US secretary of state visits Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal

Africa, News, US November 21, 2021 , by IRIA No Comments

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken embarked on his first in-person trip to Africa, which included visits to Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal from November 15-20.

Secretary Blinken began his trip in Nairobi, where he held meetings with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Raychelle Omamo. Both sides discussed shared interests as members of the UN Security Council, collaboration on renewable energy as Kenya works to fully transition to clean energy by 2030, and common desire to improve stability in East Africa. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also held consultations on regional security issues such as the situation in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Somalia.

U.S. Secretary of State Blinken also met with Kenya’s civil society leaders essential to the country’s vibrant democracy and participated in events related to climate and environmental protection.

After his Kenya visit, the secretary of state visited Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, where he met with President Buhari, Vice President Osinbajo, and the Foreign Minister Onyeama to discuss expanding energy access, economic growth, democracy, security and human rights, civilian protection, and improving cooperation on global health security.

Secretary Blinken concluded his trip in Dakar, Senegal, where he met with President Macky Sall and Foreign Minister Tall Sall. The U.S. secretary discussed President Sall’s upcoming African Union chairmanship and Senegal’s role as a democratic, economic, and security leader in West Africa.

In Senegal, the U.S. secretary also participated in a roundtable meeting with female Senegalese entrepreneurs and other leaders, where he underscored the importance of the U.S.-Senegal partnership to combat the COVID-19 epidemic.

While in Senegal, Secretary Bliken said: “This is a simple reality. We are not going to succeed without the leadership of African governments, institutions, and citizens… The United States is committed to strengthening our partnership across the continent to the extent that it serves the interests of the people here (in Africa) and serves our own interests.”

“We firmly believe that for a long time, African countries and institutions should be treated as the major geopolitical pieces that they have become,” Blinken added.

According to the U.S. Department of State official statement, Secretary Blinken’s visit came at a critical time, as the United States and its partners “work together on shared global priorities, including ending COVID-19, building back to a more inclusive global economy, combating climate change, revitalizing democracies, and advancing peace and security in the region.”

In all three African countries, the U.S. secretary advanced “U.S.-Africa collaboration to end COVID-19,” the U.S. Department of State statement read.

“The United States is the single largest donor to COVAX and has provided over 56 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to 43 countries in Africa in close coordination with the African Union and COVAX,” the U.S. Department of State official highlighted in a statement.