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Updated November 20th, 2021 at 13:19 IST

US Secretary Blinken urges African nations to 'improve governance', 'implement reforms'

Rising extremism, expanding autocracy, & ballooning corruption in Africa, are jeopardising the Biden administration's strategy in the continent, Blinken warned.

Reported by: Anwesha Majumdar
Blinken
Image: AP | Image:self
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United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged African countries to pay attention to the humanitarian crises going on in Ethiopia and Sudan. During a speech at the headquarters of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, Blinken requested improved governance and implementation of reforms.  

Blinken warned that the rising extremism, expanding autocracy, and ballooning corruption in Africa, are jeopardising the President Biden-led administration's strategy toward the continent. He stated that the unrest in the continent is threatening democracy, human rights, and the survival of a large section of the world's population. “Authoritarianism is on the rise around the world,” he said, as quoted by AP.

'Governments in Africa becoming less transparent': Blinken

Pointing out that African civilian administrations have been overthrown nearly four times this year, the US Secretary mentioned rising dangers to freedom of expression and assembly in the continent and claimed that governments have become less transparent.

"We see this happening across Africa – leaders ignoring term limits, rigging or postponing elections, exploiting social grievances to gain and maintain power, arresting opposition figures, cracking down on the media, and allowing security services to enforce pandemic restrictions brutally," Blinken was quoted by AP as saying.

The US Secretary of State also informed that President Joe Biden's administration is awaiting findings of recently concluded investigations into allegations of brutality by Nigerian police as it seeks Abuja’s leadership more broadly in trouble areas such as Ethiopia and Sudan, AP reported.  

As per the AP report, security services in Nigeria have frequently been charged with violation of human rights in their operations, with those implicated frequently evading prosecution. Blinken said the US is eager in seeing the complete results of the inquiry and would base its decision on the facts, as well as whether those involved are held accountable when it comes to arms sales to Nigeria. 

Notably, Nigeria is the second country Blinken will be visiting during his three-country tour that began in Kenya and will conclude in Senegal. The top US diplomat met Kenyan officials on Wednesday and talked about ways in which both countries can work together to address common difficulties. He also met with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, expressing Washington's strong commitment to the US-Kenya Strategic Partnership. 

(Image: AP)

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Published November 20th, 2021 at 13:19 IST

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