{"id":180170,"date":"2021-02-11T00:11:20","date_gmt":"2021-02-10T22:11:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/what-african-countries-can-expect-from-biden-and-what-they-should-ask-for\/"},"modified":"2021-02-11T00:11:20","modified_gmt":"2021-02-10T22:11:20","slug":"what-african-countries-can-expect-from-biden-and-what-they-should-ask-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/what-african-countries-can-expect-from-biden-and-what-they-should-ask-for\/","title":{"rendered":"What African countries can expect from Biden: and what they should ask for"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

President Joe Biden delivered his first public statement on US foreign policy <\/a> last week. Africa was not mentioned. Does this suggest the continent will be absent from the new administration\u2019s considerations? <\/p>\n

I think not.<\/p>\n

Firstly, the day after his speech, the new president addressed the 34th Summit of the African Union (AU), which was meeting virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He reiterated his commitments to active diplomacy and multilateralism in concert with the AU<\/a>.<\/p>\n

All US efforts would be consistent with America\u2019s core democratic values, which are also enshrined in the AU\u2019s Constitutive Act<\/a> and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance<\/a>. They have recently been assaulted in Uganda and Ethiopia. But at least a broad US-Africa consensus to cooperate in preventing and resolving problems may be emerging.<\/p>\n

And within days of becoming president Biden issued an executive order voiding Trump\u2019s 2017 policy banning all recipients of US government assistance from mentioning abortion, much less counselling women on it. Lifting the gag rule<\/a> has been applauded by women\u2019s rights groups throughout Africa for its practical importance and as another signal of his support for their goal of securing gender equality. <\/p>\n

Secondly, the themes and priorities Biden set out in his foreign policy speech point to vital pathways for productive Africa-US cooperation. <\/p>\n

Biden\u2019s international priorities<\/h2>\n

Biden comes to office with more foreign affairs experience \u2013 including US-Africa policy \u2013 than any of his predecessors<\/a>. <\/p>\n

At the top of his foreign policy agenda are COVID-19 and climate change. On his first day in office, he issued orders for America to rejoin<\/a> the World Health Organisation and Paris Agreement<\/a> on climate change. He also pledged to make diplomacy and multilateralism the primary means of US foreign policy.<\/p>\n

These significant policy priorities will benefit African countries. It is now up to them to press the US to urgently increase funding on two fronts. Firstly to ensure African access to affordable, adequate COVID-19 vaccines<\/a>. Secondly, to boost the Green Climate Fund<\/a> to help Africa mitigate and adapt to global warming.<\/p>\n

Several other highlights of Biden\u2019s international priorities should please Africans:<\/p>\n