US President Joe Biden has announced billions of dollars in new funding for Africa at a summit of dozens of heads of state in Washington.

“The United States is ‘all in’ on Africa’s future,” President Biden told the over 40 African leaders attending the summit.

He also spoke optimistically of improved links with Africa during a summit in which he announced $55bn (£44.4bn) in new funding for the continent over the next three years. This included $100m for clean energy projects.

He told the gathering in Washington that when Africa succeeded, so too did the United States.

Mr Biden spoke of the importance of good governance, healthy populations and affordable energy.

The summit of heads of state is seen as an attempt by America to re-assert its influence in Africa at a time when China, Russia and Turkey are deepening their involvement.

It’s the first such gathering hosted by Washington for eight years.