The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is billed to conduct
his first virtual trip to Africa from tomorrow; he will meet
Presidents Kenyatta and Buhari of Kenya and Nigeria
respectively, amongst other groups.
He is also expected to meet with Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs
Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama where issues of lasting security,
economic diversification and shared relationshipa will be
discussed.
Secretary Blinken’s Virtual Travel to Africa
PRESS STATEMENT
NED PRICE, DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON
APRIL 26, 2021
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will embark tomorrow,
April 27, on his first virtual trip to Africa, where he will visit
Kenya and Nigeria and engage with young people from
across the continent.
Secretary Blinken will begin his virtual travel to Africa
meeting with Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI)
alumni. In a “Ten Questions with Tony” event, YALI alumni
will have an opportunity to engage with the Secretary on a
range of topics, including the role of youth in the future of
Africa, economic development, democracy and good
governance, climate change, and health. Through YALI, the
United States works with public, private sector, and civil
society partners across the continent to develop initiatives
and economic opportunities to support the creativity,
innovativeness, and energy of Africa’s youth.
Secretary Blinken will then travel virtually to Nigeria, where
he will underscore our shared goals of strengthening
democratic governance, building lasting security, and
promoting economic ties and diversification. People-to-
people connections, underpinned by the dynamic Nigerian
diaspora in the United States, amplify and strengthen our
relationship. During his visit, Secretary Blinken will meet
with President Buhari and Foreign Minister Onyeama to
reiterate the value of our bilateral relationship and discuss
issues of shared importance. Secretary Blinken will also
participate in a health partnership event to underscore our
collaboration to combat the pandemic as well as long-term
U.S. investments in combatting infectious diseases. He will
meet with a beneficiary of a PEPFAR program and a
Nigerian health care worker.
The Secretary’s virtual trip to Kenya will celebrate our 57-
year bilateral relationship. Secretary Blinken will meet with
President Kenyatta and Cabinet Secretary Omamo to
reaffirm our strategic partnership, discuss future
cooperation to promote democracy and expand trade, and
explore avenues to address global challenges, including
climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Secretary
will also visit Kenyan-based renewable energy companies
that, thanks in part to U.S. government engagement, are a
model of innovative clean energy alternatives in Africa.
Finally, as part of our solidarity with Kenya amid the global
pandemic, we will highlight a U.S.-donated Mobile Field
Hospital to which the United States is providing essential
COVID-19 medical supplies through AFRICOM and the
Massachusetts National Guard’s State Partnership Program.
