The Biden administration organizes a multilateral summit until Thursday in a context of exacerbated competition. The war in Ukraine highlighted the distrust of Africans towards the West while the influence of China on the continent continues to grow.
by Cyril Bensimon and Piotr Smolar (Washington, correspondent)
Africa has an appointment in Washington. The Biden administration has decided to demonstrate its renewed interest in the continent by organizing a multilateral summit in its capital, eight years after the previous one. From December 13 to 15 will meet forty-nine government delegations, the African Union, representatives of civil societies, the world of business and diasporas.
On this occasion, Joe Biden will announce the support of his country to the allocation of a permanent member status to the African Union during the Sommets of the G20, in which South Africa participated until then. “We need more African votes in international conversations concerning the global economy, democracy and governance, climate change, health and security,” said Judd Devermont, Director for African Affairs US National Security Council.
This three -day summit should not be marked by spectacular announcements. What makes its salt is the future multiplicity of interactions, aside, official and impromptu meetings. According to a senior American official, it is to “listen and respond to African aspirations”. The majority of continent leaders are expected in Washington. The only ones not to have been invited by the administration are the putschists (Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Sudan) whose countries were suspended by the African Union. Eritrea, with which Washington has no diplomatic relations, will also be absent.
“I am happy that this summit takes place, it is a late way to get into play, while there are similar formats between the European Union and Africa, France and Africa, Japan and Africa, etc., for a long time, explains J. Peter Pham, former special American envoy in the Great Lakes region and then in the Sahel under the Trump administration, now an expert in the Atlantic Council reflection circle. But The profile of this summit seems a little bizarre and condescending to me. We bring in African leaders to then submit them to courses and discussion panels that resemble seminars. “
availability and optimism
The Biden administration, it claims to design this event with a mixture of availability and optimism, in an unstable international context, marked by two major events.
First, the war reverberations in Ukraine. “Many countries on the continent, unfortunately, have undergone the consequences of the Russian aggression and the impact that this has had on the exports of wheat and fertilizers from Ukraine,” said a top a few days ago American manager, during a press briefing. The absence of a clear political condemnation of the Russian invasion also showed Washington the importance of proactive diplomatic work with African leaders, whose reluctance of strictly Western points of view are growing.
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