Africa: Blinken Launching Four-Nation Africa Trip

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to meet Monday with Cape Verde Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva, as the top U.S. diplomat begins a four-nation tour in Africa.

Blinken’s itinerary also includes a visit to Porto da Praia, which received funding for modernization efforts from the U.S. government’s Millenium Challenge Corporation, and attending an Africa Cup of Nations football match between Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said ahead of the trip that Blinken would emphasize U.S. infrastructure investment in Africa as a way to “boost two-way trade, create jobs at home and on the continent, and help Africa compete in the global marketplace.”

Molly Phee, assistant secretary of state for African affairs, praised Cape Verde ahead of Blinken’s visit, calling the country “a terrific democracy.”

Blinken’s trip also includes stops in Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Angola.

Phee said in Ivory Coast, Blinken’s agenda will include discussing the security situation in the region.