27.03.2023
US Vice President Harris will start his visit to Africa on the 26th, and will announce an increase in investment in Africa to counter China’s growing influence in Africa. What is the visit itinerary? How has the United States recently strengthened its relations with African countries?
(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) US Vice President Kamala Harris (Kamala Harris, also translated as He Jinli) arrived in Ghana last Sunday (March 26) for a week-long visit aimed at deepening relations with African countries and will increase visits to Africa. investment, discuss issues such as food security and climate change, and counterbalance China’s influence in Africa.
Harris said on the same day: “During this visit, my focus is to increase investment in the African continent and promote economic growth and opportunities.” Wait for the meeting and announce the investment.
Harris is expected to talk about China’s participation in the technological and economic fields of African countries, and will also discuss issues such as Sino-African debt and the war between Russia and Ukraine. Among them, Zambia is in debt negotiation with China.
According to a statement from the White House on the 24th, Harris’ trip is a continuation of Biden’s commitment to “fully invest” in Africa at the US-Africa summit at the end of last year; , health and security assistance.
Although White House officials emphasized that the trip was solely about U.S.-Africa relations, Africa’s strategic importance has grown as the U.S. reorients its foreign policy toward China; China has invested heavily in Africa in recent decades, including in infrastructure and local resources develop. For example, Ghana once reached a US$2 billion deal with a Chinese company, exchanging its key minerals for the production of aluminum in exchange for Chinese-funded road development and other projects.
The picture shows Biden discussing at the US-Africa Summit in Washington on December 15 last year.
U.S. Strengthens U.S.-African Relations
Since former US President Trump paid little attention to Africa in his diplomacy, the Biden administration has tried to mend US-African relations since it took office.In August last year, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Africaannounced the “U.S. Strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa”, focusing on strengthening African democracy and promoting its post-pandemic economic recovery.
In December last year, Washington invited 49 African leaders to participate in the US-Africa summit. Biden announced the signing of a memorandum of cooperation with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to promote US companies’ exports to Africa. American companies VISA and General Electric have announced their intention to invest in Africa. Biden also publicly supported the African Union joining the Group of 20 (G20) as a permanent member.
In January, the U.S. Treasury SecretaryJanet Yellen’s visit to Africa, also emphasized the need to deepen economic relations with African countries, and even more bluntly criticized China as an “obstacle” to the country’s debt during his visit to Zambia. Afterwards, China responded that the United States should manage its own debt well.
The first lady of the United States, Jill Biden, visited Namibia and Kenya in February, paying attention to local women and children’s rights, food security and other issues. Blinken visited Africa again in mid-March and announced in Niger that he would provide $150 million in new humanitarian aid to the Shahr region of Africa. Biden is also expected to visit African countries this year to continue strengthening US-Africa relations.
(comprehensive report)
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