Blinken calls for reforms in Africa
ABUJA, Nigeria — Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday called on African nations to heed warnings posed by crises in Ethiopia and Sudan, take seriously popular demands for better governance and enact reforms.
In a speech outlining the Biden administration’s policy toward the continent, Blinken said growing extremism, increasing authoritarianism and exploding corruption in Africa are imperiling democracy, human rights and the future of a massive portion of the world’s population.
“Authoritarianism is on the rise around the world,” he said in an address at the headquarters of the Economic Community of West African States regional bloc in the Nigerian capital of Abuja.
He cited threats to free speech and freedom of assembly that have been on the rise and that civilian governments in Africa have been toppled at least four times this year.
“Meanwhile, governments are becoming less transparent,” Blinken said. “We see this happening across Africa — leaders ignoring term limits, rigging or postponing elections, exploiting social grievances to gain and maintain power, arresting opposition figures, cracking down on the media, and allowing security services to enforce pandemic restrictions brutally.”
Blinken said the Biden administration is awaiting the findings of recently concluded probes into allegations of brutality by Nigerian police before it makes a decision on arms sales to the country.
Nigeria’s security forces have long been accused of human rights violations in their operations, with personnel involved often escaping justice.
Blinken’s visit to Nigeria — Africa’s most populous country and largest economy — is the second stop on a three-nation tour that started in Kenya and will end in Senegal.