During his three-day trip, US President Joe Biden met with Angolan President João Lourenço – who since taking office seven years ago – has pushed to bolster relations with the US.
“The United States is all in on Africa,” stated Biden during his meeting with President Lourenço at the Presidential palace, extolling how strong Angolan relations were with Washington.
Underlining US investment
Biden’s visit sought to underline US investment in the region. Travelling to the coastal city of Lobito, the US President pledged a further $600 million of investments in the Lobito Corridor.
This project aims to revitalise supply chains by refurbishing 1,300 kilometres of train lines connecting Angola to the mineral-rich areas of Congo and Zambia in central Africa.
The Angolan government has grown closer to the US under its current President, after decades of ties to China and Russia.
Despite this, China’s growing influence in the region remains a preoccupation for US officials.
During his visit, Joe Biden also visited the country’s national slavery museum. Speaking on a stage by the water, he said history cannot and should not be erased, and that while America was founded on the ideal of freedom and equality, “it’s abundantly clear today we have not lived up to that ideal.”
Biden stressed how Angola and the United States — which were once linked by the horrors of enslaved human beings, now could increasingly be linked by economic opportunity.
An issue getting in the way of the trip
One issue which overshadowed the visit was the news that Biden had pardoned his son, Hunter, sparing him a possible prison sentence for federal felony gun and tax convictions. The news marked a U-turn in Biden’s past promises to not use the extraordinary powers of the presidency for the benefit of his family.
When reporters tried to question the president about why he gave his son Hunter a far-reaching pardon after repeatedly saying he wouldn’t, Biden tried to brush aside the questions. He gestured toward Lourenço and laughed, declaring, “Welcome to America.”
What does the future hold under Donald Trump?
Joe Biden will hand over power to US President-elect Donald Trump on 20 January.
Lourenço, like many leaders of African nations, has already begun suggesting that he’s looking toward a Trump-dominated future. While Trump is alleged to have made disparaging comments about African nations in the past, the responsibility of seeing through projects like the Lobito Corridor will soon be his.
Biden administration officials say they’re hopeful Trump and top Republicans will continue a business-friendly approach to investing in Africa that includes continuing to support the Lobito Corridor.
