US-Africa Leaders' Summit Begins Tomorrow

President Biden is expected to call for the African Union to be granted a permanent seat within the G-20 when the US-Africa Leaders' Summit kicks-off in Washington DC tomorrow.

• White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters: “We need more African voices in international conversations…”
• Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MA): “African nations should have more opportunities to present their insights and propose solutions on global challenges that impact them... This announcement… is a clear signal to the nations of Africa that the United States is committed to strengthening our relations and partnerships...”
• The Biden administration has stressed that the summit is not a vehicle for pushing against Chinese influence in Africa, but the New York Times writes the "international scrabble” for influence will be a subtext of the summit.
• NYT: “An international scramble for military, commercial and diplomatic interests in Africa, long dominated by China, has expanded in recent years to include other powers like Russia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. In this intense competition, the U.S. has often lagged behind... a decline the Biden administration hopes to reverse with the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit that...”