The equal partnership focus is worthy, though perhaps a subtle response to Africa's neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine war.
United States President Joe Biden's US-Africa summit next week is set to be a big 'jamboree'. Over three days, around 42 African heads of state - plus African Union Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat - and a host of business, civil society, diaspora and youth leaders will hold wide-ranging talks with the US administration in Washington.
For Washington to host a second Africa summit, eight years after the first one in 2014, raises several questions. One is what the US can offer Africa that other major players on the continent such as the European Union, China and Japan cannot - especially since these other three powers have been holding regular summits all along.
Désiré Assogbavi, who will participate in the summit as part of the ONE campaign delegation, has written that the gathering should 'focus on a comprehensive long-term vision for a strong and strategic US-Africa relationship to achieve the collective prosperity of American and African people. Such a relationship should be built on absolute mutual respect and shared values.'
What distinguishes America's engagement from other global partners is not always obvious, but it can be discerned. He also mentioned Africa's 'reserves of rare earth minerals critical for the green energy transition' as one of America's interests in the continent. This reflects Washington's concern that China is monopolising the extraction of these resources.
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