Joe Biden's Silence on Hunter's Pardon and Sub-Saharan Diplomacy

As U.S. President Joe Biden landed in Cape Verde en route to Angola, he avoided answering reporters' questions on a pardon granted to his son, Hunter Biden. The visit highlights U.S. interests in sub-Saharan Africa, including a focus on a railway project connecting mineral-rich countries with the Angolan coast.

During a brief stopover in Cape Verde on his way to Angola, U.S. President Joe Biden refrained from addressing reporters' inquiries about the pardon granted to his son Hunter Biden. Hunter had previously admitted to tax violations and been convicted on firearm-related charges, receiving a presidential pardon just before Biden's departure from Washington.

Despite repeated questions from the press at Amilcar Cabral International Airport, the President remained silent on the matter. Instead, he was welcomed by Cape Verde's Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva for discussions, highlighting the island nation's role as a reliable U.S. partner in global health and security issues.

Biden's visit to Cape Verde marks his only trip to sub-Saharan Africa as President. His next stop is Angola's capital, Luanda, where he will emphasize a U.S.-endorsed railway initiative. The project, supported by an American loan, connects the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to Angola's Lobito port, enhancing export avenues to the Western market and reducing dependency on Chinese routes.

(With inputs from agencies.)