President Joe Biden of the United States has invited 49 African heads of state and the head of the African Union to Washington, D.C. for a three-day U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit December 13-15.
The goal of this historic summit will be to build and expand vital political, economic, and strategic partnerships, as well as people-to-people dialogue, based on mutual interests and shared priorities in Africa.
The summit’s agenda will be packed, including increasing sustainable food production, strengthening health systems, providing humanitarian assistance, responding to the climate crisis, reinforcing democracy and human rights, boosting U.S.-African trade, advancing peace and security, and even enhancing space research and cooperation. President Biden believes that U.S. collaboration with African leaders, as well as civil society, business, diaspora, women, and youth leaders, is essential to addressing these shared challenges.
According to U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Mary Beth Leonard, the upcoming summit presents opportunities to deepen U.S.-Nigeria bilateral ties on multiple levels.
“We look forward not only to the Nigerian government’s robust participation in the summit, but also to hearing the views of all stakeholders in Nigeria’s promising future, including independent voices from the private sector, civil society, young people, women, and all those who are working to build a strong and inclusive democracy,” she said.
The summit is also an opportunity for the United States and the American people to reiterate their profound and enduring interest in engaging with Africa as a whole.
As Secretary of State Blinken noted during his trips to Nigeria last year and to other countries in the region earlier this year, Africa’s demographic growth and economic potential will shape not just the future of its people, it will also shape the world.
Sub-Saharan Africa plays a critical role in advancing global priorities to the benefit of Africans and Americans. It has one of the world’s fastest growing populations, largest free trade areas, most diverse ecosystems, and one of the largest regional voting groups in the United Nations (UN).
It is impossible to meet today’s defining challenges without African contributions and leadership. The region will factor prominently in efforts to: end the COVID-19 pandemic; tackle the climate crisis; reverse the global tide of democratic backsliding; address global food insecurity; promote gender equity and equality; strengthen an open and stable international system; shape the rules of the world on vital issues like trade, cyber, and emerging technologies; and confront the threat of terrorism, conflict, and transnational crime.
Building on the Biden-Harris Administration’s actions and commitments to deepen our engagement and partnerships in Africa during the past year, the strategy articulates our new vision for a 21st Century U.S.-African Partnership.
It recognizes the tremendous, positive opportunities that exist to advance shared interests alongside our African partners. At the same time, we acknowledge that Africa’s potential will continue to be challenged as long as deadly conflicts divide societies, corruption impedes economic progress, food insecurity heightens the risk of famine and malnutrition, and repression stifles human rights and democratic expression.
As President Biden noted in his address to the African Union last year, “none of this is going to be easy but the United States stands ready now to be your partner, in solidarity, support, and mutual respect.”
The new U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa represents a reframing of Africa’s importance to U.S. national security interests. We will pursue four main objectives in sub-Saharan Africa: