Statements and Releases

The United States and the Kingdom of Bahrain are proud to unveil the Geospatial Acceleration Initiative, an ambitious step forward in one of the Middle East’s longest-standing and most valued strategic partnerships. This initiative stems from the advanced technology track of the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA), signed in 2023, which strengthened US-Bahraini collaboration in defense, security, and cutting-edge technology development.

Bahrain’s steadfast dedication to regional security is exemplified by its prominent role in supporting multinational efforts to ensure safe navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, countering threats to maritime trade, and upholding international law. Bahrain’s leadership in this effort underscores its ongoing commitment to advancing regional stability and protecting vital global trade corridors.

Through the Geospatial Acceleration Initiative and the advanced C-SIPA tech track, the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)—a global leader in geospatial intelligence—will collaborate with Bahraini stakeholders to produce and share hydrographic, aeronautical, and topographic geospatial foundation data. This partnership will enhance navigation safety for both military forces and bolster maritime security across the region.

The enduring U.S.-Bahrain partnership, rooted in decades of mutual trust and shared goals, is a testament to the power of collaboration. Together, through innovative initiatives like the Geospatial Acceleration Initiative, we reaffirm our resolve to confront today’s challenges with ingenuity and unity. This partnership continues to serve as a cornerstone of peace, security, and prosperity for both nations and beyond.

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As Commander in Chief, I have one solemn responsibility: protect the American people from harm. That’s why, over the last four years, I made beating the opioid epidemic a central focus of my Unity Agenda at home—and my cooperation with world leaders abroad.
 
Earlier this week, we saw the impact: Mexican security forces seized more than twenty million doses of illicit fentanyl—enough to kill 15 percent of all Americans. I want to thank President Claudia Sheinbaum for her leadership and partnership that made this possible, and the many military and law enforcement officials on both sides of the border who have dedicated their lives to countering fentanyl, disrupting traffickers, and saving their fellow citizens. It matters.
 
And we won’t let up. Under my Administration, we have seized more fentanyl at our border in the last two years, than the previous five years combined. We’ve put dozens of major cartel leaders and money launderers behind bars. And latest data shows over a 14 percent drop in overdose deaths across the nation—that’s the largest decrease on record.
 
These aren’t just facts and figures. They are families. Families who don’t have to bear the loss of a child, or parent, or spouse. So today, with partners around the world—including Mexico—we vow to double down on our work to size more drugs. To stop more traffickers. To save more lives. And to we make it clear: enough is enough.

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Dear Mr. Speaker:   (Dear Madam President:)

I am providing this supplemental consolidated report, prepared by my Administration and consistent with the War Powers Resolution (Public Law 93-148), as part of my efforts to keep the Congress informed about deployments of United States Armed Forces equipped for combat.

MILITARY OPERATIONS IN SUPPORT OF UNITED STATES COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS

In furtherance of counterterrorism efforts, the United States continues to work with partners around the globe, with a particular focus on the United States Central and Africa Commands’ areas of responsibility.  In this context, the United States has deployed forces to conduct counterterrorism operations and to advise, assist, and accompany security forces of select foreign partners on counterterrorism operations.  In the majority of these locations, the mission of United States military personnel is to facilitate counterterrorism operations of foreign partner forces and does not include routine engagement in combat.  In many of these locations, the security environment is such that United States military personnel may be required to defend themselves against threats or attacks, and, to that end, the United States may deploy United States military personnel with weapons and other appropriate equipment for force protection.  Specific information about counterterrorism deployments to select countries is provided below, and a classified annex to this report provides further information.

Military Operations Conducted Pursuant to the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force and in Support of Related United States Counterterrorism Objectives

Since October 7, 2001, United States Armed Forces, including Special Operations Forces, have conducted counterterrorism combat operations, including against al-Qa’ida and associated forces.  Since August 2014, these operations have included targeting the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which was formerly known as al-Qa’ida in Iraq.  In support of these and other overseas operations, the United States has deployed combat-equipped forces to several locations in the United States Central, European, Africa, Southern, and Indo-Pacific Commands’ areas of responsibility.  Such operations and deployments have been reported previously, consistent with the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (Public Law 107-40), the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107-243), Public Law 93-148, and other statutes.  These ongoing operations, which the United States has carried out with the assistance of numerous international partners, have been successful in seriously degrading ISIS capabilities in Syria and Iraq.  If necessary, in response to terrorist threats, I will direct additional measures to protect the people and interests of the United States.  It is not possible to know at this time the precise scope or the duration of the deployments of United States Armed Forces that are or will be necessary to counter terrorist threats to the United States.

Afghanistan.  United States military personnel remain postured outside Afghanistan to address threats to the United States homeland and United States interests that may arise from inside Afghanistan.

Iraq and Syria.  As part of a comprehensive strategy to defeat ISIS, United States Armed Forces are working by, with, and through local partners to conduct operations against ISIS forces in Iraq and Syria and against al-Qa’ida in Syria to limit the potential for resurgence of these groups and to mitigate threats to the United States homeland.  A small presence of United States Armed Forces remains in strategically significant locations in Syria to conduct operations, in partnership with local, vetted ground forces, to address continuing terrorist threats emanating from Syria.  United States Armed Forces in Iraq continue to advise, assist, and enable select elements of the Iraqi security forces, including Iraqi Kurdish security forces.  United States Armed Forces also provide limited support to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization mission in Iraq.  United States Armed Forces, as part of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, remain present in Iraq at the invitation of the Government of Iraq.

I directed United States forces to conduct discrete strikes on November 11, 2024, and on November 26, 2024, against facilities in Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated militia groups for headquarters and command and control, weapons storage, training, logistics support, and other purposes.  These strikes followed attacks against United States personnel and facilities in Syria that threatened the lives of United States personnel and Coalition forces operating alongside United States forces, and that were perpetrated by the IRGC, affiliated militia groups, and other Iran-affiliated groups.  I directed these discrete military actions consistent with my responsibility to protect United States citizens both at home and abroad and in furtherance of United States national security and foreign policy interests, pursuant to my constitutional authority as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive and to conduct United States foreign relations.

Arabian Peninsula Region.  The United States military continues to work closely with the Republic of Yemen government and regional partner forces to degrade the terrorist threat posed by al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula and ISIS. 

Since at least November 2023, Yemen-based Houthi militants have engaged in a series of attacks against United States military forces, including ships and aircraft, and against maritime commercial shipping operating in the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden.  These attacks have posed a threat to the safety of United States forces and commercial ships and their crews, regional political and economic stability, and navigational rights and freedoms.  The Houthi militants continue to pose a threat of future attacks against United States forces and military vessels and against other maritime traffic in the region.  In response, United States forces have conducted discrete strikes against facilities, locations, and equipment in Yemen that support and facilitate Houthi militants’ attacks in the Red Sea region.  These strikes protect and defend our personnel and assets, and degrade and disrupt the ability of the Houthi militants to carry out future attacks against the United States and against vessels operating in the Red Sea region that could further destabilize the region and threaten United States strategic interests.  The strikes were conducted in a manner designed to limit the risk of escalation and avoid civilian casualties.

United States Armed Forces are deployed to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to protect United States forces and interests in the region against hostile action by Iran and Iran-backed groups.  These forces, operating in coordination with the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, provide air and missile defense capabilities and support the operation of United States military aircraft.  The total number of United States forces in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is approximately 2,027.

Jordan.  At the request of the Government of Jordan, approximately 3,942 United States military personnel are deployed to Jordan to support Defeat-ISIS operations, to enhance Jordan’s security, and to promote regional stability.

Lebanon.  At the request of the Government of Lebanon, approximately 99 United States military personnel are deployed to Lebanon to enhance the government’s counterterrorism capabilities, to support the counterterrorism operations of Lebanese security forces, and to protect United States interests in the country.  The increase of approximately 24 personnel is attributable to the heightened hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, leading to increasing instability.  Accordingly, a small number of personnel were deployed to protect United States diplomatic facilities and diplomatic personnel, and to ensure rapid capability to respond to crisis.

Turkey.  United States Armed Forces remain deployed to Turkey, at the Turkish government’s request, to support Defeat-ISIS operations and to enhance Turkey’s security.

