U.S. President Joe Biden arrived in Angola on Monday for a three-day visit, on his first presidential trip to the sub-Saharan African country, the White House said in a press release.
Biden is visiting the region in the final month of his term as part of the U.S. effort to strengthen its presence in an area rich in minerals critical for electric vehicle batteries, electronics, and clean energy technologies.
The President “will highlight the transformation and deepening of the U.S.-Angola relationship and reaffirm the U.S. commitment to strengthening partnerships across Africa,” according to the statement.
Crowds gathered along Luanda, Angola’s capital, to welcome Biden.
Before arriving in Angola, he briefly stopped in Cape Verde, where he held a private meeting with Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva.
While in Angola, Biden will meet with President João Lourenço, tour the National Slavery Museum, and visit Lobito, a port city, to observe a railway project.