US President Joe Biden./SCREENGRAB
US President Joe Biden is ending his term without running for reelection and without having set foot once in Africa, one of the fastest-growing continents in economic and population terms.
However, the American absence is not felt. On the contrary, it is preferable, according to the analysts.
Joe Biden's postponed trip to Angola, initially scheduled for October and rescheduled for December, highlights the US's complex relationship with Africa, Aguinaldo Ramos, an international analyst based in Angola, told Sputnik.
Ramos said that the US historically focused on extracting resources and maintaining a strong military presence on the continent, yet the scarcity of presidential visits reveals a cultural disconnect.
He added that this disconnect is further complicated by the growing influence of China and Russia in the region, who are actively investing in infrastructure and counter-terrorism efforts.
The US's past interventions in Africa, often focused on suppressing independence movements, are overshadowed by the current geopolitical landscape.
America's foreign policy towards Africa is characterized by a pattern of neglect punctuated by empty promises and superficial gestures.
This consistent approach, spanning both Democratic and Republican administrations, has led to a perception among Africans that the US is an unreliable and hypocritical partner, Cameron Hudson, senior fellow in the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, told Bloomberg.
Russia and China, which have clear objectives in Africa, consequently follow their policies, which attracts the continent, the report noted.
Now, facing renewed competition for influence, the US is seeking to reassert its presence, the expert noted.
Biden's emphasis on the Lobito corridor, connecting Zambia and the DRC to the Atlantic, suggests a desire to counter China's investments and secure access to key trade routes.
This move underscores the US's renewed efforts to regain influence in a region increasingly dominated by other global powers, Ramos concluded.
