Blinken eyes African crises, says continent must reform

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is calling on African nations to heed warnings posed by crises in Ethiopia and Sudan, take seriously popular demands for better governance and enact reforms

ABUJA, Nigeria -- U.S. 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.

Blinken delivered the message in Nigeria’s capital of Abuja, a day after telling Nigerian leaders and officials in Kenya the day before that the U.S. is looking to them for results, including setting examples for their Ethiopian and Sudanese counterparts.

“Authoritarianism is on the rise around the world,” he said in an address at the Abuja-based headquarters of the Economic Community of West African States regional bloc.