WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the Biden Administration’s announcement of plans to host the second U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit from December 13-15, 2022:
“The Biden Administration’s announcement today of a date for a second U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in December is long-overdue. The summit is an important opportunity for our African partners to engage directly with senior leaders from the U.S. government, private sector, African diaspora, and civil society. It should not have taken eight months from the announcement of a second summit to set a date.
“As part of its consultation with Congress, I expect the administration to incorporate recommendations from my Senate-passed bipartisan resolution on the U.S.-Africa Summit into its planning. I also hope the African leaders invited to the summit are selected for their shared values and commitment to partnering with the United States.”
Background:
On March 9, Risch and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced a bipartisan resolution, S.Res.538, expressing support for a second U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit as a significant opportunity to strengthen ties between the United States and African partners, and to build on areas of mutual interest. On May 26, the U.S. Senate passed the resolution.
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