Antony Blinkenâs six-stop Africa âtripâ was a first by a U.S. secretary of state â more so because he did not actually go anywhere â featuring virtual meetings with top leaders in continental heavyweights Kenya and Nigeria.
He says protecting global human rights through good governance is a cornerstone of American foreign policy, and he hit those points hard in his opening event Tuesday with alumni of the U.S. governmentâs Young African Leadership Initiative.
But the casual nature of the virtual exchange â which he called âTen Questions with Tonyâ, did not stop these young Africans from asking the new top U.S. diplomat tough questions about everything from climate change to Chinese influence to growing extremism on the continent.
Blinken Makes First Africa Trip, Virtually
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Blinken Makes First Africa Trip, Virtually
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The United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, will pay a virtual visit to Nigeria and Kenya on April 27.
During the visit, Mr Blinken is expected to meet with Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari and Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier
reported, U.S. President Joe Biden invited President Buhariand 39 other world leaders to a virtual summit to galvanise efforts in tackling the climate crisis.
The two-day summit marked America’s return to the frontlines of the fight against human-caused climate change, after former President Donald Trump disengaged from the process.
According to the statement released by the State’s Spokesperson, Ned Price, on Monday, the purpose of Mr Blinken’s visit is to engage with young people from across the continent.
•In search of solutions, Buhari meets Blinken virtually
Kingsley Nwezeh, Michael Olugbode in Abuja, John Shiklam in Kaduna, George Okoh in Makurdi, Laleye Dipo in Minna, and David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
In a show of share callousness, Bandits, who abducted 23 students of Greenfield University, Kaduna in Kaduna State, yesterday killed two more of the scholars, bringing to five the total number murdered in cold blood.
The killing occurred as news of a virtual meeting of the United States Secretary of State, Mr. Anthony Blinken, with President Muhammadu Buhari scheduled for today broke amidst rising bloodlettings in the country.
Blinken, who begins his first virtual trip to Africa, will also discuss with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Geoffrey Onyeama, on other issues of bilateral relations and shared importance between the United States and Nigeria.