III
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 538
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 8 (legislative day, March 7), 2022
Mr. Risch (for himself, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. Coons) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
May 24, 2022
Reported by Mr. Menendez, without amendment
May 26, 2022
Considered and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for a second United States-Africa Leaders Summit as an important opportunity to strengthen ties between the United States and African partners and build on areas of mutual interest.
Whereas meaningful and consistent high-level multilateral engagement between the United States and Africa is necessary for the foreign policy of the United States to keep pace with the rapid transformation and demographic shifts in Africa and to ensure that the United States understands and responds to the dynamism and ambitions of its African partners;
Whereas successive United States Presidential administrations and Congress have identified strategic competition with the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, and other malign actors as a threat to the national security priorities of the United States that requires building and maintaining networks of bilateral and multilateral partners and allies, including countries in Africa;
Whereas the People's Republic of China, the European Union, India, Japan, the Russian Federation, and Turkey, among others, have held high-level summits with African leaders to discuss policy priorities and deepen economic, political, and security partnerships;
Whereas, during August 4 through 6, 2014, President Barack Obama hosted the first and only United States-Africa Leaders Summit (referred to in this preamble as the 2014 Summit
) in Washington, DC, with African leaders representing 50 countries, the African Union Commission, and various private sector and civil society leaders under the theme Investing in the Next Generation
;
Whereas the 2014 Summit provided a forum for African leaders to engage in frank exchanges with the Government of the United States and congressional leaders, business executives, and members of civil society regarding—
development and economic challenges;
trade, investment, and economic cooperation;
democracy, human rights, and governance; and
peace and regional security;
Whereas, on February 5, 2021, at the 34th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., outlined the vision of his administration for a United States-Africa partnership to strengthen relationships and build on mutual interests and respect with the governments, people (including people of the African Diaspora), and regional multilateral institutions of Africa;
Whereas, on November 19, 2021, during a speech to the Economic Community of West African States in Abuja, Nigeria, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the United States would host a second United States-Africa Leaders Summit to drive the kind of high-level diplomacy and engagement that can transform relationships and make effective cooperation possible
; and
Whereas a well-organized and resourced second United States-Africa Leaders Summit, with an established mechanism for continuity and follow-up, will create a platform upon which the United States and African partners can better structure United States-Africa relationships, deliver on commitments, solve problems, and work together as partners on areas of mutual interest: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
supports the administration of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., hosting a second United States-Africa Leaders Summit (referred to in this resolution as the Summit
) as a vital opportunity to strengthen ties between the United States and African partners;
underscores the importance of bipartisan, bicameral congressional participation in the Summit;
commits to working with the heads of state, civil society, private sector, and the African Diaspora to build stronger ties with the United States and pursue mutual interests; and
urges the Biden administration—
to conduct adequate and diverse consultation with African leaders, the African Diaspora, educational institutions, private sector and civil society organizations of the United States and Africa, and public policy institutions in planning the Summit;
to consider hosting the Summit in a location outside of Washington, DC, that will—
draw broad participation from State Governors and high-level corporate leadership in the United States; and
clarify that the private sector, rather than governments, is the primary driver of the commercial relationship between the United States and African countries;
to consider facilitating trips by African leaders to other cities in the United States and inviting like-minded partners from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Western Hemisphere to participate as observers;
to ensure that sessions focused on trade and investment between the United States and Africa include adequate facilitation of business-focused deal-making with African governments, the African Diaspora, and private sector through Prosper Africa and other similar initiatives;
to include a theme for the Summit that focuses on shared democracy, governance, and human rights concerns and priorities;
to create opportunities during the Summit for direct congressional engagement and to ensure the participation of multiple cabinet members, including members who do not traditionally work on foreign policy, trade, and investment;
to hold bilateral one-on-one presidential engagements during the Summit to build stronger personal relationships with African leaders while also solidifying commitments and areas of mutual interest;
to issue a formal declaration or communique after the Summit describing commitments and a roadmap for future engagement; and
to create a formal mechanism, with appropriate funding and personnel resources, to track and follow up on the implementation of pledges made at the Summit and build upon such commitments for future summits.