Pool Reports by Peter Baker, The New York Times
| Sent: | Reports: |
| December 4, 2024 09:34 WAT |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #1 Luanda, Angola Good morning from Luanda. I'll be your pooler for today's trip to Lobito and beyond. Motorcade is on the move at 9:31 am. Your pool did not spot POTUS. We're en route to the airport. |
| December 4, 2024 10:01 WAT |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #2 Luanda, Angola Motorcade pulled up to AF1 at 9:45 am. POTUS posed for pictures on the tarmac and then boarded without stopping for questions. Among those on hand to bid him farewell was Vice President Esperança Maria Eduardo Francisco da Costa. From the WH: Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Aeroporto Internacional da Catumbela: Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff And, in a separate list that may feel familiar... Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to Quatro de Fevereiro Luanda International Airport: Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff |
| December 4, 2024 10:58 WAT |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #3 Luanda, Angola AFI is taxiing for takeoff at 10:11 am. |
| December 4, 2024 11:01 WAT |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #4 Lobito, Angola AF1 landed at 10:56 am. No visitors from the front came back to talk during the flight. |
| December 4, 2024 11:23 WAT |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #5 Catumbela, Angola POTUS in his aviators disembarked from AF1 for a literal red carpet welcome, greeted by President Lourenço. Nearly 20 dancers in colorful red yellow white and black dresses danced and sang. Three giant, multi-story-tall billboard draped airport buildings showing POTUS and President Lourenço shaking hands. After a few minutes, POTUS got into his Suburban and the motorcade departed at 11:17 am. From the WH: Greeting the President upon arrival at Aeroporto Internacional da Catumbela: President João Lourenço of the Republic of Angola Catumbela is a coastal city in the Benguela Province of Angola. The Catumbela Airport is north of the regional capital city of Benguela and six miles south of the port city of Lobito. Benguela is the fourth most populous city in Angola, home to nearly a million people. |
| December 4, 2024 11:40 WAT |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #6 Lobito, Angola The motorcade arrived at the Lobito Port Terminal at 11:37 am after an uneventful drive from the airport. There were not many people along the route though at various points small clusters watched the vehicles go by. At several apartment buildings, people stood on balconies to watch and in some cases wave. |
| December 4, 2024 12:19 WAT |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #7 Lobito, Angola POTUS toured the Lobito Port Terminal. He was brought out to an area next to the water surrounded by yellow shipping containers. Giant cranes nearby remained still and inactive. The Oris Synergy, a Liberian-flagged chemical/oil tanker painted orange, was docked in the background. A couple banners hung on shipping containers saying, "THE LOBITO CORRIDOR: Connecting Africa from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean." Pallets of copper were placed nearby. POTUS came out with President Lourenço and three other African leaders (see below). The conversation was not audible to your pool. After they posed for pictures, your pool was brought to another setting for another photo, this time in front of a series of Lobito Atlantic Railway cars. Nicolas Gregoir, the chief operating officer of Lobito Atlantic Railway, showed him copper pallets and then escorted him over to the railway cars where POTUS greeted several workers in hard hats. Again, no words were audible and each of the two pool encounters lasted just a few minutes. It is a hot and humid day with a slight breeze off the water and the sun coming in and out of the clouds. POTUS is wearing a dark suit, light shirt and tie and must be hot. Snipers could be seen on top of one of the massive cranes scanning the area with binoculars. We are back in the buses and on the move at 12:13 pm. From the WH: The Lobito Port Terminal—the starting point of the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor that is envisioned to connect the Atlantic and Indian Oceans from Angola—currently functions as a transportation hub for various commodities—including grains, processed agricultural products, and raw minerals and materials—transported in and out of Angola and the region. During the first stop, President Biden is receiving a briefing from Angolan Minister of Transport Ricardo Daniel Sandao Queiros Veigas de Abreu and Lobito Port Authority Chairman Celso Rodrigues Rosa. Accompanying the President for the tour: President João Lourenço of the Republic of Angola (For the second stop:) During the tour of the Lobito Port, President Biden is seeing an American General Electric locomotive used for cargo on the Lobito Atlantic Railway. He is being briefed on the operational enhancements underway that will increase regional and international trade, as well as the planned infrastructure upgrades financed by the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). Today, President Biden announced that the DRC committed a new $553 million direct loan to the Railway to upgrade and operate a 1,300 km rail line from Lobito to the DRC border. Greeting the President upon arrival: Nicolas Gregoir, Chief Operating Officer of the Lobito Atlantic Railway The President is participating in a greet with Lobito Atlantic Railway workers. |
