US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken has departed for West Africa as part of the Biden administration’s attempt to stay focused on the global scene.
The State Department, on Thursday, listed the countries as Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Angola, adding that the focus of the trips is to hold discussions on trade, democracy promotion, conflict prevention, and regional security.
Nigeria is West Africa’s regional heavyweight and plays a major role in security issues, especially those involving Islamic extremist violence in the Sahel, the vast arid expanse south of the Sahara Desert.
The trip is his third overseas mission in the new year, after he returned from a Gaza-focused, weeklong 10-nation trip to the Middle East last Thursday and a three-day trip to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland on Wednesday.
Blinken’s Africa trip comes as the United States is increasingly nervous about its relationships on the continent, particularly after coups last year in Niger and Gabon, and escalating unrest in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The department spokesman, Matthew Miller said in a statement, “Blinken will highlight the administration’s partnership with African nations on issues such as the climate, economic investment, food and health.”
While in Ivory Coast, Blinken may attend an Africa Cup of Nations soccer match between the host country and Equatorial Guinea.
Chioma Kalu
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