President Joe Biden has announced that the United States will convene African leaders in December in Washington, DC, for a significant conference to discuss urgent issues such as food security and climate change.

"The summit will highlight the importance of U.S.-Africa relations and enhanced cooperation on shared global priorities," Biden said in a statement released Wednesday.

The US-Africa Leaders Summit, set for December 13-15, was announced by Vice President Kamala Harris in virtual remarks delivered to the US-Africa Business Summit in Marrakesh, Morocco. The Corporate Council on Africa and the Kingdom of Morocco host the latter event.

Under anonymity, a senior administration official told Reuters that some 50 African leaders are likely to attend Vice President Biden for the December 13-15 set of meetings.

It will occur after a year in which Vice President Biden has visited US allies in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Since becoming president, Biden has not visited Africa; the summit will give him his most complete view of the continent's complexity.

Biden's diplomatic efforts have thus far centered on boosting Western democracies as a counterweight to China. However, according to the official, the US-Africa meeting is not solely about Beijing.

The official told Reuters, "We do not ask our African partners to choose." We feel the United States provides a superior model, but we do not require our African partners to choose.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) said on Monday that it would provide about $1.3 billion in aid to the Horn of Africa nations of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia to prevent widespread famine and death in the drought-stricken region.

Biden stated that the summit would focus on new economic involvement, promoting democracy and human rights, advancing peace and security, and addressing concerns such as food security, climate change, and the pandemic.

According to an official, the president believes that US partnership with leaders of African countries, civic society, the commercial sector, and the African diaspora will assist in addressing some of the difficulties.