A United States Department of State senior official, said the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was visiting three African countries – Senegal, Angola and Ethiopia — because they contributed to the stability of their region and benefitted from dynamic leadership.
The Department of State official disclosed this during a press conference by phone – whose transcript was seen by this newspaper — with some journalists, to preview the first official trip to sub-sahara Africa by Mr. Pompeo, since he was appointed to office two years ago.
In the Transcript shared by the US Department of State, the official, named ‘Senior State Department Official One,’ said Mr. Pompeo’s visit to Africa borders on three major themes which include making the continent’s increasing youth population a force for growth, trade and investment and the countries’ contribution to peace and stability.
As regards peace and stability in Africa, the official said: “Unfortunately, we all know about the instability and absolutely some of the terrorist threats on the continent, but these three countries are major contributors to regional stability.”
With many African countries experiencing different degrees of armed conflict that have resulted in the death of thousands and left many displaced, the peace and stability these three countries achieved, earned them a visit by the U.S. secretary of state. According to data by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, there were 21,600 incidents of armed conflict in Africa in 2019 (up to 30 November).
A security tracker by the Council on Foreign Relations, estimates that 37,000 people have been killed in conflicts in Nigeria between 2011 and 2018. Recently, over thirty people were burnt to death by terrorists while sleeping in their cars after being caught in a roadblock set up in Auno village in Maiduguri, Nigeria’s northeast.
“Senegal is an extremely strong security partner for the United States. Especially with the serious stability, terrorism, conflict problems going on in that region… It is one of the states there that exports stability instead of instability. Also, the Senegalese society is very tolerant.”
The official also lauded the leadership of the three African countries. “The countries are benefitting from dynamic leadership. In each of the countries, we can point to examples where the leaders involved have been making some really positive achievements.”
Speaking about the projected increase in Africa’s youth population by 2050, the official said: “We want to absolutely empower that youth and make sure that they are a force for dynamic growth and economic empowerment and better governance in the world.”
On trade and investment, The State Department’s Senior official said Africa, generally has high economic growth, but “the three countries where the Secretary will be going are especially standouts in that regard.”
Asked about the visa limitation imposed on some African countries including Nigeria, The State Department’s official said that following the binational dialogue with Nigeria, the parties agreed on the reason why the visa limitation policy was executed and what needed to be done, rapidly.
“Nigeria has – for example had already done considerable amount of work for that,” the State Department official said.
*Adeola Oladipupo is national and international correspondent for The West African Pilot News
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