Biden Commits $1 Billion in Assistance for Displaced Africans
The funding commitment was announced as the U.S. aims to mitigate China’s expanding influence on the African continent.
President Joe Biden has committed over $1 billion in humanitarian assistance for nations in sub-Saharan Africa, as part of efforts to strengthen relations in the region and address China’s rising influence.
Biden shared this announcement on December 3 during his visit to Angola, which is anticipated to be his final international trip as president.
“The United States remains the largest global supplier of humanitarian aid and development support. This will grow. It’s the right action for the wealthiest nation in the world to take,” he stated.
“Today, I’m revealing more than $1 billion in new humanitarian assistance for Africans displaced from their homes due to severe droughts and food shortages,” Biden said, as he spoke outside Angola’s National Museum of Slavery in Belas.
In Angola, approximately 79,000 individuals were displaced last year due to natural disasters.
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Biden’s comments followed a meeting with Angolan President João Lourenço in the capital, Luanda.
This visit marks a historic first for U.S. presidents and aims to highlight America’s dedication to enhancing infrastructure and development throughout the region.
On December 4, Biden plans to visit Lobito to promote a railway initiative, with a $3 billion U.S. investment to rival China’s development efforts across Africa.
Upon completion, the Lobito Corridor will connect the Atlantic port city to Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where essential minerals for lithium batteries, like copper and cobalt, are extracted.
The initiative aims to facilitate the transportation of these minerals while boosting the U.S.’s presence and influence within Africa.
This dominance traces back to a 2008 agreement where the Congolese government traded control of its state-run mining company, Gecamines, in exchange for Chinese infrastructure developments.
Recognizing the demand for development, Biden expressed that the U.S. aims to expand its partnership with all African nations, transitioning “from patrons to partners.”
“Together, we’re engaged in significant joint endeavors to bridge the infrastructure gap for the benefit of Angolans, all Africans, Americans, and the global community. We will all thrive as you thrive,” Biden remarked, presenting the project as “the largest American railway investment outside of the U.S.”
Grace Hsing and Michael Zhuang contributed to this report.
