Antony J. Blinken arrived in Niger in March 2023, becoming the first U.S. secretary of state to visit the West African nation that has emerged as a key partner in the fight against violent extremism and instability in the Sahel region.
The visit was part of a four-day trip to Africa that included a stop in Ethiopia. In Niger, Blinken met with President Mohamed Bazoum and Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massaoudou to discuss ways to advance the US-Niger partnership on diplomacy, democracy, development and defense while pledging $150 million in direct assistance to the Sahel region.
Photo Credit @ AFP
Niger has risen in importance as a regional leader in promoting security and stability in the Sahel region, where armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have caused insurgency in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso. “We are grateful for Niger’s contributions to regional peacekeeping efforts and its support for the G5 Sahel Joint Force,” said Blinken. The G5 Sahel is a regional security initiative that brings together Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger to combat terrorism and transnational crime. The United States provides training, equipment and intelligence support to the force, which has struggled to contain the violence despite the presence of thousands of French and U.N. troops.
The move follows the United States’ current commitment to supporting economic development in Africa following President Joe Biden hosting the first-ever U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit where the president announced new initiatives on food security, climate change, health and diaspora engagement while committing $10 billion to support economic and social development in the continent. Blinken said he hoped his trip would signal a new era of partnership between the United States and Africa based on mutual respect and shared interests. “We are not here to tell Africa what to do,” Blinken said. “We are here to listen, to learn and to work together.”