According to Dana Banks, special assistant to the president and special adviser for the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, President Biden will sign an executive order on Tuesday creating the President's Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States.
The incident will take place on the first day of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, where President Biden will meet with African leaders. On Tuesday, as part of the summit, there will be a Young Leaders Forum for Africa and the Diaspora.
“African voices are essential to solving global problems. To elevate these voices, one of our primary focuses is to widen our circle of engagement to include African Diaspora communities,” Banks stated.
Banks stated that the council would include accomplished members of the African-American and African-immigrant populations from various fields, including but not limited to politics, business, social work, sports, and entertainment.
“It will advise the President on a wide range of issues, enhance the dialogue between U.S. officials and the African Diaspora, and strengthen cultural, social, political, and economic ties between African communities, the global African Diaspora, and the United States,” Banks stated.
According to a National Security Council spokesperson, the African Diaspora consists of over 2 million African immigrants and African Americans, some of whom are the descendants of enslaved Africans.
During the meeting, Biden will also likely declare his support for the African Union’s permanent membership in the G20 group of the world’s major economies.
The United States announced a new strategy statement for Sub-Saharan Africa in August, highlighting the region’s importance, the challenges presented by China and Russia, and committing to enhancing defence cooperation with like-minded African countries. This meeting follows on the heels of this announcement.