Would you like to receive notifications on latest updates of the following headlines?

US president pledges $1bn aid for Africa

POSTED ON December 4, 2024 •   BREAKING NEWS      BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara
US President Joe Biden | Credit: AFP

President Joe Biden on Tuesday pledged more than $1bn in humanitarian assistance to Africa during a visit to Angola, marking a step in US engagement with the continent.

Biden’s trip, the first by a sitting US president to the former Portuguese colony, underscored efforts to strengthen economic ties and counter China’s growing influence in the region.

The aid will address food insecurity and other urgent needs caused by historic droughts across 31 African countries.

Speaking at the National Slavery Museum near Luanda, Biden reaffirmed US commitment to Africa, saying the funds would support displaced communities and foster resilience.

“I’m announcing over $1bn of new humanitarian support for Africans displaced from homes by historic droughts,” Biden said, as reported by AFP.

 The assistance will “address food insecurity and other urgent needs of refugees, internally displaced persons, and affected communities in 31 African countries, according to a statement from the US Agency for International Development.

He also reflected on Angola’s historical role in the transatlantic slave trade, calling slavery “our nation’s original sin” and emphasising the importance of acknowledging this shared history.

Biden met with Angolan President João Lourenço, who described the visit as a turning point in bilateral relations.

The leaders discussed economic and security partnerships, with a focus on the Lobito Corridor project.

The US-backed initiative aims to rehabilitate a railway connecting mineral-rich regions in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to Angola’s Atlantic port of Lobito, enabling critical exports and boosting regional trade.

The project has received loans from the United States, the European Union, and other international partners.

It is viewed as a strategic alternative to Chinese infrastructure investments in Africa, which have often left countries saddled with debt. Angola currently owes China $17 billion, nearly 40 percent of its total national debt.

Biden highlighted the potential of the corridor to transform African economies, stating, “The future runs through Angola, through Africa.”

His administration has prioritised infrastructure development as a means of fostering economic growth and stability in the region.

The visit also included discussions on security issues, with concerns raised about the potential for weapons to flow into Africa amid global conflicts.

Human rights organisations have urged Biden to address Angola’s domestic challenges, including alleged abuses by security forces.

Amnesty International reported that at least 17 protesters were killed by police between 2020 and 2023, while critics of the government remain detained. Advocacy groups called on Biden to press for accountability and reforms during his meetings with Angolan leaders.

On Wednesday, Biden will travel to the port city of Lobito for a summit on infrastructure investment, where leaders from Angola, the DRC, Tanzania, and Zambia will join discussions on regional development.

 

READ ALSO
Sowore Condemns Tenure Extensions of Senior Security Officials for Violating 35-Year Service Limit
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 6, 2025 0

Human rights advocate and ex-presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, has criticized the ongoing tenur...

READ ALSO
South-West Demands Five New States and Constitutional Recognition for Traditional Rulers in Ongoing Constitutional Review
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 4, 2025 0

The demand for the establishment of five new states, the recognition of traditional rulers in the co...

READ ALSO
Federal High Court Orders Reinstatement of  Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Calls Suspension "Excessive"
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 4, 2025 0

A Federal High Court in Abuja ruled on Friday that the Nigerian Senate exceeded its authority by sus...

READ ALSO
Calls for Autopsy: Ondo Govt. Faces Pressure to Exhume Late Governor Akeredolu's Body
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 30, 2025 0

The Ondo State Government may need to exhume the body of the late governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, f...

READ ALSO
Tinubu to Discuss Sustainable Governance at BRICS Summit in Rio
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 29, 2025 0

President Bola Tinubu arrived in Vieux Fort, Saint Lucia, on Saturday for the first leg of his two-p...

READ ALSO
Reps Launches Committee to Review CNG Policy Implementation
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 27, 2025 0

The House of Representatives has formed an ad-hoc committee tasked with examining the Federal Govern...

READ ALSO
Nigeria Takes Bold Step towards Energy Independence with Naira-Based Crude Sales Initiative
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 25, 2025 0

The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, alongside the Federal Government’s One-Stop-Sho...

READ ALSO
IPMAN Links Rising Petrol Prices to Crude Oil Costs and Market Dynamics
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 24, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria (NAN) - The Public Relations Officer of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Associati...

OUR CHANNELS:

2025 African Karate Championship Kicks Off in Abuja: Four Categories, One Goal
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 22, 2025 0

More than 1,000 competitors from 31 nations have gathered in Abuja for the 2025 African Karate Champ...


Enugu State Cuts Electricity Tariff for Band A Customers to N160/kWh, Effective August 1, 2025
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 22, 2025 0

The Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission has released a new tariff order for MainPower Elec...


Naira Weakens 0.14% Despite Initial Gains, Closing at 1,532.34/$
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 22, 2025 0

The naira ended the past week weaker than the week before, depreciating by 0.14% week-on-week to rea...


Atiku's Departure Sparks Fresh Hope for PDP Aspirants
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 22, 2025 0

As the race for the 2027 presidential ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) intensifie...


NMA Threatens Nationwide Strike as Ultimatum Nears End
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 22, 2025 0

As the 21-day ultimatum it issued to the Federal Government approaches its end on July 23, the Niger...


IGP Urges Peaceful Protests Ahead of Retired Officers’ Demonstration
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 22, 2025 0

The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Kayode Egbetokun, has instructed Commissioners of Police (CPs...


Katsina Gov. Escapes Death in Minor Car Accident
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 22, 2025 0

Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, narrowly escaped death after being involved in a ve...


NNPP, APC Hold Primaries for Jigawa Rep By-Election
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 20, 2025 0

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have held their primary...


NDLEA Seizes Cocaine and Meth in Lagos Hotel Raid, Arrest Notorious Drug Lord
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 22, 2025 0

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) ramped up efforts against drug trafficking by condu...


Ogun Hospital Suspends Student Nurse, Warns Unit Head over Assault
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 21, 2025 0

The Medical Director and Provost of Neuro Psychiatric Hospital in Abeokuta, Dr. Paul Agboola, &...


More Articles

Load more...

Menu