U.S. Secretary of State Blinken visiting Nigeria, Kenya next week

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Nigeria, Kenya and Senegal from Nov. 15-20, the State Department said on Thursday night.

The visit comes as the Biden administration intensifies diplomatic efforts to resolve crises in Ethiopia and Sudan.

The administration also seeks to boost counterterrorism cooperation.

Although Blinken doesn´t plan to visit either Ethiopia or Sudan, both countries and neighbouring Somalia will be at the top of his agenda.

His first stop will be Kenya, where he will meet Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.

He will discuss cooperation on ending the COVID-19 pandemic and regional security issues such as Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan, the department said in a statement.

Blinken will travel next to Abuja to meet with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari to discuss cooperation on global health security, expanding energy access and revitalizing democracy, it said.

In Dakar, Blinken will meet with Senegalese President Macky Sall “to reaffirm the close partnership between our two countries,” the statement said.

The visit is Blinken’s first trip to sub-Saharan Africa as America’s top diplomat.

In April, he held online talks with the leaders of Nigeria and Kenya in what the State Department billed at the time as a “virtual trip to Africa.”