In a move signaling a renewed commitment to Africa, President Joe Biden embarked on a historic trip to Angola, marking the first visit by a US president to the country. This visit, his first and only to the continent during his term, underscores the growing importance of Africa in global geopolitics and trade. Biden's arrival in Luanda, the capital of Angola, followed a brief stop in Cabo Verde, setting the stage for discussions on key trade investments and the shared history between the two nations.
Angola Location Map
A Delayed but Significant Trip
Initially scheduled for October but delayed, the trip fulfills a promise made by Biden during the Africa leaders summit in Washington DC two years prior. This visit is the first by an American president since Barack Obama traveled to Kenya and Ethiopia in 2015.
However, the timing of the trip, near the end of Biden's presidency, has drawn some criticism. According to Ken Opalo, an associate professor at Georgetown University, the timing suggests that Africa was not a primary focus during Biden's term until now.
Focus on Trade and Investment
In Angola, Biden is expected to announce key trade investments. He is also due to visit the National Slavery museum there, drawing on the shared history of both countries. Hundreds of thousands of enslaved Africans were taken from Angola to the United States during the trans-Atlantic slave trade, with the first documented arrival recorded in Virginia in 1619.
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Since 2022, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) has provided $2.9 billion in financing toward projects in Angola across the renewable energy, infrastructure, and telecom sectors. For example, in May 2024, EXIM signed a final $363 million loan agreement for Acrow Bridge Corporation to install bridge infrastructure connecting rural communities across Angola in support of PGI. The United States supports Angola’s efforts to combat corruption, enhance accountability, and institutionalize the rule of law.
The Lobito Corridor: A Centerpiece of US-Africa Strategy
The Lobito corridor rail and infrastructure project has been the centerpiece of the Biden administration’s efforts in Africa. The mineral-rich region has become the focus of intense competition for access between China and Western countries. The Biden administration has invested more than $4 billion in the effort during Biden’s time in office.
The money has helped rebuild the rail line that transports food and high-demand minerals like cobalt and copper from Congo and Zambia to the Port of Lobito for sale in global markets. Biden repeatedly noted throughout the trip that the project is cutting the time to get goods to ports from 45 days to roughly 45 hours. Eventually, a senior administration official said, that would lead to global production increases and cost reductions for things like chips, batteries and electric vehicles.
This initiative includes a US-backed 1,300-kilometer freight rail line, running from Angola to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), connecting to existing links from Zambia to the coast of Tanzania in East Africa. It is seen by officials as a potential US policy success as the corridor eases the export of key minerals like cobalt and copper-resources critical for renewable energy and advanced technology.
The United States is promoting in partnership with Angola, the DRC and Zambia - is the highlight of the visit. A key component of the project is connecting rail service among the three countries to the Port of Lobito on Angola’s Atlantic coastline.
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How Africa’s Lobito Corridor Can Boost Trade and Minimize Debt
Countering China's Influence
Biden indirectly criticized the way China has done business in his speech, saying: “In too many places, 10 years after the so-called investment was made, workers were still coming home on a dirt road and without electricity. A village without a school, a city without a hospital, a country under crushing debt.
China has been significantly ramping up its investment in African companies and resources in the last decade or so with a focus on accessing mineral-rich locations like the DRC. The U.S. is not trying to replace China, but rather to present itself, along with other Western countries, as a better alternative. The U.S. wants to provide tangible and transparent investment opportunities in Africa “so that countries that have been racked by debt or having involved themselves in financing from other places with high interest rates now can absolve themselves of that debt."
Angola wants partners besides China, especially the United States. Diversifying its partners beyond China gives it options for partnering on infrastructure, helping to secure better deals. Angola is not going to abandon its economic engagement with China, which is deep seated.
Lobito Corridor Map
Human Rights and Governance
Less clear is whether Biden intends to use his visit to address Angola’s poor human rights record and the country’s economic and social inequalities. In particular, he has an opportunity to publicly raise concerns about police brutality and attacks on freedoms of expression, media, and association.
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Analysts say Washington’s view of Lourenco’s government ignores alleged human rights violations under his watch. Lourenco is unpopular amongst many Angolans due to high living costs, corruption, and mounting crackdowns on dissent.
Looking Ahead: The Future of US-Africa Ties
While President Biden has finally fulfilled his promise to visit Africa, his administration hasn’t been able to accomplish some of the other goals it set for itself. The African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20 in September 2023. However, no African country is still a permanent member of the UNSC.
In September 2024, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield announced that her country would support two permanent UNSC seats for Africa. However, she warned that those seats would not have veto power, a position that many analysts criticised because it would set up a two-tier system - one for UNSC members with vetoes, and the second for those without that power.
The United States has sought to justify its investment in the Lobito Corridor-a railway project from Angola’s Lobito port to Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo-on national security and “green energy” grounds.
Key Facts: US-Angola Trade Relations
| Year | US-Angola Trade Total |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Approximately $1.77 billion |
| Ranking | Angola is the US’s fourth-largest trade partner in sub-Saharan Africa. |
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