Biden Makes History as First US President to Visit Angola

Facts

• US Pres. Joe Biden became the first-ever standing US Pres. to visit Angola on Tuesday, in a historic visit that included dialogue about security and trade.^[1]
• In what was his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa, Biden held bilateral talks with Angolan Pres. João Lourenço, in the country's capital city, Luanda.^[2]
• The trip, which is Biden's first and only trip to the African continent during his time as Pres. is also the first trip by an American president to Africa since Barack Obama traveled to Ethiopia and Kenya in 2015.^[3]
• A key focus of Biden's trip is the Lobito railway corridor redevelopment, a US-funded project valued at over $4B that connects Angola's interior to a strategic port that is essential for facilitating the export of minerals.^[4]
• During the three-day visit, Biden is also expected to discuss initiatives related to global health, security, and other issues.^[2]

Sources: ^[1]BBC News, ^[2]NBC, ^[3]NPR Online News and ^[4]Associated Press.

Narratives

• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Voice of America. Ultimately this visit comes too late in Biden's presidency to really mean anything. With the administration's limited previous engagement with Africa, this visit has very little meaningful impact. Additionally, the sincerity of this visit is questionable, and its real purpose is likely more focused on countering Chinese and Russian influence than it is on fostering authentic long-term partnerships within the region.
• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by News24. This visit is a long-overdue step in improving US ties to Africa. By emphasizing the US-Angola relationship, this visit symbolizes the US’ commitment to engaging with the African nation as an equal partner. This visit, and its focus on the Lobito Corridor project, could help to boost regional trade and investment, benefiting both the local economy as we as US strategic interests.