| December 4, 2024 15:17 WAT |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #8 Lobito, Angola Sorry for the late report, we've had no service until now. During a series of statements alongside the African presidents at the Carrinho Food Processing Factory, POTUS hailed the significance of the Lobito Corridor and the investments being made to transport the region's resources to global markets. "We're at one of those transition points in world history," POTUS said. He said the railway will cut travel time across the continent from days to hours and transform the region from a food importer to food exporter. "All these projects and investments are designed to have high impact," he said. He added: "The United States understands that how we invest in Africa is just as important as how much we invest in Africa." POTUS announced that the U.S. will invest another nearly $600 million to expand agriculture, upgrade the railway and otherwise develop the corridor. Altogether, he said the U.S. has invested $4 billion across length of Lobito corridor. Cargo that once took 45 days to get to the United States will now take less than 45 hours, he said. "It's a game changer," he said, citing the benefits of clean energy and food security among other changes. "My message today is let's keep it up," he said. From our distant vantage point, POTUS appeared a little tired at a couple points. He put his head down in his hand and closed his eyes. At one point, Jon Finer came over from the back bench to whisper with Amos Hochstein, who was moderating the discussion, and then Finer walked over to whisper something to POTUS. The speeches by the various leaders in the hot and stuffy room went on for about an hour. At points, POTUS took notes as the other leaders spoke. At the end, when he gave comments wrapping up, his voice grew froggy and hoarse for a few moments. In those wrap-up comments, POTUS came back to his central point: "Africa is the future. I'm not being solicitous." He cited the building of the transcontinental railroad in the United States. "Like Lincoln we're not just laying tracks we're laying the path for better futures." (As always, please check all quotes against transcript.) The comments came during a tour of the food factory. The motorcade arrived at the factory at 12:39 pm after kicking up a lot of dust along a half-hour drive through an arid, brown area. Your pool was brought inside the massive factory filled with giant machines and conveyer belts. POTUS was given a tour of the factory. At the first stop where your pool was able to watch, he and the other presidents were shown scale models of factory buildings. POTUS was friendly with his guide, putting a hand on his arm and flashing a smile. Your pool could not hear any of the conversation. At the next stop, he and the other presidents were brought into a large room with a biscuit flour silo, a biscuit sugar silo, a biscuit malt tank, a biscuit vegetable oil tank and a biscuit powder sugar line. Three flat screens were set up to give them a quick briefing on "Transport Connectivity," "Energy Connectivity" and "Digital Connectivity," each of them explained by a different person. POTUS seemed to engage in amiable exchanges with the other presidents and the briefers, though again this is a guess since we were unable to hear anything. It was at the third stop that POTUS and the other leaders delivered their prepared statements. They sat at a large circular wooden table set up on the factory floor along with several other key players in the project. The same Lobito Corridor banners we saw at the port were hanging all over the place here. Loudspeakers played recorded triumphal trumpet music to usher in the leaders. The speeches were moderated by Hochstein, who knew the African leaders personally and had worked with them on this project. Some of the other speeches could not be heard because the translation devices went in and out. President Lourenço, speaking through a translator, said: "The political commitment of all engaged people in the materialization of this project is a milestone." President Hichilema of Zambia, speaking in English, emphasized that the project would help more than the countries along the route of the railway. "Not just us -- it's good for Africa," he said. He added: "This is really a fundamental, if you like, change to our countries, to our economies, to our people. I must say, this project is a huge opportunity." Vice President Mpango of Tanzania, also speaking in English, said: "The U.S. commitment to his transformative project reflects its relationship with Africa." POTUS wrapped up the hour-long session by referencing his love of railroads. "Mr. President I'm coming back to ride on the train all the way from end to end," he said. He recalled as he did earlier on the trip that he used to commute 212 miles a day between Wilmington and Washington. "I like trains a lot. So I'm coming back. You're stuck with me." From the WH: The President is participating in the Lobito Corridor Trans-Africa Summit. Summit Attendees: President João Lourenço of the Republic of Angola U.S. Backbench Attendees: Angolan Backbench Attendees: Congolese Backbench Attendees: Zambian Backbench Attendees: Tanzanian Backbench Attendees: U.S. Government, Private Sector and NGO Backbench Attendees: Also The President is participating in a family photo with the following: President João Lourenço of the Republic of Angola |
| December 4, 2024 15:24 WAT |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #9 Lobito, Angola Your pool did not see POTUS get back into the motorcade but we are now on the move at 3:21 pm en route back to the airport. |
