By Enyichukwu Enemanna
US President, Joe Biden has extended invitations to at least 49 African heads of state and the head of the African Union to Washington, D.C. for a three-day US-Africa Leaders Summit between December 13-15.
This comes as the US embassy in Nigeria says the summit will deepen the United States of America’s partnerships with Nigeria and other African democracies.
The goal of the summit is to build and expand vital political, economic, and strategic partnerships, as well as people-to-people dialogue, based on mutual interests and shared priorities in Africa, the US had announced.
The summit’s agenda will be packed, including increasing sustainable food production, strengthening health systems, providing humanitarian assistance, responding to the climate crisis, reinforcing democracy and human rights, boosting U.S.-African trade, advancing peace and security, and even enhancing space research and cooperation, the embassy added.
President Biden believes that US collaboration with African leaders, as well as civil society, business, diaspora, women, and youth leaders, is essential to address these shared challenges.
According to US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, the upcoming summit presents opportunities to deepen US-Nigeria bilateral ties on multiple levels.
“We look forward not only to the Nigerian government’s robust participation in the summit, but also to hearing the views of all stakeholders in Nigeria’s promising future, including independent voices from the private sector, civil society, young people, women, and all those who are working to build a strong and inclusive democracy,” she said.
The summit is also an opportunity for the United States and the American people to reiterate their profound and enduring interest in engaging with Africa as a whole.
