OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
4:10pm – Tuesday, December 3, 2024
During a visit to Angola on Tuesday, President Joe Biden reportedly learned of the complicated and unpleasant history between the two continents, even as he vowed that the United States was “committed” to building a new and stronger partnership with Africa. are.
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Speaking at the National Slavery Museum of Angola on the outskirts of Angola's capital, Luanda, Biden spoke about the history of the slave trade and the United States' “original sin” of enslaving Africans.
“I learned that history can be hidden, but it cannot and should not be erased. We have to face it. It is our duty to face our history. A good one. The bad, the ugly. That's what great powers do.
Biden said in his speech that “a significant number of all enslaved people” who came to the United States were Angolan nationals. The ceremony was also attended by three people who he claims are direct ancestors of the first enslaved Africans in the United States.
“We gather in a solemn place, for we cannot fully reflect on how far our two countries have come and our friendship without remembering how we began. Because it won’t,” Biden said.
The president on Tuesday praised his administration's efforts to work with Africa, which has provided more than $40 billion in government investment and $52 billion in joint ventures between American and African companies in infrastructure, communications and solar energy. He cited the conclusion of a business agreement.
Biden is visiting The United States also promised $1 billion in additional aid. Americans affected by Hurricane Helen, especially U.S. taxpayers, are asking for aid and support for drought-stricken African countries even as they still wonder when they will receive more federal aid. .
“Today, President Joseph R. President Biden announced additional humanitarian assistance. The funding, announced during a visit to Angola, includes approximately $823 million through USAID, of which more than $202 million is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Commodity Credit Corporation, and through the U.S. Department of State. It includes approximately $186 million. By USAID.
Mr. Biden took to a stage covered by bulletproof glass and began his speech.
The country of Angola is a mecca for gang activity and a “human trafficking destination,'' targeting both Angolan and foreign nationals. Victims include people of all genders and age groups from neighboring countries, as well as Asian and Latin American countries. “They are exploited in a wide range of ways, from forced labor in the construction, agriculture and diamond mining sectors to prostitution in massage parlors,” the report said. Global Organized Crime Index.
“The right question in 2024 is not what the United States can do for the people of Africa, but what we can do together for the people of Africa,” Biden continued.
This may be Biden's last overseas trip as president, as he prepares to leave office in January.
During talks with Angolan authorities, reporters also asked Biden about his decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden, but the president remained silent and ignored these questions. Biden has repeatedly said he would never forgive his son and that “no one is above the law.”
“As you know, I'm in the last few weeks of my presidency. I don't have to clap for that. You can if you want,” Biden said at the end of his speech. “And while we don't know exactly what the future holds, we do know that the future extends to Angola. Through Africa.”
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