| December 4, 2024 15:36 WAT |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #10 Catumbela, Angola Motorcade arrived at the airport at 3:35 pm. Just a little color: The road to and from the factory is a gravel road unlike those a motorcade typically travels and threw up clouds of dust that made it hard to see ahead. More background info from WH: During his stop at a Carrinho Group—an Angolan agricultural business—food processing plant, where workers turn maize and pinto beans from 150,000 Angolan farmers into food products, such as pastas, flour breakfast cereals, and baked goods, the President is receiving a briefing in the Pasta Processing Bay from Nelson Carrinho, Chief Executive Officer of Carrinho Industries. The President is receiving a briefing on Carrinho Group's operations in the Pasta Processing Bay from Nelson Carrinho, Chief Executive Officer of Carrinho Group. Joining the President for the briefing: President João Lourenço of the Republic of Angola Also... The President is receiving a briefing from U.S. business leaders investing in the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor at the Biscuit Processing Hallway, including: Paul Sullivan, President of Acrow Bridge 1. Carrinho Group: The Carrinho Group is Angola's largest food producer and an Angolan family business. The company sets up contracts with local, family farmers, providing those farmers with startup seeds and fertilizer at the beginning of the season and a commitment to buy their produce at the end of the season. Carrinho Group committed to purchase and bring to market the produce from the recently announced U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) grant to expand its women farmers program to the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor. 1. Sun Africa: Sun Africa is the largest U.S.-based solar energy developer operating in Africa. Sun Africa uses U.S. technology to collectively help over one million Angolans, including along the Lobito Corridor, to access clean energy. The U.S. Export-Import Bank has approved $2.5 billion in financing for U.S. based Sun Africa's solar installations to add over 700 megawatts of on grid and off-grid electricity across Angola. 1. Acrow Bridge: Acrow Bridge manufactures steel bridges in Pennsylvania. The U.S. Export-Import Bank announced in October 2023 it would provide $363 million in financing to install 186 prefabricated steel bridges in communities where the Carrinho Group's farmers live and work. These bridges will be constructed in the United States and shipped to and installed in Angola, creating good jobs in both the United States and Angola ,connecting thousands of rural Angolans to each other as well as to regional transport hubs, and facilitating the transportation of goods across the Angola. 1. Africell: Africell is a U.S.-owned mobile technology company. In 2024, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) provided a $5 million grant to support Africell's newly launched mobile money platform, an alternative to bank accounts that allows users to store, send, and receive money on their cell phones. The U.S. Export-Import Bank also recently made a preliminary commitment of $100 million for Africell to expand its 3G, 4G, and 5G cellular access across Angola and upgrade its equipment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). |
| December 4, 2024 15:49 WAT |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #11 Luanda, Angola On the tarmac, POTUS posed for more pictures and was bid farewell by President Lourenço. He did not stop to talk with reporters, wrapping up his only trip to sub-Saharan Africa without taking a single question. AF1 is rolling for takeoff at 3:48 pm. |
| December 4, 2024 19:39 CVT |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #12 Sal, Cabo Verde AF1 landed at 9:26 pm local time (3:26 pm DC time) after an uneventful flight. No one came back to talk with your pool. We have a short wait for refueling before continuing onto JBA. POTUS is not scheduled to get off the plane. One correction to a previous pool report. While POTUS took no questions and did not speak with your pool today, he did answer one question yesterday from a photojournalist who asked about South Korea. POTUS said "I'm just getting briefed on it." That was outside of the hearing of your pooler but for what it's worth, those six words constitute POTUS's entire interaction with any journalists on this trip. |
| December 4, 2024 19:43 CVT |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #12a -- time correction Actually it should be 7:26 pm in Cabo Verde, 9:26 pm in Angola and 3:26 pm in DC. Sorry, too many time zones! |
| December 4, 2024 19:54 CVT |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #13 Sal, Cabo Verde From the WH: Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Amílcar Cabral International Airport: Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff |
| December 4, 2024 20:54 CVT |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #14 Cabo Verde AF1 now rolling for takeoff at 8:53 pm local (4:53 pm DC). No sighting of POTUS or anyone else during the stop. |
| December 5, 2024 00:01 EST |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #15 JBA AF1 was wheels down at 11:58 pm at JBA. No one came back to talk with us. We'll be motorcading back to the White House. |
| December 5, 2024 00:14 EST |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #16 JBA POTUS disembarked wearing a blue Air Force One bomber jacket and blue baseball cap. He got into his car without stopping to talk and we're rolling at 12:12 am on what is now officially Thursday morning. |
| December 5, 2024 00:47 EST |
Out-of-Town Pool Report #17 White House The motorcade pulled into the White House at 12:36 am after an uneventful ride through the darkened midnight streets of Washington. Your pool did not see POTUS head inside. Thus ends our short but far-flung pool day, a mere 22 hours, three flights, five motorcade rides and multiple train references since call time in Luanda this morning. Thanks to Abby Hauslohner of the WP for all her tireless help on this, her first presidential trip. Many thanks as well to the indefatigable Sonja Thrasher on this, her final White House foreign trip. Speaking for so many of us, she has been an extraordinary help to your poolers over the years, a true pro all around, and we will be excited to see where her next adventures take her. Good night everyone! From the WH: Greeting the President upon arrival to Joint Base Andrews: Colonel Angela Ochoa, Commander, 89th Airlift Wing |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of December 4, 2024 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/375365