Blinken is currently on his African tour, presenting the Biden administration’s strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the strategy, African countries are geostrategic players and critical partners to the US on the most pressing issues, from promoting an open and stable international system to tackling the effects of climate change, food insecurity and global pandemics, as well as shaping technological and economic future.
“The new U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa represents a reframing of Africa’s importance to U.S. national security interests,” the White House said in a fact sheet.
One of the main US objectives in sub-Saharan Africa is to foster openness and open societies, according to the US administration.
“Open societies are generally more inclined to work in common cause with the United States, attract greater U.S. trade and investment, pursue policies to improve conditions for their citizens, and counter harmful activities by the People’s Republic of China, Russia, and other actors,” the statement said.
After visiting South Africa on Monday, Blinken will head to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from August 9-10, His final stop will be Rwanda from August 10-12, where the secretary of state will discuss shared priorities, including peacekeeping, and raise democracy and human rights concerns with senior Rwandan government officials and civil society members.
