U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration is stepping up a campaign to build American influence in Africa, where the U.S. has lost ground to its main rivals in what’s starting to look like a new Cold War.
Vice President Kamala Harris next week becomes the latest top official to visit, with stops scheduled in Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia. She’s following Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who’ve both been in the region recently. At a December summit with the continent’s leaders, Biden pledged a $55 billion support package for Africa.
The push to engage with the mineral-rich continent comes as Russia’s war in Ukraine — as well as the escalating standoff between the U.S. and China — shake up global diplomacy. Both sides are seeking to win over nonaligned countries in places like Africa.