U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Nigeria on Tuesday, marking the third stop on his four-nation African tour, where he described the United States as the continent’s principal economic, developmental, and security ally in times of regional and international crises. He pledged an additional $45 million to help fight conflicts and promote stability in the Sahel region, which is plagued by extremist groups.

Blinken's journey, which began in Cape Verde before moving on to Côte d'Ivoire and now Nigeria, with Angola as his final destination, aims to discuss U.S.-African partnerships concerning trade, climate, infrastructure, health, security, and other issues, following a Washington summit with African leaders held in December 2022. The security challenges in West Africa, the aftermath of last year's coup in Niger, and Russia's growing influence in the region are among the main topics of discussion.

Upon his arrival in Abidjan, the economic capital of Côte d'Ivoire, on Monday night, Blinken met with President Alassane Ouattara on Tuesday and announced an additional $45 million in funding to help combat conflicts in the region. This funding complements the $300 million the United States has invested in the West African Sahel over the past two years.

Côte d'Ivoire is one of several coastal countries in West Africa that has experienced the impact of extremist movements, which took root in Mali in 2012 and have since spread across the Sahel, despite costly and internationally supported military efforts to contain them. “We spent a lot of time discussing the shared security challenges... We value Côte d'Ivoire’s leadership in the fight against extremism and violence," said Blinken. He added, "We have increased military training by 15 times, and we are investing in civil protection in Côte d'Ivoire."

President Ouattara confirmed that security in the region remains a challenge and stated, "That's why we appreciate the United States for its support in intelligence and counterterrorism."

The United States faced a setback in its battle against militants in the Sahel when army officers ousted Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou in July. The resulting instability raised concerns, especially since the military council cut ties with traditional Western allies like the European Union and France, which had withdrawn thousands of troops from the Sahel last year.

Blinken also met with Akinwumi Adesina, the President of the African Development Bank.

During his stay in Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, Blinken stated that the United States is committed to "deepening, strengthening, and expanding" its partnerships with an Africa whose youthful population of 1.3 billion is expected to double by 2050.

Analysts suggest that Africa appears to have taken a back seat in the priority list of President Joe Biden's administration, which has been heavily preoccupied with other international issues such as the fighting in Ukraine, the conflict between Israel and Hamas, and competition with China. Furthermore, Biden did not fulfill his promise to visit Africa last year.

"To quote President Biden, we are all united when it comes to Africa," Blinken told the leaders of Cape Verde, adding, "We see Africa as an integral, critical, and central part of our future," and emphasizing that "this trip really focuses on President Biden's commitment and conviction that the United States and Africa are united in partnership for the future."