BIDEN VISITS ANGOLA IN FINAL PUSH TO BOLSTER U.S.-AFRICA TIES
President Joe Biden visited Luanda, Angola, marking the first trip by a U.S. president to sub-Saharan Africa since 2015. In what could be his final overseas trip before leaving office next month, Biden underscored U.S. investment in Africa, pushing back on China's influence across the continent. Key topics included initiatives on health, agriculture, and security, as well as the Lobito Corridor connecting Angola, Zambia, and the DRC, which allows Western access to critical minerals for technology production. The visit also included a stop in Cape Verde, where Biden met with Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva and praised the nation's democratic governance and support for Ukraine. Biden is the first sitting U.S. president to ever visit Angola, a former Portuguese colony and Cold War battleground, now a focal point in the economic competition between the United States and China. (New York Times, December 2, 2024)
CHAD ENDS DEFENSE PACT WITH FRANCE…
Chad has officially terminated its defense cooperation agreement with France. According to the country’s foreign ministry, the move represents a declaration of sovereignty, reflecting a general trend in West and Central Africa away from French influence and toward new strategic partners. The decision follows the recent expulsion of France's military presence from Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso in the aftermath of coups in those places, and accompanies efforts by Chad's President, Mahamat Déby, to cultivate closer ties with Moscow. While Déby’s government underscored that the decision would not damage bilateral relations between N’Djamena and Paris, the announcement reflects the mounting challenges to France's historic role on the continent. (VOA News, November 28, 2024)
…WHILE ABUJA AND PARIS STRENGTHEN ECONOMIC TIES
While much of the Sahel had distanced itself from France, Nigeria appears to be trending in the opposite direction. During Nigerian President Bola Tinubu's recent state visit to Paris, two important agreements were signed to help infrastructure development in Nigeria and strengthen its food security. The deals cover an investment plan worth 300 million euros for critical sectors of health, transportation, agriculture, renewable energy, and human capital development. Nigeria’s finance minister and the French economy minister additionally signed a letter of intent to facilitate investments and streamline trade and investment processes between the two countries. As well, Nigerian banks, including Zenith Bank and United Bank for Africa, will now operate in Paris, further boosting bilateral trade. (Reuters, November 29, 2024)
BURKINA FASO’S LATEST JUNTA DISSOLVES GOVERNMENT
The military junta in Burkina Faso, led by Ibrahim Traore, has sacked Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela and dissolved the national government, though officials will stay in their posts until a new government is formed. The current junta initially seized power in September 2022, ousting Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba, just months after another coup had removed the democratically elected President Roch Marc Kaboré. With more than two million of its citizens displaced and large parts of the country outside of government control, the junta extended its transition period by five years and cut ties with Western and regional partners such as ECOWAS and France, signaling further isolation in the region. (Associated Press, December 6, 2024)
MALI DRONE STRIKES TARGET TUAREG LEADERS AFTER REBELS UNITE
On December 1, 2024, Mali's military regime launched drone strikes that killed eight Tuareg rebel leaders in the northern town of Tin Zaouatine, near the Algerian border. The incident marks the largest single loss of Tuareg leadership since the country’s ethnically-based rebellion began in 2012. The victims included prominent figures such as Fahad Ag Al Mahmoud, Secretary General of the Gatia armed group. The Malian military later confirmed the deaths.
The attack occurred just one day after northern Mali's rebel groups merged into the Azawad Liberation Front, which aims to create an independent Azawad region. Experts believe the strike will intensify anti-government sentiments but also demonstrate the regime's readiness to use drones against its opponents. Despite the setback, the Tuareg-led groups are expected to continue their fight for autonomy. (Africa News, December 2, 2024)
XI VISITS MOROCCO, DEEPENS ECONOMIC TIES
Chinese President Xi Jinping met recently in Casablanca with Morocco's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch to discuss China's expanding infrastructure investments in the North African nation. Morocco’s strategic position as a gateway to Europe and U.S. markets makes it a focal point of Beijing's efforts to boost trade and influence across the continent, and Xi's visit reflects growing Chinese interest in bilateral relations with Rabat. In particular, the appeal of Morocco to Chinese electric vehicle battery makers has grown, with Chinese firm Gotion High Tech choosing Morocco as the location for Africa's first EV battery gigafactory, a project valued at $1.3 billion. (Reuters, November 22, 2024)