The U.S. recently used the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, as a platform to strengthen relations between Washington and the continent — developments that happened after President Joe Biden sent a delegation to Ivory Coast to attend the tournament. For more, VOA’s Peter Clottey spoke to Deniece Laurent-Mantey, a member of the delegation that was sent to Ivory Coast. She is also part of the Presidential Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the U.S.