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Washington has sought to stress the region's importance and
counter challenges posed by China and Russia to the United
States' interests in the increasingly important region.
Washington announced plans to establish the council in December
last year during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, which aimed to
deepen Washington's ties with the region.
The council will advise the president on a range of issues,
including how to strengthen relations between African
communities and the United States, promoting trade and
investment and building educational exchanges, among other
issues, Judd Devermont, the National Security Council's senior
director for African Affairs, told reporters.
The chair of the council will be Silvester Beaman, the Bishop of
the African Methodist Episcopal Church who pronounced the
benediction at Biden's inauguration in 2021.
In addition to Viola Davis, members include: Patrick Gaspard,
the president and CEO of the Center for American Progress think
tank; C.D. Glin, president of the PepsiCo Foundation and global
head of social impact for PepsiCo; and Almaz Negash, founder of
the African Diaspora Network, among others.
Davis this year won a Grammy for her audio recording of her
memoir "Finding Me," granting her entry into the elite ranks of
EGOT winners with an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony award.
The White House in a press release said Davis was "a revered
artist, activist, producer, philanthropist", who among other
things, "has partnered with multiple programs to eliminate child
hunger in the United States".
The United States aims to position itself as a better partner to
African countries as China has sought to expand its influence by
funding infrastructure projects on the continent and elsewhere.
Russia held its first Africa summit in 2019 and since sending
troops into Ukraine has been pushing harder for influence and
business on a continent where its Wagner mercenary group remains
active.
(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Simon Lewis; Editing by Don
Durfee and David Gregorio)
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