Musk undertakes Starlink expansion push charm offensive with African leaders at the UN General Assembly.

Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, met with three African presidents in New York this week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss the opportunities offered by Starlink, a satellite internet service, that is rapidly spreading across the continent.

Musk's African charm drive, which included meetings with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Lesotho Prime Minister Same Matekane, and Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba, centred on expanding the uncapped high-speed satellite internet service throughout Africa.

Discussions with the three African leaders took place on the same day that Burundi became the 15th African nation to get Starlink, a division of Musk's SpaceX.

Although Starlink is currently seeking regulatory approval in South Africa, Ramaphosa stressed the necessity of closing the digital divide by giving internet access to rural and underprivileged populations.

It is the second meeting in as many months that Ramaphosa has held with the South African-born billionaire, urging him to invest in South Africa.

“I have had discussions with him and said to him, Elon, you become so successful and you’re investing in a variety of countries, I want you to come home and invest here,” said Ramaphosa last month.

Musk gushed about the second meeting on his X (formerly Twitter) timeline this week, posting: “We had a good meeting” alongside several pictures of the two leaders shaking hands.

Similarly, Musk’s African meeting with Lesotho Prime Minister Matekane was positive, and the affordable Internet launch in the Southern African Kingdom is expected before the end of the year.

"Today, I had the pleasure of meeting with Elon Musk, to discuss advancing connectivity in Lesotho. We are committed to exploring innovative solutions to improve internet access and bridge the digital divide for our people. Exciting developments lie ahead," posted Matekane on X.

Namibia's president, Mbumba, also held good discussions with Musk about future technology sector investment opportunities in his country, including the possible launch of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet.

The Namibian leader tweeted images from his meeting on X, including a demonstration of the Starlink Mini.

Musk also posted on his X timeline on the possibilities for improved internet access and technological advancement, writing, "Great meeting with the President of Namibia!"

In addition to meeting with the leaders of Southern Africa, Musk received accolades from Kenya President William Ruto for the great impact Starlink has had on the East African country.