AFP reported that Secretary of State Blinken will begin his trip in Cape Verde before heading to Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Angola. This is his first trip to sub-Saharan Africa in 10 months, when he temporarily put aside concerns about the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
With many African countries unhappy with Washington's focus on the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as US President Joe Biden's failure to fulfill his promise to visit the continent in 2023, Blinken will seek to show a softer side of the US during the trip.
Mr. Blinken (2nd from right) in Cape Verde on January 22.
The top US diplomat, a soccer lover and French speaker, is expected to attend an Africa Cup of Nations match in Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s largest city, on the evening of January 22. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited the West African country last week.
Molly Phee, the US assistant secretary of state for Africa, said Mr Blinken would praise efforts to consolidate democracy in Ivory Coast under President Alassane Ouattara, a US-educated economist. Ivory Coast has not seen a major terrorist attack in about two years.
The US Secretary of State's trip comes amid concerns about the security situation in the Sahel region, a strip of land that has seen frequent unrest and conflict south of the Sahara desert.
During a regional tour in March 2023, Mr. Blinken became the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Niger, a country in the Sahel region, hoping to show support for then-president Mohamed Bazoum. But just four months later, the Niger military overthrew Mr. Bazoum and the elected government in Niamey, the capital of Niger.
Over the years, Russia’s powerful private military company Wagner has partnered with Mali, the Central African Republic and, allegedly, Burkina Faso – countries near Niger. The US has warned Niamey not to follow a similar path. Last week, the prime minister of the ousted government in Niamey visited Moscow to seek deeper cooperation.
Niger is seen as a linchpin in Washington’s efforts to combat the armed groups that have ravaged the Sahel region for years. The US has built a $100 million military base in the Niger desert city of Agadez that operates a fleet of drones.
US bases and troops remain in Niger, but Washington is considering placing them in more stable coastal states as hopes of restoring civilian rule fade in Niger. The military government in Niamey has expelled French forces, a former French colony.
Gen. James Hecker, commander of US Air Forces in both Europe and Africa, said late last year that “several other locations” in West Africa were being considered for plans to build a new drone base.
According to Ms. Phee, Secretary Blinken will seek to support countries "on all fronts to strengthen their societies and prevent the expansion of terrorist threats that we see in the Sahel." He will also encourage countries to prioritize "the security of civilians when conducting military operations, while promoting human rights and community development, especially among disadvantaged populations."
The Biden administration last year announced a 10-year plan to maintain stability and prevent conflict in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast and Togo.
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