US wants to massively expand economic cooperation with Africa Judiciary decides whether Kaili should be taken into custody

The US wants to massively expand economic cooperation with African countries in the coming years. At an Africa summit in the US capital Washington on Wednesday, US President Joe Biden announced massive investments in expanding roads, the internet and renewable energy sources on the African continent. In addition, trade relations need to be significantly strengthened. The United States would sign “a historic letter of intent” along with the new African Continental Free Trade Zone Secretariat, he said.

Biden was speaking at a business forum attended by private sector executives from more than 300 US and African companies. The appointment was part of a multi-day summit in Washington, for which delegations from 49 African countries and representatives of the African Union traveled to Washington – including numerous heads of state and government from Africa. It seems that the US wants to make an alternative offer to African countries given the growing influence of China and Russia on the continent.

China and Russia have steadily expanded their influence in Africa in recent years. China has long been a major lender to Africa, especially for infrastructure projects. The Chinese are popular partners for many African countries: they make decisions and implement projects faster than Western countries, are less involved in internal affairs and have fewer scruples about corruption. This is the conclusion of a study by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation among more than 1,600 African decision-makers.

Russia is also more welcome in Africa than the West would like. Many African governments take a positive or neutral view of the Kremlin. This was impressively demonstrated when the UN General Assembly voted in March to condemn Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine: about half of the more than 50 African states abstained. According to the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF), Russia’s support for Africa mainly spans three areas: armaments, intelligence and propaganda. In exchange, Russia often receives mining concessions or access to important ports.

Africa has valuable mineral resources, diverse ecosystems, the largest free trade zone in the world and a large share of the vote at the United Nations. In addition, the population is growing rapidly. “The summit is based on the recognition that Africa is a major geopolitical player. The continent will shape the future not only of the African people, but of the world,” Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said ahead of the meeting. Where Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump once called African countries “shithole countries,” he hits now in a significantly different direction.

The African states of Mali, Guinea, Sudan and Burkina Faso were not invited to the Washington summit. The African Union has suspended its membership due to military coups. Eritrea is also missing because the US does not maintain normal diplomatic contacts with the country due to the armed conflict with Ethiopia. The last and so far only summit between the US and Africa took place eight years ago under President Barack Obama. (saw/sda/dpa)