East Africa Region.  United States Armed Forces continue to counter the terrorist threat posed by ISIS and al-Shabaab, an associated force of al-Qa’ida.  Since the last periodic report, United States Armed Forces have conducted one airstrike in Somalia against al-Shabaab in defense of our Somali partner forces.  United States Armed Forces remain prepared to conduct airstrikes in Somalia against ISIS and al-Shabaab terrorists.  United States military personnel conduct periodic engagements in Somalia to train, advise, and assist regional forces, including Somali and African Union Transition Mission in Somalia forces, in connection with counterterrorism operations.  United States military personnel are deployed to Kenya to support counterterrorism operations in East Africa.  United States military personnel continue to partner with the Government of Djibouti, which has permitted use of Djiboutian territory for basing of United States Armed Forces.  United States military personnel remain deployed to Djibouti, including for purposes of staging for counterterrorism and counter-piracy operations in the vicinity of the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and to provide contingency support for embassy security augmentation in East Africa, as necessary. 

Lake Chad Basin and Sahel Region.  OnSeptember 15, 2024, at the request of the Government of Niger, the United States ended its limited military presence in that country.

Cuba.  United States Armed Forces continue to conduct humane and secure detention operations for detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, under the authority provided by Public Law 107-40, as informed by the law of war.  There are 30 such detainees as of the date of this report.

Philippines.  United States military personnel deployed to the Philippines are providing support to the counterterrorism operations of the armed forces of the Philippines.

MILITARY FORCES IN DEFENSE OF ISRAEL

As reported on October 15, 2024, I directed the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) system and United States forces capable of operating this system to Israel.  Although these forces are equipped for combat, THAAD is a defensive system, and I directed the deployment of it and accompanying United States forces for the purpose of protecting both Israel and United States persons and property. 

MILITARY OPERATIONS IN EGYPT IN SUPPORT OF THE MULTINATIONAL FORCE AND OBSERVERS

Approximately 378 United States military personnel are assigned to or are supporting the United States contingent of the Multinational Force and Observers, which have been present in Egypt since 1981.

UNITED STATES AND NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION OPERATIONS IN KOSOVO

The United States continues to contribute forces to the Kosovo Force (KFOR), led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in cooperation with local authorities, bilateral partners, and international institutions, to deter renewed hostilities in Kosovo.  Approximately 403 United States military personnel are among KFOR’s approximately 4,500 personnel.

UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES IN NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION COUNTRIES

Approximately 80,000 United States Armed Forces personnel are assigned or deployed to North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries in Europe, including those deployed to reassure our allies and to deter further Russian aggression.

I have directed the participation of United States Armed Forces in all of the above-described operations pursuant to my constitutional and statutory authority as Commander in Chief and as Chief Executive (including the authority to carry out Public Law 107-40, Public Law 107-243, and other statutes), as well as my constitutional and statutory authority to conduct the foreign relations of the United States.  Officials of my Administration and I communicate regularly with congressional leadership, relevant congressional committees, and other Members of Congress with regard to these deployments, and we will continue to do so.

                              Sincerely,

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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Health care should be a right, not a privilege, and every American should be able to access quality affordable coverage. My Administration has worked tirelessly to make it happen, and our plan is working: premiums for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act are more affordable, Medicare and Medicaid are strong, seniors are paying less for prescription drugs, and more Americans have health insurance than ever before in American history.

A new report from the Congressional Budget Office underscores just how critical the legislation to bring down health care costs, enacted under my Administration, have been. Millions of Americans are benefiting from expanded premium tax credits that lower their premiums. If Congress takes that benefit away, premiums will spike and 3.8 million people will become uninsured. That’s simply wrong. The American people don’t deserve to see their health insurance premiums skyrocket. That’s why I’ll continue to call on Congress to continue the Affordable Care Act tax credits, and protect affordable health insurance for millions of Americans.

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America’s comeback continues. Today’s report shows that the economy created 227,000 jobs in November, as Boeing machinists returned to work with record wage gains and hurricane recovery continued. Unemployment of 4.2% is in the same low range of the past seven months. This has been a hard-fought recovery, but we are making progress for working families.

Since I took office, the economy has created more than 16 million jobs, with jobs created every single month. Unemployment has been the lowest on average of any administration in 50 years. Incomes are up almost $4,000 more than prices. While there is more to do to lower costs, we’ve taken action to lower prescription drug prices, health insurance premiums, utility bills, and gas prices that will pay dividends for years to come.

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On November 15, 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration held the Fourth Annual White House Tribal Youth Forum.  At the Forum, over 100 Native American youth from across the country engaged with Administration officials on key issues impacting their communities, including food sovereignty, climate change, mental health, and missing and murdered Indigenous persons. Discussions touched on themes youth leadership, preservation of culture, and destigmatizing mental illness. Youth were also given a presentation from the White House Internship Program to learn about opportunities available to them within the White House Office.

The Biden-Harris Administration remains committed to strengthening the relationship between the Federal Government and Tribal Nations to advance opportunity for Indigenous people, which includes empowering the future leaders of Indian Country. For the past four years the White House Tribal Youth Forum has provided a unique opportunity for Tribal youth to share their ideas and provide input on policy decisions that impact their communities and future generations.

Tribal youth participants heard directly from Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm, White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory, White House Internship Program Associate Director Jasmin Chavez-Cruz, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Deputy Assistant Secretary Sonia Chessen, Administration for Native Americans Deputy Commissioner Hope MacDonald Lone Tree, and Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland.  In addition, the Forum included senior White House officials and senior Administration officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior, Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and the White House Domestic Policy Council.

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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and Angolan President João Lourenço co-hosted African leaders from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and Tanzania, as well as private sector CEOs, U.S. development and finance institutions, and the Africa Finance Corporation, to celebrate and highlight progress on the development of the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor and the partnership of the Lobito Corridor consortium. President Biden praised the progress made on the Corridor since its launch under the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) at the 2023 G7 Summit, and today announced more than $560 million in new funding, including commitments expected to generate at least $200 million in additional private sector capital, for infrastructure projects along the Corridor, bringing the total for U.S. investments to more than $4 billion. The Leaders discussed the transformative impact the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor has had on enhancing access to the critical minerals needed for the clean energy transition and digital connectivity, strengthening food security, boosting regional trade, and empowering communities all along the Corridor. To date, the United States regional development banks, and international partners have mobilized over $6 billion in high-standard, public and private investments along the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor.

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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, to discuss the U.S.-Zambian relationship and our shared commitment to economic and democratic progress. The two leaders discussed the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor and the new rail line from the Angola border into Zambia. They discussed how these investments in infrastructure — including through a new $491 million Millennium Challenge Corporation compact with the Government of Zambia in which the United States will invest $458 million and Zambia will commit $33 million — will help catalyze sustainable and inclusive economic growth for the people of Zambia, lower the cost of transporting goods to regional and global markets, and create an incredible legacy for generations to come. They affirmed the need to ensure conditions are in place to attract private sector investments in Zambia, including a conviction that strong, resilient democracies are essential to create quality jobs and inclusive economic growth. The presidents underscored their conviction that countries should not be held back from investing in their development by the need to service unsustainably high debt, and together committed to continue advocating for reform.

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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to discuss the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor and the broader economic partnershipand the bilateral relationship between the United States and the DRC and the Congolese people. The two leaders affirmed the need to ensure conditions are in place to attract private sector investments in the DRC, including good governance, transparency, and a sovereign DRC that is able to harness its immense wealth for the benefit of all its people. President Biden encouraged continued commitment to the Luanda Process to ensure a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

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Today, the United States and Angola are co-hosting a Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor Summit, bringing together leaders from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Tanzania, and Zambia, as well as the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).  The leaders will affirm their commitment to continue developing the Corridor and invest in infrastructure to connect the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.  They will further pledge to accelerate the next phase of the Corridor with the new Zambia-Lobito rail project.  The Summit will underscore the importance of enabling sustainable private sector investments that unlock inclusive economic growth and sustainable development for local and regional communities.
 
Through PGI—a bipartisan initiative in partnership with G7+, for strategic, values-driven, and high-standard infrastructure and investment in low- and middle-income countries—the United States and our partners aim to positively impact people’s lives, strengthen and diversify our supply chains, protect workers, and advance shared national security interests.  The flagship Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor, anchored in core rail investments, is a transformative economic corridor that connects the region and accelerates trade and the growth of key sectors supporting the economic diversification and development priorities of African leaders.  The United States is working with partners around the world to replicate the success of the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor and help bridge the global infrastructure gap.
 
