On Tuesday, Antony Blinken, the United States Secretary of State, held meetings with the presidents of Nigeria and Ivory Coast in an effort to establish a unified front with key African democracies amidst global crises.
In Abidjan, Blinken met with Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, a respected leader who has received commendation from the US for his efforts in strengthening democracy.
He then proceeded to Abuja to meet Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who was elected last year with a focus on implementing economic reforms.
Despite concerns in certain parts of the continent regarding the Western emphasis on arming Ukraine and the US support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas, both Nigeria and Ivory Coast, along with Kenya, have remained supportive of the United States. In fact, they joined the US in a United Nations vote in 2022 to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
This stance sets them apart from South Africa, which has been accused by the US of allowing arms shipments to Russia and has recently drawn Washington’s ire by initiating a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
While Blinken will not be visiting South Africa during this trip, he will be traveling to Angola, a country that has successfully transitioned from war to democracy and has played a crucial role in mediating to resolve unrest in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.
On Monday, he made a stop in Cape Verde, a longstanding ally of the United States. Blinken aimed to present a more compassionate side during his visit. During the Africa Cup of Nations football match between Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea, his hosts gifted him an Ivorian orange jersey with his name on it.
While visiting the port in Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, which was expanded with the help of US aid, Blinken emphasized the United States’ commitment to Africa, stating that they were fully invested in the continent’s future. However, President Joe Biden did not fulfill his promise to African leaders to visit the continent in 2023, which was made during their visit to Washington in late 2022.
Blinken, who has been preoccupied with the Middle East crisis, is now embarking on his first trip to sub-Saharan Africa in 10 months. During his previous visit to the region, he went to Niger to support the elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, but four months later, Bazoum was overthrown by the military.
While the coup leaders expelled French troops, they allowed the presence of around 1,000 US troops who use Niger as a base for drone operations against jihadists.
However, the coup leaders have also grown closer to Russia, and there are reports of Russian mercenaries being involved in Mali, the Central African Republic, and possibly Burkina Faso.
Ivory Coast and Nigeria have been vocal in their opposition to the coup in Niger, with Ouattara even considering the possibility of military intervention.
Ouattara has received praise for his efforts to combat insurgency in northern Ivory Coast, including providing economic support to create opportunities for young people. This approach aligns with the Biden administration’s call for a less militaristic approach to the Sahel region, following a decade of French-backed warfare against jihadists.
