US President Joe Biden will bypass East Africa during his first visit to the continent as president, instead choosing Angola as his destination, the White House announced during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Mr Biden, who will not seek reelection in November, is set to visit Angola's capital, Luanda, from October 13 to 15. This will be his first visit to the country since assuming office four years ago.
The trip, initially promised for February after his reelection, follows a commitment Mr Biden made to visit Africa while in office.
In May, Biden told Kenyan President William Ruto he planned to visit the continent in 2024, sparking speculation that Kenya would be his first stop due to the "special" relationship between the two nations.
"I plan on going in February after I am reelected," Biden said after a meeting with Ruto at the White House in May.
During his visit to Angola, Biden will discuss economic partnerships, including plans for Africa's first transcontinental open-access rail network connecting the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
The White House emphasised that the visit would celebrate the evolving US -Angola relationship and highlight Washington's ongoing commitment to African partnerships.
"The President's visit to Luanda underscores how working together to tackle shared challenges benefits both the United States and African countries," the White House said in a statement.
