How does Africa view Joe Biden's exit from the US election?

Incumbent US President Joe Biden's announcement to withdraw from the US presidential race has been hailed as a smart move by many, though there has also been some criticism that he took the decision to exit so late into the campaign.

Biden only left the race after coming under intense pressure from within the ranks of his own party, which according to pollsters would otherwise have been struggling to retain the presidency in the upcoming November election.

Even though the US election is literally an ocean away, many Africans have also expressed a proactive interest in following the drama in the US. But for some people in Africa, the race nevertheless hits closer to home than others.

"It is obvious that his health is not a 100% and he deserves time to heal and not take on the burdens of the whole world," said Patricia Wilkins, an African-American who has been based in Ghana for the past two decades.

"I am very grateful for Joe Biden's long service to our country and his dedication to the Democratic Party."

Excitement for Harris' candidacy

Since Sunday's announcement, Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidential nomination. Harris now looks all but set to become the Democratic nominee.

For many, the prospect of a female US president with roots in the Caribbean and India, and who can trace her heritage to Africa, is an exciting prospect.

"I am thrilled at the prospects of Kamala Harris stepping up as a new candidate. Her experience, her resilience, her commitment to justice and equality make her an exceptional leader," said Wilkens, adding that she's been "excited for the past days because of this news."

Wilkins runs an NGO that supports less priviledged students in Ghana. Her enthusiasm for Harris is linked to her work: Some of her students got to meet the current vice president on her recent trip to Africa.

That is closer to a presidential candidate than most people get to be in their entire lifetimes.

Africa's old men's club

The prospect of a dynamic new leader in the White House might meanwhile inspire at least some Africans to reflect about the leadership they have back home.

Africa is home to some of the world's oldest leaders. There's 91-year-old Paul Biya in Cameroon, 81-year-old Emmerson Mnangagwa in Zimbabwe and 78-year-old Abdelmadjid Tebboune in Algeria — to name but a few.

With Biden's age seen as the chief reason for dropping out, some — especially younger generations — hope this could be a lesson for others.

"We shouldn't be seeing 80-year-old men seeking reelection and traveling around the country campaigning. Your body always has a closing time; when your body closes you have to sit at home," said Cyril Anane, a university student in Accra, Ghana's capital.

"We should be more concerned about pushing our leaders to learn from some of these things because leadership is not a birthright," he added, emphasizing that, like Biden, leaders have to learn to know when to "sit back and let fresher blood come in and take over."

"A leader should actually recognize when it is time for them to step aside for the greater good. Clinging to power only invites ridicule and it actually harms the nation as a whole," said Tom-Chris Emewulu, a Nigerian social entrepreneur, adding that Biden's debate performance "was particularly of huge concern."

"The recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump further reduced his chances of winning the election," he told DW.

Partnerships with Africa

Emewulu is the founder of an initiative in Ghana called Stars From All Nations, which tries to combat youth unemployment. For him, national partnerships are important to help young people.

Emewelu recognizes that the Biden administration had firmly placed Africa on its agenda as a major priority — especially when compared to  Trump, who became known for making disparaging remarks about the continent, for which he has yet to apologize.

Still, he believes Africa "should focus on negotiating favorable trade partnerships with whoever wins the next election."

With Biden now out of the race, some analysts think African issues might even move further into the forefront of US policy.

"The implications [of Biden's withdrawal] are huge. This means that during the campaign period for the next four months, there will be a lot of discussion about African issues based in large parts on Biden and the Biden administration's policies toward Africa," said Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate for Africa and regional director at the National Democratic Institute, a US-based nonprofit that works in global partnerships to safeguard democratic institutions and processes.

Kamala Harris: A win for Africa

Fomunyoh thinks that if Vice President Harris were to win in the November election, African partners would only stand to benefit.

"And my sense is that if she wins in November, she will definitely want to pursue the same policy that the Biden administration has had toward the continent."

He also believes Harris' ethnic origins give further assurances that Africa will be a priority for her, given that she's a person of color, "knows the continent, and has visited the continent in the past."

Younger generations, meanwhile, think Harris' values align better with them. For university student Anane in Accra, it's about time that a woman gets to be the US' commander-in-chief.

"And of course, then the feminists will get the bragging rights as well," he told DW.

For Anane, female empowerment in the states can only echo back to Africa as a message of hope for everyone.

Edited by: Sertan Sanderson

This article incorrectly said that Emmerson Mnangagwa was the president of Cameroon. He is, of course, the president of Zimbabwe. We have corrected the error.