Staff Reports
The Biden Administration’s latest move has got the political world buzzing! That’s right, folks – the dynamic duo of President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken are getting ready to make some big waves in Africa. It’s like a political action movie, but without the explosions (hopefully)!
Blinken to travel to West Africa and refocus on security challenges, Russia-China influence https://t.co/RbksifjNyt
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) January 19, 2024
So, it looks like Blinken is packing his bags and heading off to four West-African countries next week. Talk about VIP treatment! He’s hitting up Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Angola, all in the name of strengthening those good ol’ U.S.-African partnerships. We’re talking security, conflict prevention, trade, and job growth – all the good stuff.
And get this – it’s been almost a whole year since Blinken last set foot in Sub-Saharan Africa. That’s like, forever in political terms! So, you can bet there’s a lot of catching up to do.
But here’s the real juicy part: it’s not all sunshine and rainbows over there. Nope, there have been some recent coups and conflicts brewing in Niger, Gabon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s like a political soap opera, with coups and rebel groups throwing shade at each other left and right.
To top it all off, we’ve got China and Russia sneaking their way into the mix. Russia’s got its Wagner mercenary group cozying up to Niger, and China’s all over the place trying to snatch up those precious minerals like cobalt and coltan. You know, the ones that power our beloved mobile phones, laptops, and electric vehicles. It’s like a showdown between the U.S. and China, and Africa’s the battleground.
So, there you have it, folks. Blinken’s about to make some serious moves in Africa, and it’s all part of the Biden Administration’s grand plan to keep those pesky Russians and Chinese in check. It’s all fun and games until someone starts messing with our cobalt and coltan!
