President Joe Biden welcomed the African Presidents, Heads of State and delegates to the U.S. Africa Leaders Summit Dinner on Wednesday, December 14th. He discussed the theme of his White House holiday decorations for this year, “We the People.”
“These are the first words of our Constitution, and the very idea of America,” Biden said. “They’re the leading words of many of your constitutions. And they remind us that our country’s greatest strength lies in just that, our people.”
The president acknowledged the African diaspora community in the United States, including his “former boss” Barack Obama, who convened the first U.S.-Africa summit. He went on to say that the people of a nation “inspire” its leaders, and “tell us hard truths that we need to hear. And sometimes we have trouble listening. They challenge us to live up to the values enshrined in so many of our founding documents and to be worthy of the responsibility given to us by that sacred trust, we the people.”
Biden said he has “never been more optimistic” about the shared future between Africa and the United States, and then introduced Senegalese President Macky Sall, who is also chairperson of the African Union. After thanking Biden for the work he and his administration had put into the summit, Sall toasted the president and First Lady Jill Biden, before expressing his confidence that the summit would produce results that reflect the shared commitment between the two nations.
Gladys Knight who was recognized this year for her lifetime achievement in the arts as a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors, and a seven-time GRAMMY Award winner performed at the US-Africa Leaders Summit Dinner. Knight sang The Best Thing That Ever Happened. The president and First Lady sat in the front row, where the legendary singer gave the couple a little wave.
The dinner was catered by Chef Mashama Bailey who is from the Bronx. She was named “the most important chef in America” by the Financial Times and is the first Black woman to receive the honor as winner of the 2022 James Beard Outstanding Chef. The dinner menu: Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque, Maryland Blue Crab, Spiced Oil with Seared Sea Bass, Black-eyed Peas, Peppers and Preserved Lemons. Field Greens, Feta Cheese and Pickled Peppers with Red Wine Vinaigrette. Desserts were Banana Pudding and Whipped Cream. The wine of the night was Paul Hobbs Chardonnay ‘Russian River Valley’ 2020
Here are the African Leaders in attendance:
The President and the First Lady participated in a photoline with the following leaders:
H.E. Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon
Mrs. Chantal Biya, First Lady of the Republic of Cameroon
H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda
Mrs. Natasha Karugire, Daughter of the President of the Republic of Uganda
H.E. Denis Sassou N’guesso, President of the Republic of the Congo
H.E. Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti
H.E. Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda
H.E. Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of the Gabonese Republic
H.E. Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, First Lady of the Gabonese Republic
H.E. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal
H.E. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt
H.E. Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of the Republic of Mozambique
H.E. Isaura Nyusi, First Lady of the Republic of Mozambique
H.E. Hage Gottfried Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia
Madam Monica Geingos, First Lady of the Republic of Namibia
H.E. Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
H.E. Faustin Archange Touadera, President of the Central African Republic
H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana
H.E. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, First Lady of the Republic of Ghana
H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola
T.H. Ana Dias Lourenço, First Lady of the Republic of Angola
H.E. George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia
Mrs. Clar Marie Weah, First Lady of the Republic of Liberia
H.E. Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone
H.E. Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone
H.E. Andry Nirina Rajoelina, President of the Republic of Madagascar
Mrs. Mialy Rajoelina, First Lady of the Republic of Madagascar
H.E. Azali Assoumani, President of the Union of the Comoros
H.E. Ambari Azali, First Lady of the Union of the Comoros
H.E. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Madam Mariem Dah, First Lady of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania
H.E. Kais Saied, President of the Republic of Tunisia
Mrs. Ichraf Chebil Ep Saied, First Lady of the Republic of Tunisia
H.E. Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, President of the Republic of Botswana
H.E. Neo Jane Masisi, First Lady of the Republic of Botswana
H.E. Umaro Sissoco Embaló, President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau
H.E. Evariste Ndayishimiye, President of the Republic of Burundi
H.E. Angeline Ndayishimiye, First Lady of the Republic of Burundi
H.E. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi
H.E. Wavel John Charles Ramkalawan, President of the Republic of Seychelles
H.E. Mohamed Younis Menfi, President of the Presidential Council of the State of Libya
H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania
H.E. Mohamed Bazoum, President of the Republic of Niger
Mrs. Khadija Bazoum, First Lady of the Republic of Niger
H.E. Hakainde Sammy Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia
H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia
H.E. William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya
Mrs. Rachel Ruto, First Lady of the Republic of Kenya
H.E. Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, President of Transition Republic of Chad
H.E. Ulisses Correia E Silva, Prime Minister of the Republic of Cabo Verde
H.E. Elsa Correia E Silva, Spouse of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Cabo Verde
T.H. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius
Mrs. Kabita Jugnauth, Spouse of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius
H.E. Abiy Ahmed Ali, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
H.E. Zinash Tayachew, Spouse of the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
H.E. Aïmene Benabderrahmane, Prime Minister of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
T.R.H. Cleopas Sipho Dlamini, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini
Ms. Lomvula Hlophe, Spouse of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini
H.E. Aziz Akhannouch, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Morocco
H.E. Patrick Achi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
T.R.H. Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho
H.E. Patrice Emery Trovoada, Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe
H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson for the Commission of the African Union
H.E. Mamadou Tangara, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad of the Republic of The Gambia
H.E. Naledi Grace Mandisa Pandor, Minister for International Relations & Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa
T.H. Frederick Makamure Shava, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Mrs. Beatrice Foya Shava, Spouse of the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Zimbabwe
T.H. Mayiik Ayii Deng, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Transitional Government of South Sudan
Reported By:
Adedayo Fashanu O.
Senior White House Correspondent.
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