WASHINGTON (CU)_US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will make his first virtual trip to Africa on Tuesday (27 April), during which he will visit Nigeria and Kenya. According to the State Department, he will also meet with African youth from across the continent on this day. His virtual tour will begin with a meeting with the alumni of the Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI), a project through which the United States engages with private, public and civil society partners across Africa.
Subsequently, he will travel to Nigeria, a key oil exporter, and will hold discussions with President Buhari and Foreign Minister Onyeama, during which he will discuss issues of shared interest and reiterate the value of bilateral relations between Washington and Abuja. Secretary Blinken’s visit comes as the peace and security of the West African nation continues to spiral, as the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) launch attacks in the north, increasing displacements and kidnappings for ransom.
The Secretary will also travel to Kenya, virtually, as the two countries celebrate 57 years of bilateral relations. He will meet with Kenyan President Kenyatta and Cabinet Secretary Omamo in order to “discuss future cooperation to promote democracy and expand trade, and explore avenues to address global challenges, including climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic”, the state department said in a statement.
During his visit, Secretary Blinken will shine a spotlight on a Mobile Field Hospital donated by the US, for which Washington is currently providing essential COVID-19 medical supplies. Finally, he will visit Kenyan-based renewable energy companies, which were described by the State Department as “a model of innovative clean energy alternatives in Africa”.
The visit comes just days after the Washington appointed Former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, as the special envoy for the Horn of Africa. “He will lead a comprehensive diplomatic effort to address the interlinked political, security, and humanitarian crises in the region,” Secretary Blinken said on Twitter. Feltman is also expected to lead United States’ efforts to address diplomatic tensions in the region, particularly between Ethiopia and Sudan and around the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the Secretary of State said.