In September 2024, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the completion of an initial feasibility study and launch of the environmental and social impact assessment for the Zambia-Lobito rail project, a greenfield 800-kilometer rail line being built from scratch linking Angola and Zambia for the first time.  Together, these studies ensure the project is economically and financially viable and will be delivered following international best practices on labor, community participation, and environmental protection.  AFC, Angola, and Zambia also celebrated the signing of the concession agreement, which allows the next phase of development to continue.  The target date to break ground is early 2026.
 
Today, President Biden is announcing $600 million in new funding for infrastructure projects along the Corridor, bringing the total for U.S. investments to more than $4 billion. With these announcements and together with G7 partners and regional development banks, international investment in the Lobito Corridor has exceeded $6 billion. These investments will be  mobilized towards new and continuing projects that support the economic potential and development impacts of the Corridor across multiple interconnected sectors, including transportation and logistics, agriculture, clean energy and associated supply chains, health, and digital access.
 
Transportation and Logistics
 
Rail and other transportation and logistics-related infrastructure forms the backbone of the Corridor and will enable expanded trade and business growth.  While these investments are traditionally public-sector investments, the United States through PGI is supporting commercially driven projects that lock-in efficiency and sustainable maintenance over the long-term.
 

• Following the due diligence announced by President Biden in May 2023, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is announcing the commitment of a $553 million direct loan to the Lobito Atlantic Railway to upgrade and operate a 1,300-kilometer rail line from the Lobito port to the Angolan town of Luau on the DRC border.  This investment supports the anchor rail investment of the first phase of the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor and is the backbone on which additional high-quality investments in agriculture, healthcare, energy, and financial services will be built.  The Lobito Atlantic Railway’s operational improvements have already scaled up the number of freight shipments from once per month to two times per week.

• The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Angolan Ministry of Transportation are signing a MOU to support new personnel and IT equipment, with the aim of helping the Ministry leverage private investment in Angola’s infrastructure and development.  This followed the approximately $1 million grant announced earlier in 2024 by the USAID to assist the Ministry.

• The anchor rail line of the second phase of the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor, the new Zambia-Lobito rail project, was launched in October 2023, with the AFC as the lead project developer.  Building on AFC’s initial $5 million for feasibility studies and project development, AFC is announcing its commitment to anchor and mobilize up to $500 million through various financial instruments to ensure the project reaches financial close, in line with its prior track record.  The announcement complements a technical assistance grant the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded to AFC in September 2024 for an environmental and social impact assessment to facilitate this effort and to move the project towards financial close.

• In October 2024, KoBold Metals, a U.S. company applying artificial intelligence to develop a critical minerals site in Zambia, signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with AFC committing to anchor the commercial viability of the Zambia-Lobito rail project with more than 300,000 tons of copper per year from its Mingoma mine.  AFC will collaborate with KoBold to support the Mingomba project, through a combination of project development funding, equity, or debt financing as required.

• AFC signed MOUs this month totaling an additional 170,000 tons of minimum freight commitments from Zambian mining projects including from Kobaloni Energy, which is planning to construct the first cobalt sulphate refinery on the African continent, and First Quantum Minerals, one of the world’s top ten copper producers.  These commitments will help the new Zambia-Lobito rail project raise capital at a lower cost.  The MOUs also represent start of creating a diversified supply chain route for the critical minerals that support the global energy transition.

• Since 1995, the United States has provided over $164 million for humanitarian demining in Angola.  This lifesaving assistance plays a critical role in bolstering human security, providing safe access to land for economic development, and facilitating environmental conservation in the Okavango River Basin. The U.S. Department of State announced a total of $9 million in de-mining assistance over the next two years that will facilitate rail construction along the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor, as well as other economic development goals across Angola, as part of a multi-year campaign for Angola to achieve mine-free status.  With a $10 million match from the Government of Angola, implementing partners will be able to clear the mines left from Angola’s decades-long civil war, enabling the land to be recultivated for farming and other uses.

• In December 2023, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Board of Directors selected Tanzania to develop a threshold program.  MCC and the Government of Tanzania are now developing a trade and investment program to facilitate trade between Tanzania and its neighbors and address trade barriers.  The program is scheduled to launch in late 2025 and builds on MCC’s more than $700 million in prior investments in governance, transportation, energy, and water in Tanzania.

 
Agriculture

In support of U.S. efforts to accelerate agricultural-led economic growth in Angola and our partners across the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor, the United States is investing in value-added food processing and connecting farmers to global markets.  These investments also deliver on President Biden’s commitment under the U.S.-Africa Partnership to Promote Food Security and Resilient Food Systems, to step up our investments to build more resilient food systems in Africa and to unlock Africa’s enormous agriculture production potential.
 

• Today, President Biden will meet with businesses that are investing in the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor enabled by U.S. support.  He will visit the Lobito production facilities of the Carrinho Group, Angola’s largest food producer, which is rapidly expanding the network of family farmers from whom it sources raw produce for products sold across the country.  President Biden will celebrate the first shipment of Carrinho food products along the Lobito Atlantic Railway line to be sold in the DRC, supporting regional food security.  To enhance agriculture expansion, USAID has partnered with Carrinho through an existing $5.5 million program and public-private partnership focused on women’s empowerment, to facilitate the offtake of grain and crops grown by communities along the Corridor.  In November 2024, DFC signed a non-binding Letter of Interest to explore a loan that would support Carrinho to purchase and install grain storage equipment to reach more farmers along the rail Corridor and key hubs.  Complementing these investments is the previously announced Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) financing to build 186 rural bridges.  This financing will further support thousands of smallholder farmers to participate in this sustainable agriculture value-chain as Carrinho grows its farmer network to two million farmers by 2030.

• The African Development Bank is announcing its intention to finance $370 million across three agriculture projects facilitating regional trade and food security and promoting sustainable commercial agriculture value chains.  These projects are expected to mobilize an additional $100 million in private sector capital and will enhance food security, promote the economic inclusion of local communities, including small- and medium-sized enterprises, and create jobs in agriculture and other sectors along the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor.  To accelerate implementation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury will make a $3 million commitment to the Bank to support project preparation and feasibility work.  This complements the Bank’s November 2023 $500 million commitment to invest in the Zambia-Lobito rail project, and adds to the $289 million agricultural value chain and transport infrastructure project in the DRC it financed in July 2024.  This brings the Bank’s total investment in the Corridor to more than $1 billion over the past 12 months.

• In October 2024, a U.S. consortium led by Amer-Con Corporation signed an MOU with ARCCLA, the Angolan public entity within the Ministry of Transportation responsible for the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor, to build and operate silo terminals and collection points on planned logistics platforms along the Corridor and nationwide.  The project will focus on staple crops such as corn, rice, soybean, and wheat.  This project will boost local production, enhance food security and stimulate economic growth as part of the National Network of Grain Silos strategy, which aims to achieve a 2.2-million-ton storage capacity and reduce post-harvest losses.

• In fiscal year 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) committed nearly $300 million that will use U.S. commodities to help strengthen food security across Africa.  These programs provide critical school meals and literacy programming and are facilitating agricultural economic development in nine African countries, including Angola, and Tanzania.  In Angola, USDA will work with World Vision through a $27.5 million McGovern-Dole agreement to provide school meals for more than 80,000 beneficiaries in three provinces.  The project will provide more than 5,000 metric tons in nutritious U.S. commodities and more than 4,000 metric tons of locally procured fruits and vegetables to support the school meals and literacy programming in eight municipalities across the Benguela, Cunene, and Huila provinces.  In Tanzania, USDA will work with Lutheran World Relief through a more than $35 million Food for Progress agreement to support food security for 30,000 beneficiaries through the implementation of climate smart agricultural practices in the poultry sector for smallholder farmers.

• In October 2024, the MCC signed a $458 million compact program with Zambia focused on catalyzing inclusive economic growth in the agriculture and agro-processing sectors.  The program, which includes an additional $33 million contribution from the Government of Zambia, aims to lower the cost of transporting farm products and processed goods to markets, increase the availability of equipment for small and medium farmers and processors, increase financing for infrastructure projects that support agriculture, and catalyze reforms in the agriculture sector to attract greater private investment.  The compact will build on MCC’s $378 million in prior investments in Zambia to remove barriers to trade and improve water infrastructure, distribution, and reforms.

