Joe Biden said Thursday that he planned to visit sub-Saharan Africa, in what will be the first trip by a US president since 2015.
“We’re all going to be seeing you and you’re going to see a lot of us,” Biden told a summit of African leaders.
Biden did not specify a date or destinations, saying, “Some of you invited me to your countries. I said, be careful what you wish for, because I may show up.”
Biden would be the first US president to visit since Barack Obama went in July 2015 to Kenya and Ethiopia.
Obama’s successor Donald Trump made little secret of his lack of interest in sub-Saharan Africa and was the first president in four decades not to visit while in office.
Biden also pledged US support for a permanent African Union seat in the Group of 20 club of major economies, in which South Africa is the continent’s only member.
US officials say they have been in touch with India, the G20 host for 2023, on including the African Union.
