United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken has concluded plans to travel to Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Angola from January 21 to 26, 2024.
In a statement released by the State Department Spokesman, Mathew Miller on Thursday stating that throughout the trip, the Secretary will highlight how the United States has accelerated the U.S.-Africa partnership since U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, including in areas such as climate, food, and health security.
He added that US Secretary will also emphasize on America’s future-focused economic partnership, and how the United States is investing in infrastructure in Africa to boost two-way trade, create jobs at home and on the continent, and help Africa compete in the global marketplace.
The Spokesman said further that the Secretary will advance security partnerships based on shared values such as respect for human rights, promotion of democracy, and expansion of the rule of law.
“He will reaffirm U.S. commitment to our coastal West African partners through the Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability, U.S. partnership with the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS to address regional challenges.
“And U.S. efforts to support African leadership in de-escalating tensions and adopting diplomatic solutions to the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo”, he added.
The Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Molly Phee while previewing the Secretary of State’s trip said Blinken wants to go to the continent to demonstrate and assess follow -up that the United States has undertaken to implement the commitments and topics discussed during the US-Africa summit.
According to him, “So, we’ll be looking at issues like our economic partnership, how are we promoting the development of commercial ties, our longstanding health partnership. We’re looking at areas that really excite the Secretary particularly in food security.
“We’ll be, of course, sort of furbishing our diplomatic constant engagement on so many issues, not only on the continent but in the global conversation. So, there’s a lot to do to show where we are, what we’ve done, and where we’re going.
“As many of you know, Nigeria is dealing with a lot of internal security challenges. And Angola has played a really important role in trying to address and reduce the tensions in the eastern Congo. So those will also be topics I expect we’ll discuss”, he said.
He pressed further that US want to highlight its response to African concerns, adding that in Nigeria, the United States hope to look at a pharmaceutical company where it has helped support Africans develop their own manufacturing capabilities.
“When we – when I took this job in 2021 in the middle of the pandemic, there wasn’t a single vaccine manufacturing facility on the continent. Now there are four. The factory in Nigeria produces medicines such as antimalarials.
“So, we’ll talk to Nigerians and others about how they’re part of global conversation on setting norms, for example, for AI, for a new African seat on the Security Council, how we undertake Security Council reform together. You’ve seen we’ve successfully promoted Africa to be a member of the G20”.