• In September 2024, DFC committed a $5 million loan to Community Markets for Conservation Limited in Zambia to expand its food processing business to support the adoption of sustainable, conservation-based practices in rural Zambia.  This builds on DFC’s $10 million loan to Seba Foods Zambia Ltd., which was announced at the PGI Lusaka Investment Forum in February 2024.  DFC also reached a commitment on a $6 million USAID-sponsored loan portfolio guarantee for Angolan company Kixicrédito S.A. that will support lending to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises targeting the agriculture sector, including firms along the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor.

 
Clean Energy 
 
Africa has approximately 39 percent of the world’s renewable energy potential.  The United States is committed to supporting the growing energy needs of people and businesses across the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor with renewable sources that power communities and industry.
 

• The United States supports Angola’s objective to generate 73 percent of its energy from clean sources by 2027 as well as current and anticipated energy needs across the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor as new companies and sectors develop.  Through PGI, the Department of State is providing technical assistance to strengthen the Angolan government’s capacity to meet national energy goals, reduce greenhouse gases, and expand access to electricity.

• In Angola, U.S. company Sun Africa, is part of a historic EXIM financing commitment of over $2.4 billion connecting a million Angolans to clean electricity.  This second phase of the project includes an additional 320 megawatts from distributed minigrid systems across four southern provinces alongside clean drinking water projects.  Sun Africa is receiving support from Power Africa, and has received support from a number of Power Africa interagency partners, including USAID, the Department of Commerce, the State Department, and EXIM.

• Through USAID’s Empower Southern Africa program under Power Africa, the United States plans to enter a formal partnership with the Angolan National Transmission Company to realize important cross-border and domestic transmission lines that will help integrate Angola into the Southern and Central Africa Power Pools and supply electricity to the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor. USAID is launching a new $1.5 million grant from the Power Africa Opportunity Fund to provide solar powered irrigation and refrigeration equipment to support farming communities along the Corridor.

• In September 2024, DFC committed a $40 million liquidity facility to Africa GreenCo, a company operating in Zambia that is expanding renewable energy access.  Africa GreenCo procures renewable electricity through power purchase agreements from independent power producers to sell on the Southern African Power Pool, to both public utilities and private sector buyers.  DFC’s support will help provide a credit enhancement to Africa GreenCo, enabling it to establish a track record as an energy aggregator and trader.

• To accelerate private investment in African infrastructure projects, and in the Lobito Corridor in particular, the U.S. Department of the Treasury will make a $4.2 million contribution to the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa (AGIA) via the African Development Bank, one of the partners collaborating on the development of the Lobito Corridor.  AGIA aims to mobilize private capital at a rate of 20 times donor contributions, meaning that our contribution should catalyze approximately $100 million to build quality, sustainable infrastructure projects.

 
Critical Minerals Supply Chains 
 
Africa will play a central role in the global energy transition and the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor is rich in the critical minerals that will power the 21stcentury.  The United States is committed to ensuring reliable supply chains by supporting the development of this sector with environmentally respectful processing so more of the value is captured on the continent.
 

• Through the Kabanga Nickel project, LifeZone Metals Ltd., a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, is investing in bringing critical mineral value addition to Tanzania.  Their support of the development of the Kahama special economic zone, which will include a first of its kind nickel processing facility in the region, can serve as a hub and training center for Tanzanians working across the clean the energy supply chain.  In August 2024, DFC signed a retainer letter with Kabanga Nickel Limited, a subsidiary of Lifezone Metals Ltd., to begin due diligence on political risk insurance to support the Kabanga Nickel underground nickel-copper-cobalt mine site and the Kahama Hydromet refinery site.  In September 2024, DFC also signed a non-binding letter of interest with Kabanga Nickel Limited expressing DFC’s interest in considering a potential direct loan to support the project.

• The United States and Angola are collaborating on principled investments to advance critical minerals projects along the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor through technical assistance to prepare new operations to secure future debt or equity financing.  During the June 2024 U.S.-Angola Energy Security Dialogue, the Department of State and Angola agreed to elevate our critical mineral partnership.  In September 2024, Pensana PLC received a $3.4 million grant from DFC to fund a feasibility study to double the capacity of its Longonio rare earths mine, design in-country refining capacity, and conduct test work on new ore bodies.  It also includes a $3.2 million DFC technical assistance grant to Chillerton to support the development of a green copper mining project in Zambia.

• USAID, the State Department, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is announcing $2 million in technical assistance for responsible development and management of Angola’s mining sector.  In November 2023, USGS and the Angolan Geological Institute (IGEO) signed an MOU to enhance scientific collaboration.  This partnership will foster transparency and attract principled investment in Angola’s mineral sector through a three-year program to analyze and interpret newly acquired geoscience data to document Angola’s critical mineral potential while building capacity within the IGEO.

 
Health 
 
The United States is committed to expanding access to health care and strengthening health security, including through PGI investments in health-related infrastructure in the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor.
 

• The United States and Angola are working together to help accelerate development progress in Angola, including by mobilizing critical investments in Angola’s health infrastructure under PGI.  To support the Angolan government’s priorities in a fiscally responsible manner, DFC has committed to providing up to $150 million in political risk insurance for new water treatment plants to expand access to potable water to underserved communities in southern Angola.  This will further expand DFC’s portfolio of investments in Angola – more than $700 million in commitments – all of which have been committed during the Biden-Harris Administration.

 
Digital Access
 
Access to high-speed internet and associated digital resources helps fuel technological and economic innovation in Africa.  The United States is committed to connecting citizens and businesses across the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor with highly reliable and trusted vendor technology.
 

• In alignment with the Digital Transformation with Africa initiative, the United States is investing in Angola’s digital architecture, supporting reliable telecommunication networks—using trusted vendors—that will benefit the Angolan people and improve Angola’s digital connectivity to the global economy.  EXIM announced a non-binding, preliminary board commitment to provide $100 million financing for U.S.-owned telecommunications company Africell to expand its high quality, reliable, and affordable wireless cell service to all corners of Angola and upgrade equipment in the DRC with trusted vendor technology.  This builds on USAID’s 2023 launch of a nearly $5 million “Dinheiro Digital é Melhor” or “Mobile Money is Better” project with Africell to spur the development of a vibrant and secure mobile money and digital finance ecosystem in Angola.  USAID and partners are connecting approximately 12,000 new mobile phone users to the Afrimoney platform per month, with 240,000 new users joining in 2024.  In combination with financial literacy training and policy engagement with Angola’s government, USAID and partners are breaking down barriers and reaching those previously excluded from the formal financial system.

• To date, USTDA has provided $13.2 million in funding to prepare digital, transportation, and clean energy projects that will help develop the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor.  These activities are designed to help unlock several billion dollars in financing and deploy innovative U.S. technologies for the Trans-Africa Corridor’s implementation.

• In November 2024, USTDA awarded a feasibility study grant to Javilian Civils (Proprietary) Limited to support the deployment of terrestrial fiber and access infrastructure connecting inland locations in Central and Southern Africa with subsea cables along the Atlantic Coast.  The project will ultimately increase internet connectivity in Angola, the DRC, and Namibia.

• In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Commerce led a large whole-of-government delegation to the NewSpace Africa Conference held in Angola, representing a growing US interest in space-related cooperation and trade, and in engaging African nations in development of norms for satellite operations.  Part of the Commerce Department, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offers a wide range of free, open source data, information, and tools that are available to help businesses, communities, and nations address climate adaptation and mitigation, sea-level rise, flooding, coral reef monitoring, and space weather, including a range of early-warning systems for weather, climate, and hydrological disasters.

 
Investment 
 
PGI leverages public funds to unlock private capital investment.  In the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor, the United States is supporting sustainable economic growth by helping secure investment for firms across many sectors and sizes.

• In September 2024, DFC committed a $13 million equity investment in the African Rivers Fund IV, which will support small and medium-sized businesses in frontier markets in Central and Southern Africa, including Angola, the DRC, and Zambia.

• To promote U.S. investment in Angola, the DRC, and Zambia, Prosper Africa is providing roughly $600,000 of transaction advisory services to firms along the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor.  These services aim to connect local firms, accelerate economic progress, and increase local and regional involvement in the growing economy around the Corridor.

