The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Nigeria, Angola, Cabo Verde, and Cote d’Ivoire next week.
According to the US Mission in Abuja on Thursday, Blinken’s diplomatic tour will begin from January 21-26 2024.
The Secretary will highlight the gains of the US-Africa partnership since the US-Africa Leaders Summit, including in areas such as food security, health security and climate change.
“He will also emphasize our 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.
“Additionally, 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 US 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 to address regional challenges, and US efforts to support African leadership in de-escalating tensions and adopting diplomatic solutions to the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo,” the statement added.
Blinken visited Nigeria in November 2021, where he met with the former Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama.
During his visit to Nigeria, he lauded the increasingly deep partnership between Nigeria and the U.S. and reiterated the importance of cooperation.