Vedant Patel, the Deputy Spokesman for the State Department, conducts a news conference on Friday after the U.S.-Africa summit concludes in Washington.
At 2 p.m. E.T., the event is set to start. Watch the player above.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that the country “would not impose its choices on Africa.
After the three-day U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, Blinken was speaking to reporters.
The conference, a follow-up to one hosted by Barack Obama in 2014, was used by the Biden administration as the most recent phase in a charm offensive with African leaders.
Given that China has surpassed the United States in trade with Africa and wants to expand its military footprint, the administration wants to improve ties with those countries.
The continent is important to world powers due to its quickly expanding population, abundant natural resources, and sizeable United Nations voting bloc.
Some summit participants made it plain that they want the Biden administration to avoid making them choose between the U.S. and its international rivals regarding trade issues.
On Thursday, Biden formally declared his support for the African Union’s admission as a permanent member of the Group of 20 countries.
Additionally, he disclosed intentions to invest $2 billion to improve food security on the continent and $165 million to support the peaceful and transparent conduct of elections in African countries the next year.
In addition to the billions American private corporations would invest, Biden announced his administration’s promise to spend $55 billion on government programming in Africa over the following three years.