analysts note that China and Russia have been expanding their presence in Africa, while the US has been losing ground. The visit to Angola aims to strengthen ties between the two countries and highlight their close relationship.
The trip will also focus on an $800 million US-backed railway project in the Lobito Corridor, a strategic trade route connecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to Angola. The project aims to improve the export of cobalt and copper, essential minerals for electric vehicles. However, China’s presence in the region poses a challenge to US interests.
Despite the economic benefits of the visit, concerns have been raised about human rights violations in Angola under President Joao Lourenco. Critics argue that Biden’s visit may inadvertently support an unpopular government and compromise US values of democracy and human rights.
The future of US-Africa ties remains uncertain, as the Biden administration seeks to assert its influence in a continent where China and Russia have been gaining ground. The visit to Angola may be a step towards strengthening US-Africa relations, but challenges lie ahead in competing with other global powers for influence in the region.