Joe Biden plans to make history tomorrow as the first-ever US president to visit Angola‚ marking a key-point in US-African relations. Thousands of on-lookers filled Luandas streets to welcome him yesterday
The presidents visit focuses on the National Museum of Slavery - a 17th-century building that tells a dark story of the trans-atlantic slave trade (where about 4 million Angolans were sent to the Americas). Wanda Tucker‚ a Black American whose roots trace back to early Virginia settlers will join the event
The US is giving $229‚000 for the museums up-keep; its a place where iron-chains and torture tools remind visitors of humanitys cruel past. The building itself - once owned by a major slave-trader‚ includes a chapel where people were force-baptized before their journey
It would be impossible to make up for what happened in the past
Biden and Lourenco will meet to talk about:
* Trade deals
* Security team-ups
* Defense plans for next year
* Maritime safety issues
The visit highlights a big US-backed train project that connects mineral-rich areas to Atlantic ports - its meant to offer an option different from Chinas influence in the region. The railway links Congo and Zambia (which have lots of copper and cobalt) to Angolas coast