Faith Nyasuguta
US President Joe Biden has postponed his scheduled visit to Germany and Angola, potentially quashing the anticipation surrounding what would have been his first official trip to Africa since assuming office. The White House confirmed the postponement, following a week of speculation that had spread across social media.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced, “Given the projected trajectory and strength of Hurricane Milton, President Biden is postponing his upcoming trip to Germany and Angola in order to oversee preparations for and the response to Hurricane Milton, in addition to the ongoing response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene across the Southeast.”
The US has been grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which ravaged parts of the southeastern region over the past ten days. The storm has claimed more than 200 lives, and search efforts continue for hundreds still missing. North Carolina, particularly hard-hit, accounted for over half of the deaths. The devastation has left at least 780,000 homes destroyed and plunged many towns into darkness as power outages remain widespread.
A Perfect Storm of Crises
While the hurricanes were enough to derail Biden’s travel plans, the situation in the Middle East also played a significant role. A new conflict has erupted between Israel and Hezbollah militants, with Israeli forces launching attacks on southern Lebanon. This escalating crisis is drawing global attention, with many world leaders scrambling to prevent the outbreak of a full-scale war, especially between Israel and Iran. As rumors swirled about Biden’s postponement, the crisis in the Middle East seemed to be a primary factor in the decision, alongside the hurricanes.
Biden’s decision to stay in the US, however, left many questions about when or if the trip would be rescheduled. With the president having announced earlier that he would not seek a second term, his time in office is running out, raising doubts over whether he will manage to make the much-anticipated visit to Africa at all.
Missed Diplomatic Opportunities
Biden’s trip to Angola would have marked a significant diplomatic achievement for the southern African country. It would have been the first visit by a sitting US president and was seen as a recognition of Angola’s growing strategic importance. For Angola, the visit represented a chance to improve its international image, particularly regarding human rights issues, while deepening its ties with Washington.
Angola has emerged as a key player in the US-led Lobito Corridor project, a multibillion-dollar infrastructure initiative designed to connect Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia via a trans-continental railway. This project is part of the broader G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII), which aims to provide alternatives to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
The Biden administration had hoped to use the visit to highlight Angola’s role in this effort, which is central to US plans to secure access to critical minerals in Africa.
In addition to infrastructure, the visit would have provided a platform for Biden and Angolan President Joao Lourenco to discuss strengthening economic partnerships, bolstering democracy, advancing climate security, and promoting the transition to clean energy.
Angola, which has been closely linked with China due to significant debt and with Russia for military support during its civil war, is increasingly seen as a country where US influence could grow. A successful visit could have bolstered Washington’s position in a region long dominated by Chinese and Russian interests.
Frustration in Luanda
For many in Angola, the postponement comes as a major disappointment. The US-Africa Business Summit, scheduled to be held in Luanda next year, was expected to be a highlight of Biden’s visit. The summit will bring together over 1,500 delegates, including heads of state and other world leaders, to discuss economic opportunities across the continent. Biden’s absence from this prelude to the summit risks diminishing the enthusiasm around US-African relations, at least in the short term.
Angolan political commentator Jose Gama noted that civil society groups in the country had planned to use Biden’s visit as an opportunity to push for greater democratic reforms and human rights improvements under Lourenco’s government. Activists had hoped Biden would apply pressure on the Angolan leadership to open more political space and address longstanding governance concerns.
The visit was also seen as a continuation of the relationship-building effort between the two nations that began with President Lourenco’s visit to the White House last November. That meeting marked the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the US and Angola, and Biden’s trip was expected to solidify those relations further.
While no new dates have been announced, the postponement leaves both Angola and Germany waiting for a potential rescheduling. Whether Biden’s administration will find time for these visits remains uncertain as his first term comes to a close amid a storm of both natural and political crises.
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