How America is working to support, empower Africa – Molly Phee, U.S Assistant Secretary of State

….Speaks on President Biden’s visit to Angola

…. Two Security Council seats for Africa

…..Africa’s inclusion on executive boards of World Bank, IMF

…..Split in ECOWAS

The United States of America (USA) is lobbying forcefully for two permanent seats for Africa on the Security Council of the United Nations, as well for the reform of the apex world body.

Also, the US has successfully argued for African representation on the executive boards of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

These developments were confirmed by Molly Phee, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, while providing an overview of U.S. priorities in Sub-Saharan Africa at a Media Briefing, Thursday, September 26, 2024 at the New York Foreign Press Center.

Phee, who said that the “exciting” developments were concrete evidence that the US is working to support and empower Africa, stressed that the government believes “strongly in lifting the African voice into global conversations,” noting also that these positions are “consistent with President Joe Biden’s goal to help Africans to be able to engage globally, commensurate with the power and potential of Africa.”

She said, however, that the US would need the support of the other permanent members of the Security Council for the two seats being canvassed for Africa on the Security Council to have the veto power status.

According to her, President Biden’s trip to Angola in mid-October, the first ever visit of a U.S. president to the country and one of the last important visits he (Biden) will undertake as President to the continent of Africa, was in keeping with his commitment to advance US partnership with the continent.

Phee also noted that the efforts of the US Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen, to make the multilateral banks and international financial institutions more inclusive by having Africans in the executive boards is “so that they are oriented to meet the needs of African friends and other friends in the Global South. That means more capital to address credit crunch, and more capital to invest in infrastructure.”

Biden’s trip, she said, will further highlight the US’ partnership with Africa, especially in the economic sector where its investment in the Lobito Corridor that runs from Zambia through the DRC to the Port of Lobito in Angola will considerably advance development in southern Africa, including connectivity to the internet and opportunities for agricultural development.

She also said that a meeting of the partners of the Lobito Corridor, including the African Finance Corporation (AFC) and African Development Bank (AfDB), hosted by Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, also represents part of efforts being made by the US to mobilize “these institutions to support what Africans tell us they need: investment to develop jobs and help their communities.”

Phee, who also spoke extensively on efforts being made by the US in respect of peace, security and development in different countries and regions of Africa, including in Sudan, Somalia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda and Burundi, as well the threats posed by terror groups in the Horn of Africa and elsewhere in the continent, paid glowing tribute to the recent determination of the people of Senegal to save their democracy.

She also commended the progressive vision of Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the new President of Senegal, for his country, which she said he unveiled at a “terrific meeting” that took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), between him and Blinken.

According to her, President Faye told Blinken “how he wanted to introduce technology, including AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology, to Senegal and (how he wants) to use technology to reduce corruption and be more efficient in managing government resources.” She assured that the US is “proud to be a partner to support him, and we believe that Senegal serves as a great example for the continent.”

She rounded off the question and answer session of the Briefing with the reaction of the US to the present division in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Republic recently withdrew from the regional group, and while stressing that the US would prefer to see partners working together and collaborating on meeting common challenges, Phee pointed out that it is up to the member states “to determine their diplomatic configuration.”