Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will travel to Africa in January, deepening the Biden administration’s commitment to the continent amid a broader push to counter China’s influence in developing nations.
Yellen will make stops in Senegal, Zambia and South Africa during the January 17-28 tour, the Treasury Department said in a statement on Friday.
President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo are also scheduled to visit African countries in the new year. The visits will follow the first summit of African leaders in Washington in six years.
Biden announced his plans this week when he hosted more than 40 heads of state from across the continent.
“While in Africa, Secretary Yellen will highlight the work of the Biden-Harris administration to deepen economic ties between the United States and Africa, including through expanding trade and investment flows,” Treasury said.
Yellen’s visit to Zambia comes as the country is asking creditors to cancel some of its outstanding debt that it has been struggling to pay since defaulting more than two years ago. The United States has criticized China for what Washington sees as insufficient debt relief for African borrowers, including Zambia.
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