On a Remote Island, Blinken Signals U.S. Attention to Africa

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken touched down on a remote African island chain on Monday, kicking off a four-nation swing through the continent intended to show the Biden administration’s continued interest in Africa amid major conflicts in the Middle East and Europe.

A cool Atlantic breeze blew across the dusty port in Praia, Cape Verde’s capital, as Mr. Blinken noted that the facility there had been expanded and modernized with nearly $55 million in U.S. aid, making it what he called “a much stronger gateway to Africa for us and for so many other countries.” That project was completed more than a decade ago, but more U.S. development funds were on the way, he said.

Although his diplomacy accompanied a refueling stop en route to the continent, Mr. Blinken’s visit to the tiny island more than 400 miles off Senegal’s west coast helped to signal U.S. interest in Africa’s welfare. Mr. Blinken praised Cape Verde as a model of democracy and stability.

After Cape Verde, Mr. Blinken will travel to Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Angola. U.S. officials said he would address a range of issues on his stops, including conflict prevention and political stability after military coups in several countries in recent years.

Despite their intense focus on the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Biden administration officials said they remained intent on strengthening ties with African nations, which hold vast economic potential and are a locus of great-power competition with China and Russia. Africa is expected to be home to about one quarter of the world’s population by 2050.

Mr. Blinken is making his fourth visit to sub-Saharan Africa as secretary of state. A parade of other top administration officials have also visited the continent over the past