• Through the United States’ Economic Resilience Initiative, USAID will help advance the economic opportunities presented by the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor for inclusive growth.  Working with Congress, $4.5 million will support workforce development that matches private sector needs and the industrialization of agricultural inputs and outputs for regional export markets along the Corridor.

 
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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with President João Lourenço, highlighting the transformation of the U.S.-Angolan relationship and reaffirming our joint commitment to continue working together to address global challenges. The two leaders discussed significant trade and investment opportunities that keep our companies competitive and defend the interests of workers, addressed the shared responsibility to protect and strengthen democracy in Angola and around the world, and celebrated the continued growth of the U.S.-Angola defense relationship. President Biden underscored the significance of the more than $3 billion in U.S. commitments to infrastructure projects in Angola in support of the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor, a multinational initiative to help accelerate inclusive economic growth and connect markets along the Corridor to the world, all while creating quality jobs and improving lives and livelihoods both along the Corridor and in the United States. He also expressed appreciation for Angola’s role in promoting peace and security in sub-Saharan Africa, including its efforts to mediate the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).  

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The United States is disappointed in the lack of a legally binding international agreement fit to meet the moment on addressing plastic pollution at the INC-5 and we are resolved to make more progress in the next stages of this negotiation. While the global movement to reign in the urgent threats of plastic waste in the environment has gained tremendous momentum, a small group of countries and producers stood in the way of progress to protect their profits and perpetuate an inadequate status quo. The United States spearheaded an ambitious approach in Busan, reflected in our own domestic efforts, and we continue to back a global framework that supports private investment, good jobs, and our environment.

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On the occasion of President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s visit to Angola, we celebrate the transformation and deepening of the U.S.-Angola relationship.  This trip marks the first visit ever by a sitting U.S. president to the Republic of Angola, and the first visit of a U.S. president to sub-Saharan Africa since 2015.
 
This visit comes on the heels of a meeting in November 2023, when President Biden hosted President João Lourenço in the Oval Office in Washington, D.C.  In the time before and since, U.S. and Angolan counterparts have worked closely to advance both Presidents’ visions to expand impactful high-standard economic opportunities and improve global and regional security.  Together, the United States and Angola acknowledge the past horrors of slavery and its legacy, while looking forward to a bright future of continually deepening collaboration between our nations.  Today, President Biden and President Lourenço will meet in Luanda at the Presidential Palace to discuss trade, investment, and infrastructure; security and stability; and deepening U.S.-Angolan cooperation.  Tomorrow, President Biden will travel to Lobito, Angola for a Summit on infrastructure investment in the region with leaders from Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Tanzania, and Zambia. Information on continuing and new U.S.-Angolan partnership initiatives is provided below.
 
TRADE, INVESTMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND DEVELOPMENT
 
At the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in 2022, the United States committed to focus on partnership with Africa through investment.  Advancing two-way trade and investment bolsters participation in the global economy, accelerates sustainable development, and scales innovation and entrepreneurship, resulting in increased economic opportunity for citizens on both sides of the Atlantic.  The United States and Angola are also working with other partners through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) to enhance trans-continental connectivity from the Atlantic to the Indian Oceans that enables additional commercial investment.  Tomorrow, President Biden and President Lourenço will co-host a multilateral Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor Summit to further accelerate the development of this critical economic corridor.

• The Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is an important U.S. initiative to enhance trade with African countries, under which Angola has benefited from trade preferences since 2004 and leveraged the annual AGOA Forum to advance trade and economic ties with the United States.  In 2023, two-way U.S.-Angola trade totaled approximately $1.77 billion, making Angola the United States’ fourth largest trade partner in sub-Saharan Africa. 
  
• In November 2024, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Angola’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce establishing the U.S.-Angola Commercial and Investment Partnership.  This Partnership will formalize regular collaboration between the two governments and with U.S. and Angolan industry stakeholders to enhance commercial ties and increase the ease of doing business.  Separately, the U.S. Department of Commerce is developing a Sub-Saharan Africa Rail and Port Trade Mission to Angola and South Africa in 2025 to connect U.S. companies with opportunities to meet demand for U.S. rail and port solutions in African markets.  Members of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA)—which advises the President, through the Secretary of Commerce, on ways to strengthen commercial engagement between the United States and African countries—also traveled to Angola to join President Biden for a portion of the trip.
  
• In February 2024, to support trade between the U.S. and Angolan agricultural sectors, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) led an Agribusiness Trade Mission to Angola.  The mission supported 140 business-to-business meetings among sector leaders, with U.S. participants reporting $13.3 million in projected 12-month sales stemming from the trip.
  
• In October 2024, the United States and Angola signed an Open Skies Agreement to facilitate increased air connectivity and provide significant new opportunities for trade, tourism, and investment.  This follows a deal announced by Boeing and Angolan flag carrier TAAG in 2023 to purchase four new 787s, increasing TAAG’s capacity for long-haul flights.  
  
• To facilitate U.S.-Angola bilateral commercial relations in sectors such as energy, manufacturing, equipment and machinery, and aerospace and defense, the United States is connecting U.S. and African businesses with new buyers, suppliers, and investment opportunities through the Prosper Africa initiative.  Since January 2021, U.S. departments and agencies in the Prosper Africa initiative have closed 12 business deals and investments in Angola with a combined value of $6.9 billion.
  
• Since 2022, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) has provided $2.9 billion in financing toward projects in Angola across the renewable energy, infrastructure, and telecom sectors.  For example, in May 2024, EXIM signed a final $363 million loan agreement for Acrow Bridge Corporation to install bridge infrastructure connecting rural communities across Angola in support of PGI. The projects financed in Angola support an estimated 6,200 U.S.-based jobs.  In 2024 alone, EXIM has issued an additional $2.7 billion in non-binding Letters of Interest across the agricultural, power, rail, health, education, and hospital sectors in Angola.
  
• For the past four years, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has closely supported Angola’s efforts to reduce its debt vulnerabilities through technical assistance.  The program has successfully enabled the Angolan government to reprofile its domestic debt and lower interest costs.  In December 2024, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide an additional $650,000 in technical assistance to support the Angola Ministry of Finance with debt and financial risk management.

LEADING GLOBALLY AND REGIONALLY TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE AND PROMOTE THRIVING SOCIETIES

Together the United States and Angola are enhancing the security, safety, and well-being of their people by tackling shared challenges.  In addition to traditional security challenges, increasingly, we face also threats such as climate change, food insecurity, and disease that do not recognize or respect national borders.  Together, we are enabling more professional and accountable government actors that protect civilians, safeguard natural resources, and build more resilient health systems, and ensure no one is left behind.

• In September 2023, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin became the first U.S. Secretary of Defense to visit Angola.  In June 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense hosted the inaugural Joint Angolan-American Defense Cooperation Committee (DEFCOM) at the Pentagon.  During DEFCOM, representatives signed an agreement to allow the exchange of logistics goods and services between our respective militaries, which facilitates cooperation as we continue to build our growing defense partnership.  Angola and the U.S. Department of Defense, with the Department of State as appropriate, are continuing to plan for cooperative work in the areas of engineering, medicine, cyber, peacekeeping, maritime security, and the development of a coast guard.  The next DEFCOM meeting is planned to be held in Angola in 2025.  
  
• In September 2024, Angola agreed to join Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program (SPP) executed by the National Guard Bureau.  Through the SPP, Guard units work with partner militaries to bolster capabilities, improve interoperability, and enhance principles of responsible governance.  The SPP fosters long-term relationships across all levels of society and encourages the development of economic, political, and military ties between U.S. states and partner nations.  The National Guard Bureau is currently in the process of pairing Angola with a State National Guard that is well-aligned with Angola’s requirements.
  
• Since 2020, the United States has dedicated nearly $17 million toward training and professionalization for the Angolan military, including English language training, expanding women’s access to military education courses in the United States, and maritime security-focused training.  In just the past year, the U.S. increased annual International Military Education and Training assistance to Angola from $500,000 to $600,000.  The United States is also providing the Angolan Marines with eight rigid-hull inflatable boats and other critical equipment, with the final four boats scheduled to be delivered to Angola by the end of 2025.  
  
• The United States has been proud to partner with Angola to address regional and global issues, and it remains a steadfast partner in navigating challenging and complex situations.  The United States is providing more than $1 billion in additional humanitarian funding which will assist countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, including Angola, to respond to humanitarian crises including displacement and El Nino-induced drought.
  
