United States: President Biden to host African leaders in December

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, will welcome the leaders of the African continent in mid-December as part of the first major summit organized by the United States for Africa.

In a statement, President Biden said the US-Africa Leaders’ Summit, scheduled for 13-15 December will underscore the importance of US-Africa relations and increased co-operation on shared global priorities.

“The summit will demonstrate the United States’ enduring commitment to Africa, and will underscore the importance of U.S.-Africa relations and increased cooperation on shared global priorities,” Mr Biden said in a statement.

Mr Biden said the summit will work toward new economic engagement, promote democracy and human rights, advance peace and security, and address challenges such as food security and climate change as well as the pandemic.

Analysts believe the meeting is part of American efforts to counter the growing influence of China in Africa and more recently inroads made by Russia in the continent.