US President Joe Biden. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP)
US President Joe Biden has chosen Angola as the one African country he will visit while in office, marking the first such visit since Barack Obama’s administration. Angola, the largest debtor to China in Africa, recently snubbed China’s meeting with African countries, showcasing a shift in alliances.
Biden’s decision to visit Angola signifies the US’s strategic interests in the country, which include exporting minerals and countering China’s aspirations to establish a naval base there. The US-China rivalry extends to Angola’s mobile phone sector as American-owned Africell competes with Huawei-backed Unitel.
Biden’s visit to Angola could strengthen US-Angolan relations and bolster Angola’s image internationally. The US aims to leverage Angola’s position in the Great Lakes region to counter China’s influence, potentially leading to improved human rights practices in Angola.