• The United States is supporting Angola’s development of a cyber security strategy through almost $1.4 million in projects providing training and mentorship to the future cybersecurity workforce and assisting the Angolan Ministry of Defense’s creation of a cyber defense capability.
  
• The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has initiated discussions with the Angolan Ministries of Interior, Finance, and Trade on a three-year, $5 million program to bolster the two countries’ management, oversight, and accountability of their trade and travel sectors.  The program would focus on modernizing information sharing, allowing the governments to interdict threats and hazards at the earliest possible point, and mitigate and monitor threats from transnational criminal organizations and other malign non-state actors.
  
• Between 2019 and 2023, the Treasury Department provided technical assistance to help strengthen Angolan institutions’ ability to identify, detect, and prosecute money laundering, terrorist financing, and other crimes in support of Angola’s political and economic reforms.  USAID and the State Department are working with various Angolan institutions—including Parliament, the National Court of Accounts, and the Ministries of Health, Education and Finance—to build their public financial management, debt management, and anti-corruption capacity.  Capacity is also being built to support Angola’s implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative standard.
  
• The United States and Angola are working together to combat timber trafficking through the creation of a National Forest Inventory, a critical tool for any country that seeks to conserve and manage its forest resources sustainably.  The State Department, through the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), announced $750,000 in new programs in Angola to improve the identification, interdiction, and confiscation of illicit commodities.  USAID will add $1.3 million from fiscal year 2023 Southern Africa regional Sustainable Landscapes resources to an existing partnership of $1.3 million to expand the partnership between the U.S. Forest Service and the Government of Angola’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forests to continue work on the forest inventory, establish a partnership for carbon market utilization, and develop a Forest Monitoring System.
  
• The State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration provides funding to support refugee assistance, as well as regional funding to UNHCR to support the nearly 56,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Angola.  
  
• Angola is a founding member of the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, an initiative committed to the interconnected goals of advancing a peaceful, stable, prosperous, open, safe, and cooperative Atlantic as well as to conserving the Atlantic Ocean as a healthy, sustainable, and resilient resource for generations to come.  To develop Angola’s capacity for ocean science research and support for ocean-based food security, the United States is collaborating with the Atlantic community to leverage support for Angola’s ocean research vessel Baia Farta.  The United States and Angola have concluded a Letter of Intent to formalize collaboration, including, for example, on bringing U.S. experts to Angola to support ocean science capacity building and training through the Fulbright Specialist program.  In addition, the U.S. public-private partnership with OceanX will identify opportunities for Angolan early career scientists and youth to access ocean science research, foster a new generation of ocean advocates, and collaborate on initiatives with NGOs and philanthropies, including with OceanX aboard the research vessel OceanXplorer in early 2025.
  
• Through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), more than 25,000 people living with HIV in Angola are receiving life-saving treatment, building efforts to reduce mother-to-child HIV transmission.  Over the past two decades, the United States has invested nearly $251 million to provide HIV testing, prevention, care, and treatment services, and to strengthen public health systems through optimized laboratory services, quality data management, and supply chain security in Angola.
  
• Since 2006, USAID has provided nearly $415 million to address malaria through the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) in Angola.  In the past year, PMI distributed almost 5 million fast-acting malaria medicines and more than 9 million rapid diagnostic tests to clinics and communities to protect and treat Angolans.  More than 12,000 Angolan health workers have been trained since 2023 to diagnose and treat malaria.  Angola experienced a 29 percent decrease in malaria deaths in PMI-focused provinces in 2023 compared with 2020 levels.
  
• USAID is in the process of re-establishing a bilateral Mission in Angola to continue expanding the presence of the United States in Angola and further strengthen our emerging strategic partnership.  
  
• The United States, in partnership with COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) and the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT), donated more than 11 million safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine doses to the people of Angola.
  
• The United States is proud to work with Angola on bolstering African-led solutions to current and future health emergencies.  In September 2024, the United States announced $500 million and one million mpox vaccine doses to support African countries to prevent and respond to the current mpox outbreak.  We are delivering on that commitment, with two thirds of the more than $500 million of support to mpox preparedness and response already available and at work supporting countries in the region.  All one million vaccine doses are currently available for allocation by WHO and Africa CDC based on needs and demand in the region.  Angola has joined the United States as a Global Health Security partner, which will foster greater collaboration as both countries strive to protect the health, lives, and economic well-being of our citizens and people throughout the world.  

CELEBRATING THE U.S.-ANGOLA RELATIONSHIP

The United States and Angola are bound by enduring historical ties and invigorated by our dynamic future.  We share a commitment to reckon with the horrific history of the trans-Atlantic trade of enslaved people by striving to reconnect cultures and celebrating collaboration between our nations.  People are at the heart of this connection.  Today, there are nearly 12 million Americans of Angolan descent.  These relationships—rooted in family, friendship, and community—improve and enrich our lives.  They drive our cooperation, underpin our shared values, and elevate our aspirations.

• In 1619, a vessel carrying enslaved Africans who had been captured in Angola and forcibly marched over one hundred miles along a route known as the Kwanza Corridor landed in present-day Hampton, Virginia.  As many as 6 million enslaved people were kidnapped from their homes and forced from Angolan shores.  We are committed to learning from the horrors endured by enslaved people and honor their descendants, who continue to fight for civil rights, justice, and freedom.  The United States supports Angola’s nomination of the Kwanza Corridor to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites as a way to look forward, to reconnect cultural ties, and to celebrate Angola’s richness and beauty.  
  
• The United States is pleased to announce a grant of $229,000 to support restoration and conservation of the 1786 Álvaro de Carvalho Matoso Residence, Angola’s National Slavery Museum Building.  Founded in 1977, the Museum offers programming promoting a message of harmony, humanism, and respect for human rights.  The funds will go toward the restoration of the building’s exterior and interior galleries.
  
• The United States and Angola look forward to a future strengthened by people-to-people ties that reconnect cultures, promote dialogue, and encourage creative collaboration between our nations.  In August 2024, the City of Hampton, Virginia, the Fort Monroe Authority, the U.S. National Park Service, and Project 1619, Inc. hosted the annual African Landing Day Commemoration at the future site planned to honor the lives of the enslaved Africans stolen from Angola and taken to modern-day Hampton.  In September 2024, Hampton and the City of Malanje in Angola signed a Sister City agreement, which will further enshrine the deep connections between our citizens.  
  
• The United States and Angola share a commitment to enhancing dialogue with the African Diaspora.  President Biden established the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement (PAC-ADE) in December 2022.  PAC-ADE members discussed this historic visit to Angola with Assistant to the President, Senior Advisor to the President, and Director of the Office of Public Engagement Stephen Benjamin in October 2024.  PAC-ADE members also traveled to Angola to join President Biden for a portion of the trip.
  
• The United States supports Angola’s efforts to combat corruption, enhance accountability, and institutionalize the rule of law.  In October 2024, the United States and Angola agreed to schedule the next iteration of our bilateral human rights dialogue. We are collaborating on multiple human rights-focused initiatives.  These efforts require advancing democratic governance and respecting human rights, including the fundamental rights to freedoms of expression, press, association, peaceful assembly, and religion or belief.  The United States continues to support Angola’s commitment to reforms, including by amplifying civil society and faith-based organizations’ roles in improving the quality of elections and local decision-making.  The State Department has provided $10.5 million since 2021 in support of these goals, and plans to continue providing such funding, subject to the availability of funds.  
  
• The United States is moving forward with Angola to protect and improve democracy as the work of our time.  The State Department is building on its existing governance investments with an additional $700,000 for capacity building and specialized training to lawyers engaged in human rights defense and similar fields, to strengthen the efficiency and independence of the judicial system, and for the Angolan Ombudsperson’s office to increase engagement with citizens, supporting transparency and good governance.  In October 2024, the United States and Angola agreed to schedule the next iteration of our bilateral human rights dialogue.
  
• People-to-people ties are essential to the U.S.-Angola relationship.  Since 1968, more than 1,200 Angolans have participated in U.S. Government-sponsored educational and professional exchange programs, including the Fulbright Program, the International Visitor Leadership Program, the Mandela Washington Fellowship, and the Pan-Africa Youth Leadership Program, among others.  Through these programs, we are reconnecting cultures, promoting dialogue, and nurturing collaboration between our nations.
  
