US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to visit South Africa

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to travel to South Africa and surrounding countries.

The secretary of state will visit South Africa from 7-9 August.

Blinken 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.

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These will include 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.

The US State Department says Blinken will lead the delegation.

“In Pretoria, he will lead the US delegation to the US-South Africa Strategic Dialogue to reinforce and deepen our 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.”

The US state department says from Johannesburg, Blinken will travel to Kinshasa where he “will meet with senior DRC government officials and members of civil society to discuss mutual interest in ensuring free, inclusive, and fair elections in 2023, promoting respect for human rights and protecting fundamental freedoms.

The Secretary’s trip “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”.

Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose Fernandez will join the delegation in Kinshasa.

Blinken’s final stop will be Kigali where the State Department says “he will meet with senior Rwandan government officials and civil society members to discuss shared priorities, including peacekeeping.”

Blinken’s visit comes days after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov toured four African capitals and French President Emmanuel Macron visited three West African states.

It also follows the announcement by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris of a US Africa Leaders Summit in Washington DC in mid-December.

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