LUANDA, Angola — (AP) — President Joe Biden has arrived in Angola for his long-awaited first presidential visit to sub-Saharan Africa.

Biden is using the three-day trip to counter China’s growing influence on the African continent by highlighting the U.S.-backed Lobito Corridor railway redevelopment in Zambia, Congo and Angola. The project aims to advance U.S. presence in a region rich in the critical minerals used in batteries for electric vehicles, electronic devices and clean energy technologies.

Biden first stopped Monday in the Atlantic Ocean island of Cape Verde for a brief, closed-door meeting with Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva.

In Angola, Biden plans to meet with Angolan President João Lourenço. He’s also set to visit the National Slavery Museum and travel to the port city of Lobito for a look at the rail project.

Biden initially promised to travel to Africa in 2023 following a summit with African leaders in Washington in late 2022. He then announced plans to come to Angola this October but the trip was delayed by Hurricane Milton.

His visit comes with weeks left in his presidency, as Republican Donald Trump prepares to take office on Jan. 20.

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