During a recent four-nation tour of African democracies, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged increased American support for the region’s security challenges. His announcements included an additional $45 million in funding, bringing the total US commitment to nearly $300 million under a year-old program.
Blinken’s tour, encompassing meetings with leaders like Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, whom he met earlier, emphasized strengthening US-African partnerships on diverse issues like trade, climate, infrastructure, health, and security.
The diplomatic parley builds upon the momentum of the December 2022 US-Africa Leaders’ Summit in Washington, signifying the readiness of the U.S. to re-establish relations with Africa.
While in Ivory Coast, Blinken commended the nation’s response to the 2023 coup in Niger and highlighted its innovative “building security together” approach.
This strategy blends economic investment with counter-extremism efforts in northern regions bordering conflict zones like Mali and Burkina Faso.
“I applaud Cote d’Ivoire’s approach of working with and listening to communities, ensuring security forces understand their needs and concerns,” Blinken stated alongside Ouattara. “This can be a powerful model for other countries.”
He acknowledged shared security concerns and expressed appreciation for Ivory Coast’s leadership in combating extremism and violence.
Blinken’s visit also saw the announcement of a significant increase in US military training for Ivory Coast, representing a 15-fold jump.
Additionally, investments in civil protection and strengthened cooperation on the ground, primarily through security force training, were pledged.
This enhanced support comes amidst persistent security threats plaguing the region, including the recent coup in Niger, terrorist attacks in Nigeria like the Christmas Eve killings in Plateau, and ongoing kidnappings across the country.
