Anthony Blinken, United States Secretary of State, will meet President Muhammadu Buhari virtually on Tuesday over security and economy, a statement from the US State Department said on Monday.
Read Also: ‘He Represents Spirit Of Oduduwa’, Fani-Kayode Reacts To Attack On Sunday Igboho’s House
The meeting is part of Blinken’s first virtual trip to Africa, which commences tomorrow.
The US secretary is scheduled to visit Kenya and Nigeria while engaging with young people from across the continent.
His meeting with Buhari “will underscore our shared goals of strengthening democratic governance, building lasting security, and promoting economic ties and diversification,” the US State Department statement said.
Read Also: Church Sermons On Divorce Insensitive, Says Divorced Woman
The US top diplomat will also meet with Geoffrey Onyeama, Foreign Affairs Minister, to “reiterate the value of our bilateral relationship and discuss issues of shared importance.”
The visit includes a health partnership event, during which Blinken will meet with a Nigerian health care worker.
Read the full statement from the US Department of State below:
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.
Discussion about this post