Biden Aims to Mend Fences with Africa

President of the United States of America (USA), Joe Biden, has announced that his country intends to provide $55 billion in funding to the African continent over the next three years.

The announcement was made on Wednesday, 14 December, on day two of a three-day summit between the USA and African leaders from 49 different countries in Washington, D.C.

According to reports, $100 million will be directed towards clean energy projects, and $350 million will be set aside for internet access and digital technology.

“When Africa succeeds, the United States succeeds. Quite frankly, the whole world succeeds as well,” Biden said as he announced the funding.

The pledge is a stark contrast to his predecessor’s stance as former US president, Donald Trump, was known for alienating African leaders with a mixture of restrictive policies and derogatory remarks.

Some pundits have labelled the move by Biden a form of “damage control” for Trump’s actions, while others believe it’s an attempt to catch up with other countries – including Russia and China – that have developed strong ties in recent years with many African countries.

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