Washington, DC — Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced legislation requiring the State Department to hold a U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit (ALS) every four years. Building on the momentum of previous summits, the bill seeks to ensure ongoing and structured engagements that bolster economic, political, and social collaborations between the United States and African nations. 

“This legislation marks a pivotal step in making U.S.-Africa cooperation a sustainable and impactful pillar of U.S. foreign policy. Following the significant advances from the summits initiated by President Obama in 2014 and continued under President Biden in 2022, this bill institutionalizes the ALS so that future administrations are able to leverage these summits to strengthen America’s relationship with African countries.

“This legislation directs the Secretary of State to hold a U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit at least once every 4 years. It also urges the Secretary to hold city summits focused on subregional cooperation and establish an implementation office at the State Department to ensure that our collaborative efforts with the Continent translate into tangible outcomes that benefit Americans and Africans. The Biden-Harris Administration has overseen the signing of 75 successful deals since the 2022 summit and has put us on track to meet our commitment of providing $55 billion in assistance by 2025. Our actions should continue to reflect a meaningful commitment to our African partners. This bill is about more than regular dialogue; it's about meaningful action that forms mutual prosperity.”

Representative Sara Jacobs is an original cosponsor of this legislation. Full text of the legislation can be found here.