LUANDA, Dec 2 – U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to Angola, centered on boosting U.S. economic ties through the Lobito Corridor infrastructure project and addressing the legacy of slavery, was overshadowed Monday by his decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden.
The trip, fulfilling Biden’s pledge to engage with Sub-Saharan Africa during his presidency, aims to support the Lobito Corridor. The U.S.-backed railway initiative connects the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to Angola’s Atlantic coast, unlocking access to valuable resources like copper and cobalt, crucial for electronics and green energy.
Biden’s national security adviser, John Kirby, told reporters aboard Air Force One that the project would bring “economic opportunities” to Africa, while also reducing the region’s reliance on China, which dominates Congo’s mining sector. The initiative includes a $550 million U.S. Development Finance Corporation loan to revamp the 1,300-kilometer rail network.
The announcement was overshadowed by the Hunter Biden pardon. Hours before departing Washington, Biden granted clemency to his son, who had faced charges for tax violations and a firearms conviction. The move drew sharp media attention during the flight, with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre fielding repeated questions and referring journalists to previous presidential statements.
Biden refrained from addressing the controversy during a refueling stop in Cape Verde. Meanwhile, in Angola, the president’s agenda includes meetings with President João Lourenço and Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, a tour of Angola’s slavery museum, and site visits to the Lobito Corridor facilities.
The Lobito Corridor project, supported by global partners Trafigura, Mota-Engil, and Vecturis, is seen as a counterweight to China’s influence, particularly after Beijing’s recent agreement to revitalize a competing railway to Africa’s eastern coast. Kirby emphasized the U.S. approach as one of fostering sustainable and transparent partnerships, avoiding the debt-driven practices associated with other global powers.
