After ‘ignoring Africa’ his entire term, why is Joe Biden visiting Angola?

US President Joe Biden chose to visit Africa in the final weeks of his presidency. It would be his first trip to the continent since taking office in January 2021.

The trip was postponed at the last minute because of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Milton in the US. It has been rescheduled for the first week in December.

Angola is located in the western region of southern Africa. With 37.2 million people, it is the 11th most populous country in Africa. Its economy relies heavily on oil and gas, accounting for over 90% of exports and 43% of GDP. Its largest trading partners are China and India.

The proposed visit reflects Africa’s growing importance to the US, amid the “new cold war” sparked by rivalry with China. The US is responding to the expanding influence of China, Russia and other emerging powers in Africa. It’s intensifying economic, diplomatic and military cooperation.

Read more: When two elephants fight: how the global south uses non-alignment to avoid great power rivalries

The proposed visit to Angola marks a turning point in US-Angola relations.

Angolan history

Angolans fought a liberation war against the Portuguese for 15 years – 1961 to 1974. On attaining independence in 1975, a new socialist and pro-communist government, led by the Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), took control.

The country was plunged into a civil war between 1975 and 1988. The US supported the anti-government rebel forces National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA) and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (Unita). Cuba and the Soviet Union supported the MPLA.

Angola abandoned communism and one-party rule from 1990. It held its first multiparty election in 1992. Unita contested the outcome. This led to another round of armed conflict.

A government of national unity was established in 1994. However, stability was achieved only in the early 2000s, following the death of Unita leader Jonas Savimbi.

The US established diplomatic relations with Angola in 1993 and celebrated 30 years of relations on 19 May 2023. Six US secretaries of state had visited up to 2020. US-Angola relations flourished even more under Biden.

In September 2023, Lloyd Austin became the first US defence secretary to visit Angola. The visit strengthened US-Angola cooperation by creating high-level dialogue between the two countries. It also boosted cooperation in cyber security, space and maritime security.

In November 2023, Biden received Angolan president João Lourenço at the White House. They discussed several areas of cooperation. These included the economy, security, energy, transport, telecommunications, agriculture and outer space.

Agenda for Biden’s visit to Angola

The White House identified five objectives for Biden’s visit to Angola.

The first is to bolster economic partnerships that keep US companies globally competitive and protect American workers.

The second objective is to celebrate a signature project of the G7’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. It sponsored the construction of the new 800km rail line connecting Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.

The two objectives reflect the renewed desire of the US to expand trade and investment, especially in infrastructure development in Angola and elsewhere in Africa. They also underscore the geopolitical competition with China and Russia in Africa. The US intends to match the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative in the region.

Read more: Africa is being courted by China, Russia and the US. Why the continent shouldn't pick sides

China is Angola’s top trading partner, as it is for many African countries. It accounted for 42.72% (US$21.9 billion) of Angola’s exports, and 16.04% (US$2.856 billion) of imports in 2022. China-Angola trade relations reached US$23 billion in 2023. In contrast, American exports to Angola amounted to US$595 million, and imports US$1.2 billion in 2023.

Massive investment in transportation and other infrastructure is key to boosting US-Africa trade relations and countering China. This explains the recent US$250 million support from the US to rehabilitate the 1,300km Lobito Atlantic Railway.

In addition, the US Export Import Bank is funding the supply of 186 prefabricated bridges worth US$363 million to Angola. The US also supported the Angolan flag carrier TAAG’s deal to buy ten new American-made Boeing 787s for US$3.6 billion.

The third objective is to strengthen democracy and civic engagement in Angola. The US embassy in Angola has initiated programmes to support press freedom and independence of the judiciary. The US Agency for International Development and the US treasury are supporting capacity building in Angola’s fight against corruption and money laundering.

However, Amnesty International and other human rights bodies fear that geoeconomic interests will overshadow promotion of democracy and human rights during the Biden visit.

The fourth objective is to intensify action on climate security and the clean energy transition. The US is supporting Angola with US$900 million over five years to develop more than 500MW of solar power. Other US investments will be in wildlife conservation, drought mitigation, crop irrigation and water resource management.

Like Nigeria and Rwanda, Angola has signed the Artemis Accords, a NASA initiative for US-led cooperation in the civil exploration and use of the Moon, Mars, comets and asteroids for peaceful purposes. In contrast, Ethiopia, Egypt, Senegal and South Africa have joined China’s International Lunar Research Station.

The fifth objective is to enhance peace and security in Angola and the rest of Africa. The US and Angola have expanded collaboration in maritime security, space and cyber defence. Angola received US$18 million in US military aid between 2020 and 2023. Angola is also a member of the US-led Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, designed to enhance maritime security and boost the blue economy.

Balance of forces

Biden’s proposed visit, and his record of engagement with Africa, put him one up on his predecessor, Donald Trump, who didn’t visit the continent. It is nevertheless disappointing that he ends his term with one last-minute visit to only one African country.

However, the visit could open Angola up to more US investment, and more cooperation in trade, security, cyberspace and international politics.

Read more: China reaps most of the benefits of its relationship with Africa: what's behind the imbalance

While this development broadly represents a positive trend in US-Africa relations, it holds geo-political, economic and strategic consequences for Angola-China, Africa-China, and US-China relations.

Apart from reflecting the US strategic response to the global rise of China, and reminding China of US interests in Africa, the proposed visit shows how far the US will go to court Africa in its quest to contain or match China on the continent. African countries should therefore position themselves to exploit the opportunities this “new cold war” between the US and China presents.