The U.S. Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, will on Sunday begin a five-day three-nation “charm offensive” trip to the African nations of South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had last week Wednesday ended a four-nation African tour aimed at drumming up support for Moscow at a time of confrontation with Western powers over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Lavrov visited visited Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda and Congo-Brazzaville.
But this week, Secretary Blinken will begin his African trip with South Africa (August 7-9).
According to a Press Statement by State Department Spokesperson, Ned Price, “the Secretary will launch the U.S. Strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa, which reinforces the U.S. 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.
“In Pretoria, he will lead the U.S. delegation to the U.S.-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.
“In the Democratic Republic of the Congo on August 9-10, the Secretary will meet with senior DRC government officials and members of civil society to discuss our mutual interest 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 U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident Paul Rusesabagina.”
Secretary Blinken will first travel to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, August 3-5 to participate in the U.S.-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and the ASEAN Regional Forum. In Manila, the Philippines, on August 6, the Secretary will meet with President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo to discuss bilateral efforts to strengthen the U.S.-Philippines alliance, including through increased cooperation on energy, trade, and investment, advancing our shared democratic values, and pandemic recovery.
Most African nations, including Nigeria and Kenya voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution in March 2022 condemning Russian “aggression” and demanding its withdrawal from Ukraine.
However, nearly half of all abstentions – 17 – were from Africa.
Countries on this list included South Africa – which feels indebted to Moscow for its support in the fight against white-minority rule – and Uganda, which is set to assume the chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement, a global body formed during the Cold War by countries that wanted to avoid being caught up in the rivalry between Western powers and the communist block.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron is on his own Africa tour this week, visiting Cameroon, Benin and Guinea-Bissau.
In Cameroon, he said: “We are blamed by some who say that European sanctions are the cause of the world food crisis, including in Africa. It is totally false. Food, like energy, have become Russian weapons of war.”
Countering this view, Mr Lavrov said the food crisis began with the Covid pandemic, but acknowledged that the “situation in Ukraine did additionally affect the food market”.
In Egypt, Mr Lavrov gave an assurance that Russian grain exporters would fulfil their “commitments”.
Egypt’s economy is more dependent on Russia than that of many other African states. About 80% of its wheat imports come from Russia and Ukraine, and a third of its foreign tourists are Russian.
Russia has also laid the foundation for a $26bn nuclear-power plant in Egypt.
Traditionally, Moscow’s trade with Africa has focused on defence – from the sale of automatic rifles to fighter jets. More recently Russian mercenaries have been deployed to Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR) to help government forces quell insurgencies.