• In 2024, the United States is contributing almost $140,000 to expand English-language training through the English Access Scholarship Program (Access) and the Learning is Never Too Late program.  Access provides vocational English and 21st-century skills to 100 participants ages 17 to 25 in Angola.  The Learning is Never Too Late program offers English and digital journalism instruction to 40 girls in Luanda.  The U.S. Embassy in Luanda is also providing curriculum development training valued at $100,000 for English department faculty and conducting capacity building for English educators and university administrators.
  
• EducationUSA offers advising services at the U.S. Embassy in Luanda to Angolan students interested in pursuing higher education opportunities in the United States.  University partnerships have strengthened capacity in higher education administration, fostered joint research efforts, created faculty exchanges, and developed new academic programs in STEM-related fields.  Notably, a collaboration between the University of California, Berkeley, and Agostinho Neto University has led to significant advancements in agricultural research, benefiting both institutions and their communities.  
  
• In November 2023, Angola become the third African nation to sign the Artemis Accords, signaling its commitment to promoting the responsible use of space.  The United States and Angola will continue to work together to advance a common vision of space exploration for the benefit of all humankind.
  
• Since 2020, the U.S. Embassy in Angola has issued more than $490,000 in grants to support initiatives that are important to the Angolan people.  These grants have funded programs in entrepreneurship, English language, journalism, music, and intellectual property rights.  By addressing these critical areas, the Embassy aims to empower individuals and strengthen communities throughout Angola.

 
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In September, the President announced a surge in security assistance for Ukraine to put Ukrainian forces in the strongest possible position before he leaves office. As part of that effort, he directed his team to fully utilize all funding available for Ukraine’s defense. Today, we are announcing a $725 million security assistance package for Ukraine, which includes substantial quantities of artillery, rockets, and air defense capabilities. The President has directed the Department of Defense to deliver the materiel to Ukraine rapidly — to ensure that Ukraine has the equipment it needs to defend itself. Between now and mid-January, we will deliver hundreds of thousands of additional artillery rounds, thousands of additional rockets, and other critical capabilities to help Ukraine defend its freedom and independence. 

In addition to this surge in assistance, the President has authorized a series of additional steps to strengthen Ukraine’s position in this war. Earlier this year, the President decided to prioritize U.S. air defense exports for Ukraine, and as a result of this decision, Ukraine has received hundreds of additional air defense missiles, with more deliveries on the way. To help Ukraine stabilize its lines in the east, the President has authorized the provision of non-persistent anti-personnel land mines to Ukraine as a limited exception to the Administration’s continuing landmine policy.  In response to the entry of North Korean soldiers into this war, the President has decided to adjust permissions on Ukraine’s use of U.S.-provided long-range missiles. And to disrupt Russia’s war machine, the United States has implemented major sanctions against Russia’s financial sector, with more sanctions to follow. 

The President is seeking to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position, and we will continue to execute upon this strategy in support of Ukraine and its fight for freedom. 

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On Sunday, December 1, 2024, the President signed into law:

H.R. 1505, the “No Stolen Trademarks Honored in America Act of 2023,” which modifies the prohibition on recognition by United States courts of certain rights relating to certain marks, trade names, or commercial names.

Thank you to all the Representatives and Senators who helped advance this legislation for their leadership.

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Our hearts are heavy today. Jill and I are devastated and outraged to learn of the death of Omer Neutra, an American citizen, whose body Hamas has apparently been holding since they killed him during their brutal terrorist attack October 7.

Omer was just 21 years old when he was taken by Hamas. He was serving as a tank commander in an Israel Defense Forces unit that was among the first to respond to Hamas’s campaign of cruelty— risking his life to save the lives of others. A Long Island native, Omer planned to return to the United States for college. He dreamed of dedicating himself to building peace.

Less than a month ago, Omer’s mother and father joined me at the White House to share the pain they’ve endured as they prayed for the safe return of their son – pain no parent should ever know. They told me how Omer’s grandparents were Holocaust survivors and how their family’s strength and resilience has been carried through the generations.

During this dark hour—as our nation joins Omer’s parents, brother, and family in grieving this tragic loss—we pray to find strength and resilience. And to all the families of those still held hostage: We see you. We are with you. And I will not stop working to bring your loved ones back home where they belong.

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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with President Ulisses Correia e Silva of the Republic of Cabo Verde in Sal, Cabo Verde. The two leaders discussed the growing U.S.-Cabo Verdean relationship, bolstered by the vibrant Cabo Verdean diaspora in the United States; support for democratic freedoms and human rights; and strengthening our collaboration to increase climate resilience. President Biden expressed his appreciation for Cabo Verde’s unwavering support for Ukraine as it continues to defend against Russian aggression and for the continued strength and value of U.S.-Cabo Verdean cooperation on security and law enforcement issues. President Biden also reiterated his support for expanding the United Nations Security Council to create two permanent seats for African countries, increasing representation of global voices to tackle global issues.
 

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Today, First Lady Jill Biden is announcing the 2024 White House Holiday theme: A “Season of Peace and Light”

In a welcome letter to visitors at the beginning of the commemorative 2024 White House Holiday Guidebook, the President and First Lady write:

“The holidays have always held a special place in our hearts, and we’ve loved opening the doors of the People’s House wider and wider each year, continuing the spirit of goodwill and gratitude. America’s story is your story, and we hope you feel at home here. 
 
“As we celebrate our final holiday season here in the White House, we are guided by the values we hold sacred: faith, family, service to our country, kindness towards our neighbors, and the power of community and connection.

“It has been the honor of our lives to serve as your President and First Lady. Our hope is for the Nation to be blessed with the peace and light of the holiday season. We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.”

At the end of the holiday guidebook, the President and First Lady write to visitors: “At the holidays, Americans come together every year in fellowship and faith, reminding us that we are stronger as a community than we are apart. The strength of our country, and the soul of our Nation, come from you. May the promise of this “Season of Peace and Light” guide your path forward.”

During an event at the White House later today, the First Lady will officially unveil the holiday and seasonal decor, offer her holiday message to the Nation, and thank the volunteers from across the country who helped decorate the White House for the season. As part of her Joining Forces initiative to support military families, the First Lady invited National Guard families to be the first members of the public to experience the White House holiday decor. As a fellow National Guard mother, Dr. Biden wanted to show appreciation for, and honor, the special role the National Guard plays in serving our country. The National Guard is a unique element of the U.S. military that serves both community and country, in domestic and foreign missions. 

The White House expects to welcome approximately 100,000 visitors during the holiday season. Videos, photos, and information about the décor will be available on WhiteHouse.gov/Holidays. Additionally, over the course of the holidays, a variety of interactive viewing experiences will launch on digital platforms, allowing individuals to engage with the White House during the holidays from home.

2024 Holidays at the White House, by the numbers:

• It takes over 300 dedicated volunteers from across the country working a full week to decorate the inside and outside of the White House.
• There are 83 Christmas trees throughout the White House.
• Approximately 9,810 feet of ribbon, over 28,125 ornaments, and over 2,200 doves were used this year to decorate the White House.
• Over 165,075 holiday lights decorate the trees, garlands, wreaths, and displays
• The Gingerbread White House includes 25 sheets of gingerbread dough, 10 sheets of sugar cookie dough, 65 pounds of pastillage, 45 pounds of chocolate, 50 pounds of royal icing, and 10 pounds of gum paste.

A “Season of Peace and Light,” the 2024 White House Holiday Theme:

Each room and design element throughout the White House holiday display encourages guests to embrace the peace and light of the holiday season.

The East Wing

Guests enter the East Wing of the White House under stunning, rotating starlight. Lush greenery and garlands adorn the East Wing Lobby, enveloping guests in the peaceful tranquility of nature as they begin their holiday tour of the White House.

The Gold Star Tree

The first Christmas tree display featured on the White House tour is dedicated to Gold Star Families. This year’s Gold Star Tree exhibit is constructed of six oversized and stacked stars, representing all six branches of the military. Names of fallen service members are written on gold star ornaments on the four accompanying Christmas trees.

The Gold Star Trees honor the heroic men and women of our Nation’s military who have laid down their lives for our country, those who are Missing in Action, and the families who carry on their legacies. May God bless our troops and their families.

