President Joe Biden offered Africa $55 billion over the next three years this week as he claimed that the U.S. would become more involved on the continent.
The remarks from Biden came during a dinner between U.S. and African leaders in Washington, D.C., the first such summit in eight years.
The move by the U.S. to become more involved in Africa comes after falling behind intense efforts by Russia and China to expand their influence on the continent, according to The New York Times.
Biden mentioned slavery during the dinner, saying, “We remember the stolen men and women and children who were brought to our shores in chains, subjected to unimaginable cruelty.”
“My nation’s original sin was that period,” he continued. “We honor their descendants, who our generations have — for generations have helped build this country and propel it to higher heights, leading the charge, blazing new trails, and forging a better future for everyone in America.”
Rwandan President Paul Kagame was asked if the 2014 summit with former President Barack Obama yielded concrete results for the continent.
“‘Well, at least we had a good meeting,” he responded as those in attendance reportedly laughed.
When asked about Paul Rusesabagina, who protected refugees during the 1994 Rwandan genocide and has been locked up since 2020, Kagame said that he would not yield to pressure from the U.S.
“We’ve made it clear there isn’t anyone going to come from anywhere to bully us into something to do with our lives,” he mocked. “Maybe make an invasion and overrun the country — you can do that.”
The New York Times reported that Kagame lured Rusesabagina from his home in Texas, where he was a permanent resident, to Rwanda under false pretenses where he was subsequently arrested on what are believed to be trumped up terrorism charges.