The three-day U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit began Tuesday in Washington, D.C., with leaders of 49 African nations and the African Union invited to engage with U.S. leaders about two-way trade and investment opportunities. What will this mean for U.S.-Africa relations going forward?

For Context: According to the United Nations, more than half of Africa’s 54 nations will double in population by 2050, and by that time, roughly 25% of the world's population will live on the continent. That growth has attracted large outside investments from China, which put over $23 billion into the continent between 2007 and 2020. Ahead of the summit, the U.S. committed $55 billion to Africa over the next three years.

Where People Agree: Voices across the spectrum framed the summit as a step toward better recognition of African nations in international decision-making and development, especially amid concerns from some that the U.S. hasn't paid adequate attention to the continent. Many agreed that the U.S. was using the summit as an opportunity to pitch its global investing potential as an alternative to China's.

Where People Disagree: Most analyses and opinions came from the political center and left, reflecting division in whether different sides of the spectrum consider the summit important. One writer featured in The Washington Times called on Biden to rescind Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's invitation, on the grounds that his human rights record is "atrocious" and that his government violently targets Christians.