US Secretary of State Antony Blinken leaves for a week-long tour around the west coast of Africa, primarily to maintain US influence in the face of growing instability in the Sahel and fierce competition from Beijing and Moscow.
After making a quick stop in Cape Verde to start his journey, Blinken will go on to Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Angola.
In the midst of the world’s predominate attention being focused on the war in Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Hamas, he is making his first trip to sub-Saharan Africa in ten months. Although President Joe Biden has not followed through on his pledge to travel to Africa in 2023, Blinken’s tour coincides with changing political conditions in the continent following his March 2023 visit.
Notably, there have been political shifts in Niger, where Blinken had previously backed elected President Mohamed Bazoum. After Bazoum was overthrown by a military coup, the new government is expanding its alliances, fortifying its bonds with Moscow and removing French soldiers from the country.
Russia’s increased sway over a number of francophone African nations has sparked worries about security in the Sahel, where terrorist organisations are still active.
The US is looking into different sites for a drone base in response to the unstable Sahelian situation, with a focus on stability in coastal nations. The goal of Antony Blinken’s trip to West Africa is to provide these nations with all-encompassing support as they work to fortify their societies and counter the growing threat of terrorism in the Sahel.
