Nearly 550 new trade and investment agreements were signed, representing a 67% increase over 2022 in terms of number and value, said British Robinson, coordinator of the US-led Prosper Africa trade initiative.
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“We’ve had a record year for U.S.-Africa relations,” said Judd Devermont, White House official in charge of sub-Saharan Africa, during an online press conference organized a year after a summit with African leaders at which U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to “pull out all the stops” on the continent.
In December, Washington pledged to invest $55 billion over three years in Africa. This strategy is aimed in particular at countering the growing presence of China, which has made inroads in infrastructure construction, investments and loans.
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The United States has already achieved over 40% of these commitments, Mr. Devermont pointed out. “By the end of the second year, we expect to exceed at least 70% of our targets,” he added.