Link to article: https://allafrica.com/stories/202111300006.html
Certain countries in Africa have started to focus on rebuilding Africa-US relations after the rise of China as a competition. After a recent visit by Antony Blinken to Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal, the US has started to focus on its evolving interest and African Policy. This visit to these countries is a recent attempt by the Biden administration, attempting to mend relations lost after the Trump administration. However, Blinken has made it his goal to reinstate Africa as a new strategic partner. The three countries visited all mentioned different interests in the different areas, with the COVID-19 vaccine being one of Kenya’s major focuses. Some other focuses include trade and investment, the COVID-19 health crisis, democratic governance, climate change and peace, and security against terrorism. Again, the COVID-19 crisis is one of the more important focuses due to the fact that only 6% of Sub-Saharan Africans are vaccinated against the virus. Another urgent priority is security against terrorism due to the growing Islamic State and terrorist threats against the entire continent. However, the US is aware of these threats and plans to support Africa through its peace and security architecture. With the Chinese influence over the continent, Blinken notes that the US must begin to take Africa more seriously as a ‘strategic interest’ instead of an ‘afterthought’.
In my opinion, it is great that Blinken visited Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal. Africa is very important for trade and investment as mentioned in the article, so it is good to strengthen ties with the continent as a whole. When it comes to the COVID-19 crisis, I believe that the Biden administration will continue to increase the number of vaccinations in Sub-Saharan Africa. Education of the vaccine is also important, but I believe this will be covered through the partnership of America and Africa. Since Nigeria has the biggest economy in Africa, I also believe that the Biden administration should focus on creating policies and engaging with them first. For this region, the US involvement will be very important since China is currently Africa’s number one trade partner. If this changes, it will be very beneficial for the US.
This relates to class because it discusses the relations between the US and Africa as well as China and Africa. The relations are economic-based for the most part. You could also relate this to power and realism due to the influence/power the US and China can have over Africa and its countries, specifically Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal. A long-term element of power can be its geography since Africa is in between China and the US, so it is like a midpoint for trade. Another way this could relate to class is by looking at it through the lens of levels of analysis. It is a conflict on a regional level because it involves Sub-Saharan Africa as a whole. It also can be brought down to a domestic/state level when looking at the different conflicts in individual countries.