[ad_1]
WASHINGTON: Secretary of State Antony Blinken will journey to Africa subsequent week because the administration of President Joe Biden intensifies diplomatic efforts to resolve crises in Ethiopia and Sudan and seeks to spice up counterterrorism cooperation, the State Division mentioned.
Blinken will go away on Monday for visits to Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal on his first journey to sub-Saharan Africa as America’s high diplomat. In April, Blinken held on-line talks with the leaders of Nigeria and Kenya in what the State Division billed on the time as a “digital journey to Africa.”
Though he doesn’t plan to go to both Ethiopia or Sudan, each international locations and neighboring Somalia might be on the high of his agenda on his first cease in Kenya.
Kenya, which is at present a member of the UN Safety Council, has performed a key position in regional efforts to ease the intensifying battle in Ethiopia and has lengthy sought to stabilize crisis-torn Somalia.
It has additionally supported broader makes an attempt to revive civilian-led authorities in Sudan after a coup there final month.
Blinken and Kenyan officers, together with President Uhuru Kenyatta, “will talk about our shared pursuits as members of the UN Safety Council, together with addressing regional safety points similar to Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan,” the State Division mentioned.
The Biden administration’s particular envoy for the Horn of Africa shuttled between Kenya and Ethiopia earlier this week in a bid to spice up an African Union-led initiative to finish the preventing between the Ethiopian authorities and ethnic Tigrayans from the nation’s north.
In Nigeria and Senegal, the State Division mentioned Blinken will talk about West African safety, well being, local weather, democracy and growth points, together with restoration from the coronavirus pandemic and the promotion of a fairer and extra inclusive international financial system.
He can even press for expanded US commerce and industrial ties with the 2 international locations, it mentioned.
In Abuja, he’ll meet Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and provides a speech on the Biden administration’s Africa technique.
He’ll shut out his journey in Dakar, the place he’ll see Senegalese President Macky Sall, who will quickly take over the chairmanship of the African Union.
In the meantime, rebellious Tigrayan forces have threatened to “seek out” foreigners they mentioned had been supporting the Ethiopian authorities as mercenaries and technical consultants in a year-long battle.
Tigray Individuals’s Liberation Entrance spokesperson Getatchew Reda mentioned the foreigners might be from Turkey, China, Israel or the UAE, with out providing proof or going into any extra particulars.
Authorities spokesperson Legesse Tulu didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. There have been no independently verified studies of the warring sides utilizing mercenaries up to now.
Getachew advised Reuters by way of satellite tv for pc cellphone: ““We don’t care (what their nationality is). We’ll hunt them down. They are going to be handled just like the mercenaries they’re.”
The battle, which has killed 1000’s and compelled greater than two million folks from their houses, escalated this month after rebellious forces from the northern area of Tigray and their allies made territorial features and threatened to march on the capital.
US shares with Egypt considerations about Iran’s malign practices: Blinken
[ad_2]
Source link