Antony Blinken on maiden Africa tour with US-China rivalry in focus
- The top US diplomat is visiting Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal
- Biden administration is competing with China for influence
The Biden administration’s competition with China for influence didn’t get off to a great start in Africa.
In August, the top US diplomat planned a visit, only to postpone it because of the turmoil in Afghanistan that preoccupied Washington. Now, three months later and as two significant African crises worsen, Secretary of State Antony Blinken will try again this week to signal the administration’s “America is back” message to the continent.
Despite its importance in the US-China rivalry, Africa has often been overshadowed amid more pressing issues in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and even Latin America. Thus, Blinken’s trip is aimed in part at raising Washington’s profile as a player in regional and international initiatives to restore peace and promote democracy as it competes with China.
That’s been a hard sell despite massive US contributions of money and vaccines to fight the coronavirus pandemic and other infectious diseases. All the while, China is pumping billions into African energy, infrastructure and other projects that Washington sees as rip-offs designed to take advantage of developing nations.
More immediately, Blinken is looking to boost thus-far unsuccessful US diplomatic efforts to resolve deepening conflicts in Ethiopia and in Sudan and counter growing insurgencies elsewhere. His three-nation tour – to Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal – follows months of administration attempts to ease both situations that have yet to bear fruit despite frequent lower-level interventions.
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“Our intensive diplomacy there is ongoing, and through the trip, we would like to demonstrate that our commitment to African partnerships and African solutions to African challenges is enduring and will continue while we continue our intensive efforts with our African partners and likemindeds to address the difficult challenges in Ethiopia and certainly Sudan,” said Ervin Massinga, a top US diplomat for Africa.
