US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will visit Ethiopia and Niger from March 14-17. On March 15, Blinken will travel to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he will discuss the implementation of the ceasefire agreement to promote peace and transitional justice in northern Ethiopia. He will also meet with social partners and civil society actors to discuss the delivery of humanitarian aid, food security and human rights.
While there, the secretary will also meet with the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, to discuss global and regional issues following the commitments of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit on food security, climate and just energy transition, the African diaspora, and global health. Blinken will demonstrate US support for permanent African representation in a variety of areas.
During his visit to Niger, on March 16, Blinken will meet with President Mohamed Bazoum and Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massaoudou in Niamey. He will discuss ways to improve US-Niger cooperation in diplomacy, democracy, development and security.
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He will also engage young people from the conflict zone of Niger, who have completed the Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration and Reconciliation (DDRR) program, to learn more about their contribution to peace in Niger. The Secretary will continue the partnership between the United States and the African Summit on global peace and regional security, governance, and climate issues.
