President Biden’s full pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, has sparked much debate. But the proximity of his decision to his visit to Angola has been largely overlooked. This is a mistake. Angolans know a lot about the politicization of the justice system and how the fight against corruption can be weaponized. Few societies are as deeply familiar with the corrosive consequences of powerful families operating under a different set of rules than the rest of the population. The timing of Biden’s decision further complicates an already complicated visit.
Biden’s visit aims to demonstrate the seriousness of the American commitment to its African partners and to show that the United States is attentive to the priorities and needs of African states. The president will be boast The Lobito Corridor Project, an ambitious rehabilitation and extension of a railway to connect the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Angola which is expected to improve the efficiency of supply chains and create viable value opportunities added. The administration is right to champion this effort, which addresses the broad and long-standing need for reliable, transparent infrastructure funding and the resulting job creation opportunities.
Learn more about:
But alongside jobs, African populations also want cleaner, more accountable government. They are quick to link selfish leaders to poor public service delivery. In Angola, where President José Eduardo dos Santos held power for almost forty years before being replaced by current President João Lourenço. The dos Santos family held prestigious jobs and accumulated staggering wealth, creating a breeding ground for resentment that Lourenço exploited early in his term. Many Angolans were happy to see the former president’s children demand accountability. But over time, it became clear that Lourenço’s anti-corruption efforts were rather selective and that the ruling party elite continues to use its positions and access to national coffers to enrich themselves. This clarity is part of what is propelling the protests into the streets of Luanda. If selective accountability is only a tool for consolidating power, it does little to give citizens confidence in the system.
Certainly, Hunter Biden is not Isabelle Or Zenou dos Santos. He did not search the US Treasury. The American and Angolan judicial systems are far from equivalent. But it is not difficult to imagine how Angolans, sensitive to scenarios in which the children of the powerful are protected in a way that ordinary citizens are not, and to the idea that laws can be enforced selectively to harm political rivals, might see something uncomfortably familiar. in the latest news. In the best of all possible worlds, the latest developments would open a conversation between Angolans and Americans about politicized prosecutions, how to avoid sowing cynicism about the fight against corruption, and how to establish confidence in a fair and impartial judicial system. U.S. and Angolan officials involved in Biden’s visit are unlikely to welcome this dialogue. Their citizens might feel differently.
Learn more about: