Washington DC — United States President Joe Biden has called on six African leaders, including President George Weah, to ensure peaceful, free, fair, and transparent elections in their respective countries come 2023.
The U.S. president made the call at a private meeting attended by his top advisors, with President Weah and his counterparts at the White House as part of his engagements with African leaders at the ongoing U.S. Africa Leaders Summit in Washington D.C.
Also in attendance include Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio, who will be seeking re-election just as President Weah, President Muhammadu Buhari, who is ineligible to seek a third term in February to lead Africa's most populous country, and President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo who took office in 2019 in the vast country's first peaceful transfer of power. Also participating were Gabon's Ali Bongo Ondimba, who has been president since 2009, and Madagascar's President Andry Nirina Rajoelina.
President Weah was accompanied to the meeting by Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Kemayah.
Liberia's election under U.S. radar
While the Biden-Harris administration has made it clear that the ongoing summit is all about strengthening U.S.-Africa relations, it has not ignored one of its chief foreign policy issues - the promotion of democracy at home and abroad.
Jake Sullivan, Biden's national security advisor, said the president called for free elections across the continent and pledged U.S. support to the advancement of the ideals of democracy, rule of law, peace, and security and development on the continent.
"We would like to do everything we can to support those elections being free, fair, and credible. And that goes for every election taking place in 2023, not picking and choosing certain ones and setting other ones aside," Sullivan said.
Last year Biden convened the Biden-Harris administration's first Summit for Democracy which was held virtually.
During the event, President Weah, like his counterparts, made several commitments aimed at fostering good governance and democracy, among them, a pledge to promote free, fair, and transparent elections. The pledge also covered the promotion of fairness, transparency, and accountability in election funding, which include free and transparent elections. At the meeting with Biden, Weah recommitted his pledge.
"I have participated in a lot of elections and even when the results were not favorable, we respected the results," he said while speaking at the White House for the first time since he took office nearly five years ago.
"My administration will ensure a free, fair, and transparent process in 2023 and Liberia will remain a bastion of peace, freedom, prosperity, and development under our watch," he added.
The meeting with the six leaders highlights the importance America attaches to these elections, especially in Liberia which will be conducting its fourth post-war presidential election, something observers say is crucial to the country's fledgling democracy.
Ahead of the elections, American diplomats have been sounding out a caveat to the government to ensure that the process is free and transparent. In the build-up to the summit, United States Ambassador to Liberia Michael McCarthy warned that while the U.S. was not announcing sanctions against any official for now, the all-important goal of transparent, free, credible, and peaceful elections in October will be one important factor in decisions about additional sanctions in the months leading up to the vote.
His warning comes after three of Weah's officials were sanctioned by the United States Treasury Department which led to their resignation from the government.
In an open letter on the observance of the International Day against Corruption, Ambassador McCarthy said GloMag is a tool the United States uses to protect itself from particularly corrupt actors, not a punishment against a country or government. It is also in no way a substitute for a domestic judicial process in the host country, including prosecution. Ultimately, "due process" or an accused's "day in court" can only happen under Liberian law, in Liberian courts."
McCarthy, who has been very vocal on corruption and the rule of law noted that even though the U.S. is not announcing any new sanctions on officials of the Liberian Government, he wants to assure the Liberian people that the US Government anti-corruption efforts remain robust and continuous. Ambassador McCarthy added that the Global Magnitsky sanctions imposed on three Liberian officials in August demonstrate, the U.S. government can and will employ sanctions as needed on an ongoing basis, in support of its shared development, democracy, and security goals, guided by the U.S. Strategy on Countering Corruption.
U.S. is 'all in' on Africa's future
Prior to the meeting with the six leaders, President Biden delivered his keynote address at the Walter Washington International Conference Center. In his landmark address, the U.S. announced billions of dollars in support and investment for Africa.
"The United States is all in on Africa's future. And the work we've done over the past two years, building on decades of vital investments made under previous American presidents, has helped make possible the critical steps that I'm about to announce," he said.
As a demonstration of his commitment, Biden announced that the United States was signing a historic memorandum of understanding with the new African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat; adding that the MOU will unlock new opportunities for trade and investment between the U.S. and African countries, and bring Africa and the United States even closer than ever.
"This is an enormous opportunity -- an enormous opportunity for Africa's future, and the United States wants to help make those opportunities real. We're finally implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area. It will represent one of the largest free trade areas in the world, 1.3 billion people, and a continent-wide market totaling $3.4 trillion," he announced to thunderous applause.
At the summit, the U.S Millennium Challenge Corporation signed its first-ever regional transport compact with the governments of Benin and Niger, and it is expected to invest $500 million to build and maintain roads, put in place policies that reduce transportation costs, making it easier and faster for ships to ship goods from the Port of Cot- -- excuse me, from the Port of Cotonou to neighboring landlocked countries, Biden said.
He noted that since the start of his administration, the MCC has announced new investments of nearly $1.2 billion in Africa, adding we expect the MCC to commit an additional $2.5 billion across Africa in just the next three years, supporting everything from agriculture to transportation to access to renewable energy.
The U.S. President noted that things will be done correctly which will enshrine protections for workers both across Africa and in the United States; looking out for small- and medium-sized entrepreneurs and enterprises to make sure they have a fair shot to compete; lifting up an opportunity for women-owned businesses, diaspora-owned businesses, and businesses owned by members of historically underserved communities; and supporting and investing in the continent's vibrant and growing urban economies.
"Together, we want to build a future of opportunity where no one -- no one is left behind", he said.
Second, we're investing to facilitate greater regional trade within Africa, including by investing in infrastructure.
The summit is seen as the U.S. attempt to re-assert its influence in Africa to counter the Chinese ever-growing involvement. It also comes after Donald Trump's turbulent four-year tenure during which he shunned several African leaders through his America First policy and denigrating comments.
President Biden's address was in stark contrast to his predecessor, pledging his administration's commitment to improving relations with the continent and speaking about the important role Africa plays in international trade and development," adding "when Africa succeeds, the United States succeeds. Quite frankly, the whole world succeeds as well."
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Discussions at the summit also focused on building on already existing programs, including, Prosper Africa - a US government initiative "to increase two-way trade" between African nations and the US launched in 2018, the Clinton-era Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, Agoa, which provides African apparel manufacturers preferential access to the US market; and the Power Africa initiative launched by President Obama to connect millions of African to the grid among others.
However, the success of such programs has been slow to realize with Africa only accounting for just over 1% of US foreign trade, which is dominated by petroleum imports from Nigeria and Angola.
In his address on Wednesday, the U.S. president spoke about a US$500m investment to reduce transport costs at a key West African port in Benin.
He also mentioned US$350m that would be spent on boosting the digital economy and said that US$15bn worth of deals had been struck at the US-Africa Business Forum.
To get things done differently, U.S. officials have announced that President Biden will set up committees that will be responsible to ensure these agreements and programs are implemented successfully.
Already the President has passed an executive order, establishing the President's Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States. The new Executive Order, according to statement issued by the White House, mandates the Secretary of State to within 180 days of the date of this order, set up the Council that will, among other things, consist of not more than 12 members, who are representatives of and reflect the diversity of the African Diaspora from African American and African immigrant communities, including individuals who have distinguished themselves in government, sports, creative industries, business, academia, social work, and faith-based activities. Appointments to the Advisory Council shall be made without regard to political affiliation, the White House said.
