The head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinken, is in South Africa to begin his second African tour. A tour to reconnect with the continent, in order to definitively turn the Trump page and counterbalance the influence of Russia and China.
With our correspondent in Johannesburg, Claire Bargeles
While these strategic dialogues were organized regularly in the past, they ceased to exist under the presidency of Donald Trump, who showed little interest in relations with Africa. It therefore seems that the Biden administration wants to start off on the right foot, with one of its allies on the continent.
But the two nations are not always in unison on the diplomatic level, especially on the front of the war in Ukraine: the rainbow nation, which is part of the BRICS, has always refused to condemn Russia , preferring a neutral position.
It should also be about economic exchanges, while the United States is South Africa’s third largest trading partner – behind China and Germany – and one of the main sources of international tourists for the country.
Finally, it is also on the occasion of this dialogue that Antony Blinken should present the “new strategy for Africa” of the United States, which aims to strengthen Washington’s influence in the face of rival powers, without making countries of the continent pawns on the political chessboard.
Why is Blinken starting his African tour in South Africa?
For analyst Steven Gruzd of the South African Institute of International Relations, the choice of South Africa as the first step is due to the desire to turn the page on the Trump administration, and to counterbalance the influence other countries.
Trump was not very interested in Africa. Until then, strategic dialogues between South Africa and the United States were regularly organized, more or less every year, but there have not been any since 2015. However, South Africa is still considered as one of the most important countries on the continent, and that is why Secretary of State Bliken’s African tour begins here, before continuing in two other countries. Not to mention that South Africa has adopted a rather neutral position vis-à-vis the war in Ukraine, and has refused to publicly condemn Russia. We can therefore assume that this question will be part of the exchanges, but it is really not certain that Secretary Blinken will succeed in changing the country’s mind. Russia is an important strategic partner, as is China, which is South Africa’s largest trading partner, so it is not about to change its position.
Analyst Steven Gruzd of the South African Institute of International Relations