U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to West Africa this week and has pledged $45 million to support regional security.
After he arrived, Blinken quickly went to attend an African soccer championship match, which was considered a moment of pride for the coastal country. It was also a prime opportunity for the official to show American support for a national event.
Blinken's visit to the region seeks to prove that the United States government is not planning to abandon the continent despite its focus on raging wars in Gaza and Ukraine. The trip comes as China and Russia press their advantage in the region as Washington is working to address problems elsewhere.
The latest trip marks Blinken's fourth trip to the region and he is using it as a means of reassuring nations that the continent is still a destination for U.S. dealmaking and policymakers. He said that the visit was made because America and Africa's futures are linked and joined as never before, as per the Washington Post.
The development comes as United States President Joe Biden's first term in office is nearing its end and his re-election prospects are still uncertain. This time could also be the last moments for Blinken to shape his legacy on a continent where coups and other setbacks have led to more instability than when the current administration took office.
Several senior administration officials, including Vice President Kamala Harris and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, had passed through the continent before. Despite a promise to visit, the ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has not yet come to the region.
Senior diplomats accompanying Blinken said that the trip is about concrete opportunities for economic cooperation and will not focus on pushing back on China and Russia. They noted that many African countries are already rejecting Russian offers of support from military contractors as China has been less active with new infrastructure projects.
Supporting Regional Security
Blinken also called Cape Verde a "beacon of stability" as well as a "strong, principled voice." It is a Portuguese-speaking archipelago that has roughly 500,000 people and has cooperated with the U.S. on law enforcement and naval stops, according to Aljazeera.
The majority of the continent has been uneasy about the billions of dollars in Western aid to Ukraine. Furthermore, Cape Verde Prime Minister Jose Ulisses Correia e Silva said that his country "strongly condemns" Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Silva also issued criticism of the recent spate of coups in Africa and noted that Cape Verde was "guided by the values of liberal democracy." On the other hand, Blinken also toured the port in the capital Praia, which was expanded as part of nearly $150 that was given to Cape Verde through the Millenium Challenge Corporation.
The United States' $45 million contribution to Africa, which seeks to help Ivory Coast and its neighbors prevent conflict and promote stability, brings the total assistance to nearly $300 million since 2022. Some of the regional threats include coups in various regions, including Guinea, Mali, and Burkina Faso, said the Voice of America News.
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