President Joe Biden once again alluded to his plan to travel to Africa, assuring African leaders that the leader of the world’s wealthiest nation will not eat them out of house and home.
Biden made the comment in remarks to the Africa Leaders Summit he is holding in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.
I am appreciative that you all traveled to Washington for this conference. And I’m delighted to visit your continent,’ he told them during a week in which the White House refused to divulge additional information.
“As I’ve mentioned to a few of you, you invited me to visit your country. I advised, be wary of your desires. Because I may appear. Then he elaborated in a peculiar manner: “The poor relatives always show up.” The wealthy individuals never appear. They consume your food and linger longer than they should. I look forward to visiting many of you in your respective countries.
“The destitute relatives are usually present.” The wealthy never show up,’ President Joe Biden addressed African leaders, alluding to a future trip to the continent and revealing that first wife Jill Biden and vice president Kamala Harris will travel there.
Someone on the dais chuckled in response to Biden’s remark, and Biden himself made a slight snicker. Biden’s remark came amid worldwide food shortages connected in part to Russia’s conflict on Ukraine and Africa’s recurrent starvation problem.
He also expressed sympathy for the exhausting schedule of summit life, even for world leaders whisked around in limousine motorcades – something Biden is familiar with following a month-long tour of three countries.
He told dignitaries, “I know when you come in the middle of the night and then start meetings a couple of hours later, it’s a hard road.”
Biden included cabinet secretaries, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, USAID administrator Samantha Power, and UN ambassador Linda Thomas-Greene.
Biden sympathized with jet-lagged African leaders about the difficulties of summit life. He told dignitaries at the U.S.-Africa Summit, “I know when you come in the middle of the night and then begin discussions a few hours later, it’s a long journey.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to specify where or when Vice President Biden may visit Africa.
President Joe Biden shakes hands with the chair of the African Union, the president of Senegal. He declared that numerous administration officials would travel to Africa.
U.S. officials en route to Africa
Biden (states he is) “ready to depart”
VP Kamala Harris
First lady Jill Biden
State Department Secretary Antony Blinken
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin
Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen
Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo
Administrator of USAID Samantha Power
Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield
“Promise that you will return them. I need them returned, so please make sure you do so. All of them want to go, but I’m afraid they won’t return,’ he remarked, adding his usual “all kidding aside.”
Biden visited Egypt in North Africa for a few hours last month en route to Asia for an environmental forum, but the White House has made it obvious that he has longer-term plans.
When asked on Tuesday if Biden would come, White House Press Secretary Karine-Jean Pierre answered, ‘There will be an announcement regarding a broad-based commitment to travel to the continent in 2023, including the President, the Vice President, and Cabinet secretaries. However, we will not go ahead of that announcement.
This followed a similar remark from National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, who similarly failed to commit to a precise date or location.
“I will declare that the President and Vice President, as well as members of the Cabinet, will announce a broad commitment to travel to the continent in 2023.” I shall also refrain from discussing the specifics of this matter,’ he stated on Monday.