Africa (Commonwealth) _The State Department stated that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken would embark on his fourth trip to Africa next week, visiting Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Angola.
The journey follows seventeen formal trips at the Cabinet level made in the previous year in response to the Washington, D.C., 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit. In addition, President Joe Biden has stated that he hopes to travel to Africa this year, though no specific arrangements have been yet disclosed.
Blinken’s six-day visit, according to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, will demonstrate how the US has expedited the US-Africa collaboration since the summit, particularly in spheres of food, health, and climate security.
According to Miller, he will also highlight our future-oriented economic alliance and the ways in which the US is funding infrastructure in Africa to increase commerce between the two continents, generate employment both domestically and abroad, and support Africa’s competitiveness in the world economy.
When asked if opposing China’s influence on the continent will be a central issue, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee responded that the media is more concerned with this than anything else. We would be actively involved in Africa if China didn’t exist,” she remarked. “Africa is significant both for American interests and for its own sake.
Phee brought up significant US infrastructure initiatives that involve Angola and Cape Verde. She claimed that while much of the news coming out of Africa is bad, Blinken’s visit will bring attention to the positives.
It may, in my opinion, demonstrate the enormous potential of Africans, especially the younger generation. According to her, it may highlight truly progressive partnerships, like our space relationship with Angola. Regarding Blinken’s visit to Cape Verde, Phee responded to a query from VOA by saying that the nation is essentially the port at Africa’s doorstep. It’s a fantastic democracy, too. She commented that it’s a fantastic model for the area.
Blinken’s first trip to sub-Saharan Africa in ten months will serve as a distraction as competitors China and Russia try to make progress in the region. Following four frantic trips around the Middle East since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, Blinken will make stops in Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Angola, and Cape Verde beginning on Monday.
According to State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, Blinken will talk on expanding the rule of law, promoting democracy, and advancing security alliances based on shared principles like respect for human rights. During Blinken’s final trip to sub-Saharan Africa, he visited Niger more highly than any other US official in an attempt to support the country’s shaky democracy and its role as a front-runner in the war against Islamists in the Sahel.
Four months later, Mohamed Bazoum, the elected president, was overthrown by the military. This week, the prime minister of Nigeria, installed by the army, traveled to Russia to discuss enhancing military ties.
Additionally, Russia has been involved in Mali, the Central African Republic, and maybe Burkina Faso through its formidable Wagner mercenary squad. In an effort to demonstrate Washington’s gentler side, Blinken will also go to an Africa Cup of Nations football game in Abidjan.
Blinken will go to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, to meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and take a tour of the vibrant city of Lagos. Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa and is also home to the headquarters of the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS.
US President Joe Biden had planned to visit Africa in 2023 but failed to follow. The trip is now viewed as increasingly doubtful this year as he concentrates on reelection. Biden had pledged a renewed interest in the continent when he hosted African leaders to Washington in December 2022.
Many in Africa were uneasy when the West gave Ukraine billions of money to fight off a Russian invasion, even before the Middle East crisis, in which the US has been almost alone in its steadfast backing of Israel. Days following the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Blinken is scheduled to arrive in Ivory Coast on Monday.
Although the US-China relationship has de-escalated, Washington regards Beijing as its primary long-term adversary and has positioned itself as a more advantageous partner for Africa than Beijing, which specializes in large-scale infrastructure projects funded by loans.
‘Security’, China, or other issues are the main reasons that politicians travel to Africa. Mark Green, a former US ambassador to Tanzania and congressman, stated that the way we brighten the future of the globe is actually by listening to African leaders—their goals, dreams, and capacities—noting that the continent has the youngest population worldwide. He stated, “This is a long-term investment, but there are short-term issues.”
After aiding UNITA rebels throughout the nation’s protracted civil war, the United States has been fostering better ties with Angola, a significant oil producer, following the country’s democratic transition. Angola, a strong friend of the United States, and Kenya have attempted to mediate a ceasefire in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where Rwanda is accused of providing support to rebels.