The East Colonnade

As guests proceed down the East Colonnade, they are surrounded by a collection of bells, symbolizing the peaceful sounds of the holiday season. Brass-colored bells suspend from the ceiling and sleigh bells line the archways. In the East Garden Room, just before entering the historic mansion, visitors are greeted by a three-dimensional horse-drawn sleigh, pulling a Christmas tree decorated with bells and lights.

The Library

A forest of vintage ceramic Christmas trees are featured throughout the library, twinkling in all of the colors of the holiday season. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt designated this room to serve as the White House Library in 1935. This space now holds approximately 2,700 volumes of books focusing primarily on American history and literature. A classroom teacher for forty years, First Lady Jill Biden added children’s books to the White House Library collection, in collaboration with the Library of Congress.

The Vermeil Room

The décor of the Vermeil Room (vermeil is the French term for silver dipped in gold) is devoted to floral displays, using a variety of materials.  On the walls of this room are portraits of first ladies, including Mamie Eisenhower, Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson, and Jacqueline Kennedy. Over sixty years ago, Mrs. Kennedy founded the White House Historical Association to protect, preserve, and provide public access to the rich history of the People’s House.

The China Room

Food is love. A baker’s bench and artisanal breads set the scene in this room, reminding guests of the peaceful, patient, and loving process of baking bread.

The China Room, which was first introduced as a display room by First Lady Edith Wilson in 1917, houses tableware used by past presidential families. Most presidents, beginning with George Washington, are represented by either a personal or State Service of porcelain, glass, or silver. Each piece recalls the State Dinners and celebratory meals that have brought together world leaders, diplomats, and other White House guests.

Diplomatic Reception Room

This fall, First Lady Jill Biden expanded and enhanced the public tour of the White House. The Diplomatic Reception Room, used to welcome foreign dignitaries, and home to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s famous fireside chats, is now open to the general public for the first time. Holiday florals and fruit are on display in this room, as a nod to the importance of hospitality and grace to peaceful diplomacy.

The East Room

A reflective canopy wraps the ceiling and windows, surrounding guests in a peaceful snowfall. Two large Christmas trees flank the center door, with the tree bases illuminated with silhouettes of Americans holding hands, giving movement and energy to the décor.

As the largest room in the White House, the East Room has hosted public receptions, ceremonies, bill signings, and other memorable occasions. It also includes Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of George Washington, which First Lady Dolley Madison instructed workers to save in 1814 when the White House was about to be set aflame during the War of 1812.

The East Room includes a Neapolitan crèche, or Nativity scene, with over forty figurines, most

dating back to the eighteenth century. The crèche has been displayed during every White House holiday season since 1967.

The Green Room

In the Green Room, light shines through colored glass ornaments and prisms, reflecting beautiful hues throughout the room. Once Thomas Jefferson’s dining room, the Green Room houses Henry Ossawa Tanner’s painting, Sand Dunes at Sunset, Atlantic City. Tanner mixed actual sand into his paint to illustrate the windswept beaches of our coasts.

The Official White House Menorah

Displayed just outside the Green Room, in the Cross Hall, is the official White House Menorah, created in 2021 by the White House Executive Residence Carpenters’ Shop. The Menorah was constructed using wood that was removed more than seventy years ago during the Truman-era renovation of the White House.

The Blue Room

The Blue Room showcases the official White House Christmas Tree. This year’s tree is an 18½ foot Fraser Fir from North Carolina and stands floor to ceiling, filling the oval room. Every year, the Blue Room chandelier is removed to accommodate the Christmas tree’s full height.

The stunning tree features a light-filled, whimsical carousel, with names of every state, territory, and the District of Columbia, showcased around the tree’s décor. With bright lights, vivid colors, and three-dimensional holiday candy treats, guests will gaze in wonder as they are taken on a delightful adventure around the tree.

This year’s official White House Christmas Tree was presented to the First Lady by David, Sam, and Jim Cartner of Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm in Newland, North Carolina, the 2024 Grand Champion Grower in the National Christmas Tree Association’s annual contest.

State Dining Room

As part of the First Lady’s Joining Forces initiative to support military families, Dr. Biden invited families of the USS Delaware and the USS Gabrielle Giffords, two U.S. Navy vessels for which she serves as a sponsor, to provide the colorful paper chain garlands hanging throughout the room. The ornaments on the Christmas trees were crafted as self-portraits by students from across the country, ensuring that children see themselves reflected in this year’s holiday display.

The Gingerbread White House

A favorite for all during the holidays is the annual Gingerbread White House. This year’s sweet creation draws inspiration from the overall holiday décor theme of a “Season of Peace and Light.” A glowing starburst shines over the Gingerbread White House, and the sugary replica includes a cheerful scene of ice skaters on the South Lawn.

The Red Room

In the Red Room, white paper doves carry messages of peace. Drawings from children around the country to the President and First Lady are displayed throughout the room. Large, illuminated gift boxes are placed under the Red Room’s Christmas tree.

The Cross Hall and Grand Foyer

The Cross Hall unites the State Rooms of the White House, with the East Room and State Dining Room at the opposite ends, and the Green, Blue, and Red Rooms opening from the south side. The slightly arched ceiling springs from the cast plaster molding designed during the Theodore Roosevelt Renovation of 1902.

Suspended overhead in the Cross Hall is a cascade of peace doves flying above. Christmas trees trimmed with red and green plaid décor, as well as a vintage red truck, complete the holiday scenery.

2024 White House Holiday Guide Illustrator

Children’s book author and illustrator, Zoe Ranucci, created artwork throughout the 2024 White House Holiday Guide, which perfectly captures a “Season of Peace and Light” at the White House.

2024 White House Holiday Recognitions and Support
The President and First Lady thank the Executive Residence staff and the team of over 300 volunteers who dedicated their time, energy, and talents to transform the White House for the holiday season.

Bryan Rafanelli, of Rafanelli Events, worked closely with Dr. Biden to lead the creative efforts of a talented team to bring her vision to life for the White House holiday décor, celebrating a “Season of Peace and Light.”

The President and First Lady are grateful for the support from the National Confectioners Association and the creative design teams of Birch Event Design, BMF Media Group, Cheree Berry Paper & Design, East Olivia, Frost Chicago, Glitterville Studios, HMR Designs, Kehoe Designs, MC², Mot Designs, Patch NYC, Rafanelli Events, Red Bliss Design, Silver Lining Design Group, and 4 Wall Entertainment.

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Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted. Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form. Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently. 
 
The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election. Then, a carefully negotiated plea deal, agreed to by the Department of Justice, unraveled in the court room – with a number of my political opponents in Congress taking credit for bringing political pressure on the process. Had the plea deal held, it would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.   
 
No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son – and that is wrong. There has been an effort to break Hunter – who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me – and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough. 
 
For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They’ll be fair-minded. Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice – and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision. 
 

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Executive Grant of Clemency
Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
President of the United States of America
 
To All to Whom These Presents Shall Come, Greeting:
 
Be It Known, That This Day, I, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States, Pursuant to My Powers Under Article II, Section 2, Clause 1, of the Constitution, Have Granted Unto
 
ROBERT HUNTER BIDEN
 
A Full and Unconditional Pardon
 
For those offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024, including but not limited to all offenses charged or prosecuted (including any that have resulted in convictions) by Special Counsel David C. Weiss in Docket No. 1:23-cr-00061-MN in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware and Docket No. 2:23-CR-00599-MCS-1 in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
 
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF I have hereunto signed my name and caused the Pardon to be recorded with the Department of Justice.
 
Done at the City of Washington this 1st day of December in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty-four and of the Independence of the United States the Two Hundred and Forty-ninth.

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We are closely monitoring the situation in Syria and have been in contact over the last 48 hours with regional capitals. The Assad regime’s ongoing refusal to engage in the political process outlined in UNSCR 2254, and its reliance on Russia and Iran, created the conditions now unfolding, including the collapse of Assad regime lines in northwest Syria. At the same time, the United States has nothing to do with this offensive, which is led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a designated terrorist organization. The United States, together with its partners and allies, urge de-escalation, protection of civilians and minority groups, and a serious and credible political process that can end this civil war once and for all with a political settlement consistent with UNSCR 2254. We will also continue to fully defend and protect U.S. personnel and U.S. military positions, which remain essential to ensuring that ISIS can never again resurge in Syria.

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