ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — 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.
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 as it seeks Abuja’s leadership more broadly in trouble spots like Ethiopia and Sudan.
“The threats posed by violent extremists, criminals and internal armed conflict are very real. So is their potential to destabilize nations and regions, undermine development and ignite humanitarian disasters,” he said. “Part of the answer is effective and professional security forces and local law enforcement that can protect citizens while respecting human rights.”
Nigeria’s security forces have long been accused of human rights violations in their operations, with personnel involved often escaping justice.
In October 2020, the army opened fire at a demonstration in the country’s economic hub where hundreds were protesting against police brutality, killing 11 people and injuring many others, according to a government-backed panel.
Blinken said the U.S. is looking forward to seeing the full results of the investigation and will make a decision on arms sales to Nigeria based in part on the findings and whether those responsible are held accountable.
“We anticipate and look to the state and the federal government’s response to the findings and expect those to include steps that ensure accountability and address the grievances of the victims and their families,” he said at a Thursday news conference with Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama.
Blinken’s visit to Nigeria — Africa’s most populous country and largest economy — is the second stop on a three-nation tour of the continent that started in Kenya and will end in Senegal.
After focusing in Nairobi on the crises in Ethiopia and Sudan, Blinken sought to present a broader picture in Nigeria, a country of more than 200 million that is grappling with many challenges, including extremist violence by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province in the northeast, kidnapping for ransom and armed violence in the northwest and central parts of the country, and secessionist movements in the south.
In search of peace, Nigeria must “build on community-led intelligence, invest in communities where there is a disconnect between government and communities, particularly at the local level, (while) the early warning mechanisms on the ground need to be strengthened,” Chris Kwaja, country director of the United States Institute of Peace in Nigeria, told The Associated Press.
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Chinedu Asadu in Lagos contributed.
© 2021 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Have you eyed our crises lately???
Blinken said growing extremism, increasing authoritarianism of the socialist Democrat Party and its exploding corruption in U.S.A. are imperiling democracy.
PLUS he cares NOT about the crisises HIM AND HIS MASTERS have made.
““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.”
Except for the “Cracking down on the media” thing, Blinkin just described the American Democrat party in action today! I often wondered why Asia, not Africa is so overpopulated since Africa is touted as the origin of the human species. Just what is it about that Continent that kills off its own people faster than they can repopulate like China? Call it African version of American Democrat Party”Family Planning” Is there some kind of cultural disparity that has likewise been passed on to our own Democrat run predominately black inner cities. Perhaps the Democrat Party themselves, now filled and overrun with socialists can trace their failed ideology origins al the way back to Africa? Or is there something more sinister at work. Thier problems lie not in their stars but in themselves. Blinkin has no higher moral ground to stand on to qualify he and his party to judge the dark Continent
HOWS about the UTTER lack of transparancy in OUR OWN BLOODY Govt..
thats right winken blinken mess them up also. moron
“Authoritarianism is on the rise around the world!” And citing threats to free speech? He needn’t look any further than out the window of his office in Washington to see where these very things are happening. He’s lecturing other countries on what they should be doing when not only does he not see but is a major part of the problem in his own country. What else are mandates but ‘authoritarianism? What’s designating parents who question education ‘terrorists’ but a threat to free speech?
AHH.. BUT since its THEM BEING authoritarian, its ALL GOOD dawg..