Introduction
US summit, President Joe Biden is hosting a three-day summit with African leaders it comes as China is investing heavily in the continent and Russia is involved in regional conflicts. US President Joe Biden has invited 49 African heads of state and leaders of the African Union to Washington D C. Joe Biden hopes the summit will rekindle America’s relations with African Countries.
Africa summit in 2014
When American President Barack Obama hosted African leaders at the first US Africa summit in 2014 many believed it was a great chance for the United States to strengthen its trade ties with the continent and reaffirm political commitments however in the end business opportunities turned mostly into a photo opportunity
Africans are once again hoping that the second summit that it`s going to allow dialogue around the opportunities. According to the US State Department, south Africa is America`s biggest trade partner on the continent with goods worth about 21 billion dollars exchanged. On the other side, China is Africa`s largest two-way trading partner in 2021 the value of trade hit 254 billion dollars and US President Joe Biden`s Administration is concerned about China`s growing footprint. At the time great geopolitical tensions between these countries and the United States.
China has been the biggest trading partner for more than a decade data from Beijing shows goods worth 254 billion dollars were exchanged with African countries last year which is almost four times the value of US trade which is about 65 billion dollars in 2021 according to the US Census Bureau.
US summits
President Joe Biden stated during the summit “The 2014 summit was a watershed moment to cement new kinds of partnerships between our nation’s partnerships not to create political obligation not or foster dependence but to spur shared success and opportunity because when Africa succeeds the United States succeeds. African ID is an innovation helping to shape the solution in the African population contributing to every step. To make sure we`re better prepared to tackle the health challenges including the next pandemic and there surely will be one. We`ve also advanced our commitment to strengthening food security by expanding the Feed the Future program.
President Joe Biden told African leaders that the United States of America is committed to Africa`s future the US is looking to strengthen its position in Africa to counter China’s presence. He also called for the African Union to become a permanent member of the G20. The Specter of Great Power competition looms large nonetheless and it looks like a backdrop of rising competition between China and the US Critics say it is forcing African nations to choose between the major powers.
