Blinken draws distinctions between US and Russia as he seeks to make case for US partnership in Africa

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday drew firm distinctions between the United States and Russia as he sought to make the case that the US is the better partner for countries in Africa.

In a speech about the Biden administration’s “strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa,” delivered in Pretoria, South Africa, the top US diplomat argued that “the United States and African nations can’t achieve any of our shared priorities – whether that’s recovering from the pandemic, creating broad-based economic opportunities, addressing the climate crisis, expanding energy access, revitalizing democracies, or strengthening the free and open international order – we can’t do any of that if we don’t work together as equal partners.”

“Our strategy is rooted in the recognition that Sub-Saharan Africa is a major geopolitical force – one that shaped our past, is shaping our present, and will shape our future,” Blinken said.