IN a bid to strengthen ties and launch the US Strategy for sub-Saharan Africa, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit South Africa and two other countries this month.
Blinken will travel to South Africa August 7-9 where he will launch the US Strategy for sub-Saharan Africa, which reinforces the US view that ‘African countries are geostrategic players and critical partners on the most pressing issues of our day, from promoting an open and stable international system, to tackling the effects of climate change, food insecurity and global pandemics, to shaping our technological and economic futures,’ a statement by the US State Department said.
In Pretoria, he will lead the US delegation to the US-South Africa Strategic Dialogue to reinforce and deepen America’s commitment to bilateral cooperation on global issues as well as a wide range of shared priorities, including health, infrastructure, trade and investment, and climate. In Johannesburg, he will join in the South African celebration of National Women’s Day.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on August 9-10, the Secretary will meet with senior DRC government officials and members of civil society to discuss mutual interests in ensuring free, inclusive, and fair elections in 2023, promoting respect for human rights and protecting fundamental freedoms. He will also focus on combating corruption, supporting trade and investment, addressing the climate crisis, building agricultural resilience, and support regional African efforts to advance peace in eastern DRC and the broader Great Lakes region.
Finally, the Secretary will travel to Rwanda on August 10-11, where he will meet with senior Rwandan government officials and civil society members to discuss shared priorities, including peacekeeping. The Secretary will focus on the role the government of Rwanda can play in reducing tensions and ongoing violence in eastern DRC. He will also raise democracy and human rights concerns, including transnational repression, limiting space for dissent and political opposition, and the ‘wrongful detention of US Lawful Permanent Resident Paul Rusesabagina.’
