President Joe Biden had today, announced the first members of the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement.
Well-known actress Viola Davis had been included and she will be advising Washington on strengthening its ties with African communities.
Washington is looking to stress the region’s importance and counter the challenges caused by China and Russia to the United States’ interests in the increasingly important area.
Recall that Washington had declared its plans to institute the council last year December, during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, which plans to deepen Washington’s ties with the region.
According to Judd Devermont, the National Security Council’s senior director for African Affairs, the council will counsel the president on a range of issues, ranging from how to strengthen relations between African communities and the United States, to encouraging trade and investment and establishing educational exchanges, among other issues.
The leader of the council will be Silvester Beaman, the Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
In addition to Viola Davis, the council members include: Patrick Gaspard, the president and CEO of the Center for American Progress think tank; C.D. Glin, the head of the PepsiCo Foundation and global head of social impact for PepsiCo; and Almaz Negash, the founder of the African Diaspora Network, etc.
Ms Davis had earlier this year, won a Grammy for her audio recording of her memoir “Finding Me”, opening her way into the elite ranks of EGOT winners with an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony award respectively.
