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President Joe Biden on Friday pledged a partnership with Africa and said he hoped to attend the next African Union summit, an about-face in American interest in a continent largely ignored by his predecessor.
In a video message to this weekend’s African Union summit, which is being held virtually due to Covid, the new US leader pledged to work with Africans on his key priorities to fight the virus and climate change and advancing diplomacy to end conflicts on the continent.
“None of this will be easy, but the United States is now ready to be your partner in solidarity, support and mutual respect,” Biden said.
“I hope I can be with you next time in person.”
In what became the first themes of his presidency, Biden pledged to promote democracy and the rights of sexual minorities – which are frequently attacked in Africa.
Biden said he wanted to work with Africa on “a future committed to investing in our democratic institutions and promoting the human rights of all people – women and girls, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities and people of all ethnicities,” religions and heritages. “
Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, was the first president since Ronald Reagan not to visit Africa during his tenure, and rose to prominence by promoting the lie that his predecessor Barack Obama was born in Kenya.
Trump has been notoriously cited as having used an expletive to describe African nations when explaining why he didn’t want non-white immigrants to the United States.
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