2024-10-08 23:30:00
A long-awaited visit by the President of the United States, Joe Biden, to Angola has been postponed. The decision, motivated by very important climatic and geopolitical events, left many expectations frustrated, on the Angolan side and among political people who saw the event as an opportunity to gain visibility and influence. The postponement brought attention not only to issues of global crisis management, but also to the weaknesses of Angolan diplomacy and internal politics, which seek external support to solve deep-rooted problems.
The Reasons for Postponement: Natural Disasters and Tensions in the Middle East
The main reason for the postponement of Joe Biden’s visit, according to the White House, was the climate emergency in the United States, with the approach of Hurricane Milton and the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene in the southeastern region of the country. Biden’s priority was clear: to closely oversee the government’s preparations and response to natural disasters that threaten millions of Americans.
This rational and responsible attitude, typical of a leader who puts the interests of his nation first, reflects the seriousness with which the president is facing internal challenges, and in no way detracts from the importance Biden places on his trip to Angola. Americans would have a hard time understanding Biden’s trip to Angola, at a time when the United States is at risk of being hit by one of the most destructive hurricanes in the last 100 years.
In addition, the growing tension between Iran and Israel must have played a vital role in this decision. Relations between the two countries are at a boiling point, with the risk of an armed conflict that could further destabilize the Middle East region. For those who have been following the evolution of the situation in the Middle East, they realize that a critical point has been reached in the progress of the conflict, with Israel considering attacking Iran’s oil installations, or even nuclear installations.
As Commander in Chief of the world’s largest military power, Biden must be available to deal with these geopolitical issues that have a major global impact, which has made it impossible for him to participate in other diplomatic commitments, such as the visit to Angola and Germany, which was. also postponed.
Angolan Government Objective: Political Opportunity
On the Angolan side, Joe Biden’s visit was planned as a great opportunity for the government. It cannot be denied that the visit of the President of the United States would be a high point in Angolan diplomacy. The ruling party was keen to take political advantage of the American leader’s visit, promoting it as a significant diplomatic achievement that would place Angola in a prominent position on the international scene. Angola will take over the presidency of the African Union next year.
The Angolan President, João Lourenço, intended to use the event as a demonstration of the country’s diplomatic prestige and its ability to attract the attention of major world powers such as the United States. But the postponement of Biden’s trip and the fact that João Lourenço was not present at the FOCAC 2024 (China Africa Cooperation Forum) meeting in Beijing do not fail to weigh the image of Angolan diplomacy.
The Angolan government invested heavily in the preparation of this visit. Large sums of money were raised to clean and beautify the city of Luanda. Streets were swept, walls that had not received maintenance since the colonial era were painted, and even homeless people were removed from public areas. This “making up” operation of the city, as many people have expressed it, had the clear purpose of impressing the distinguished visitor, a common practice in countries where the government wants to show a reality far from life faced by the population every day.
However, while the visit was widely expected to bring economic benefits, helping Angola emerge from the current crisis, the postponement revealed the fragility of the strategy. The Angolan government bet heavily on an event that would have very little impact on the country’s economy. With a better understanding of the aspect of the Lobito Corridor, a flagship project that would be highlighted during the visit of President Biden, we understand that the impact of the project on the development of Angola is not much in line with the impact of the Benguela Railway (the name given by the known as the Lobito Trail) at the beginning of the 20th century.
Frustrated Expectations and Economic Reality
The ruling party and many political sectors expected Biden’s visit to be a milestone for the Angolan economy. It was widely felt that the arrival of an American president could bring investments and partnerships that would help the country get out of the difficult economic situation it is in. However, this simplistic view underestimates the complexity of international relations and the nature of the Angolan problems.
Indeed, Biden’s visit could open doors for dialogue, but it is unrealistic to expect that any visit by a foreign leader, no matter how influential, can solve Angola’s deep economic and structural challenges. The current Angolan crisis is not the result of a lack of external support or international investment alone. The root problem is within the country, in the absence of a clear and committed vision for sustainable development.
The Angolan Reality: A Country in Search of Internal Solutions
The hope that a visit from a foreign president would change the course of the Angolan economy shows a distorted view of reality. Angola will not be saved by foreign investment or international aid, but it is desirable to do so in the short term. Progress is not based on raising large sums of money that go into the hands of a few people.
The actions taken to prepare the city of Luanda for Biden’s visit, such as cleaning and surface restoration, show that when there is political will, changes can be made quickly. However, these temporary actions are not enough. It is not just “doing nice things for foreigners to see”, but building a country that works for its citizens in every aspect.
The postponement of Joe Biden’s visit is a reminder that real change does not come from the outside. It must be built internally, together, so that the vision and commitment to the sustainable development of the country can transcend political cycles.
By: Henda Ya Xiyeto
For the Angola Portal
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