State Division — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will journey to Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Angola subsequent week, the State Division introduced, his fourth journey to the African continent.
The journey comes after 17 Cupboard-level official visits final yr as a follow-up to the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington.
President Joe Biden has additionally expressed his want to go to Africa this yr, however no particular plans have been introduced.
State Division spokesperson Matthew Miller mentioned Blinken’s six-day journey will spotlight how the US has accelerated the U.S.-Africa partnership because the summit, together with in areas equivalent to local weather, meals and well being safety.
“He can even emphasize our future-focused financial partnership and the way the US is investing in infrastructure in Africa to spice up two-way commerce, create jobs at residence and on the continent, and assist Africa compete within the international market,” Miller mentioned.
Requested if countering China’s affect on the continent could be a significant theme, Molly Phee, assistant secretary of state for African affairs, mentioned that is extra of a preoccupation of the media.
“If China did not exist, we’d be totally engaged in Africa,” she mentioned. “Africa is vital for its personal sake, and it is vital for American pursuits.”
Phee talked about main U.S. infrastructure tasks partnering with Angola and Cape Verde. She mentioned loads of the information popping out of Africa is unfavorable, and Blinken’s journey would spotlight the optimistic.
“I feel it might probably spotlight the nice capability of African individuals, notably the youth. It could possibly present actually forward-looking varieties of engagements, for instance, our partnership with Angola in outer house,” she mentioned.
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Phee mentioned the Africa Cup of Nations soccer [soccer] event shall be occurring, and Blinken hopes to have the ability to attend a match in particular person whereas within the Ivory Coast.
Phee acknowledged that it’s by no means attainable for U.S. officers to get away from safety points, saying that Blinken would discuss concerning the scenario within the Sahel and coastal West Africa when he visits the Ivory Coast.
She mentioned Nigeria is coping with a number of inside safety challenges, and Angola has performed an vital function in attempting to deal with and scale back tensions within the japanese Congo.
In response to a query from VOA about Blinken’s go to to Cape Verde, Phee mentioned the nation is actually the port on Africa’s doorstep. “It’s also a terrific democracy. It is a good mannequin for the area,” she mentioned.
