Africa: Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Molly Phee Previewing the Secretary’s Trip to Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Angola

Workplace of the Spokesperson — MR TEK:  Thanks and good morning, everybody.  Welcome to in the present day’s background name on Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s journey to Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Angola.  This name shall be on the document and is embargoed till its conclusion.

Becoming a member of on this – becoming a member of us this morning is Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee.  She’ll present some temporary opening remarks, after which we’ll flip it over to your questions.  And so, with that, let’s flip it over to Assistant Secretary Phee to start out us off.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY PHEE:  Thanks, Nathan.  And good morning, all people.  Thanks for spending a while with us in the present day.  So, we’re actually enthusiastic about this journey.  It’s partly a follow-up to the very profitable U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit that we held in December 2022.  The Secretary desires to go to the continent and exhibit and assess the follow-up that the US has undertaken to implement the commitments and matters we mentioned in the course of the summit.

So, we’ll be points like our financial partnership, how are we selling the event of economic ties.  We’ll be our longstanding well being partnership.  We’re areas that actually excite the Secretary notably in meals safety.  We’ll be, after all, kind of furbishing our diplomatic fixed engagement on so many points, not solely on the continent however within the international dialog.  So, there’s rather a lot to do to indicate the place we’re, what we’ve executed, and the place we’re going.

We predict this journey will hopefully be very constructive.  Quite a lot of occasions the information out of Africa is destructive.  I believe it might spotlight the good capability of the African individuals, notably the youth.  It will possibly present actually forward-looking forms of engagements – for instance, our partnership with Angola in outer area.  And I believe it can exhibit the advances that Africans have made that may contribute to the continued progress on the continent.

We are able to by no means get away, although, from peace and safety points.  So, once we’re in Cote d’Ivoire, we’ll discuss concerning the state of affairs within the Sahel and coastal West Africa.  As a lot of you already know, Nigeria is coping with numerous inner safety challenges.  And Angola has performed a extremely essential function in attempting to handle and cut back the tensions within the japanese Congo.  So these will even be matters I count on we’ll talk about.

So, he’s actually excited; we’re actually excited; it must be actually enjoyable.  In Cote d’Ivoire, they’re internet hosting now the Africa Cup of Nations.  So, the entire continent is concentrated on that.  There are about 24 nations taking part in soccer – or soccer, as they name it – in Cote d’Ivoire, so there’s numerous power, so I believe it will likely be a extremely enjoyable cease.

So over to you, to Nathan, for questions.

MR TEK:  Nice.  Thanks a lot.  AT&T moderator, would you simply thoughts please repeating the directions for becoming a member of the query queue?

OPERATOR:  Certain.  To position your self within the queue, please press 1 then 0, at the moment.

MR TEK:  Nice.  And may we please go to the road of Will Mauldin from The Wall Road Journal?

OPERATOR:  Mr. Mauldin, your line is open.

QUESTION:  Thanks a lot for doing this.  I needed to comply with up on the safety state of affairs, if I could.  I keep in mind when the Secretary was final on this a part of Africa, I imagine visiting Niger and President Bazoum.  It was not far earlier than the coup when he was ousted.  So, I’m questioning if stopping coups or strengthening any of the leaders on this area goes to be part of the agenda.  And likewise, needed to get a normal safety state of affairs check-up on is the U.S. – given all of the challenges within the Sahel area total, is the U.S. focusing a bit extra on the west coast and people nations as form of a bulwark at a time when Wagner and militants and different safety forces are energetic within the area?  Thanks.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY PHEE:  Certain.  Properly, we’ve lengthy been involved about coastal West Africa in addition to Nigeria, as a result of if the terrorist menace within the Sahel had been to disrupt life in these nations, it could be actually problematic for an enormous portion of Africa.  So we – you could be conversant in the World Fragility Act, which was adopted a couple of years in the past and is designed to attract on the teachings we’ve discovered since 9/11, that are, in brief, that we’re actually good at safety help and we’re actually good at going after terrorists, however in the event you neglect governance, financial improvement, elements like local weather change, you may’t actually get at a sturdy answer.

So, we’re already invested in a joint undertaking in 5 coastal states in West Africa, coastal West Africa – these embody Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea-Conakry, Benin, and Togo.  In order that, I think about, will definitely be a subject of dialogue once we see the Ivorians.  And naturally, we’ve had a longstanding safety partnership with Nigeria, which has been battered, as you already know, by ISIS-WA, by Boko Haram, and by inner, what they name bandits.

So, undoubtedly serving to ensure that these nations are kind of shifting out on all fronts to strengthen their societies, to stop kind of the growth of the terrorist menace we see within the Sahel.  That shall be part of the dialogue.  And that features doing issues the best way that we’ve discovered to do them, proper – to emphasise the safety of civilians whenever you’re enterprise army operations and to advertise human rights and neighborhood improvement, notably in marginalized populations.

MR TEK:  Thanks a lot.  Can we please go the road of Shaun Tandon from the AFP?

QUESTION:  Hey there.  Thanks, Molly.  Can I comply with up a little bit bit on Will’s query?  If you ask – whenever you speak about Niger, is there any hope for it?  I imply, do you assume that’s going to introduced up within the discussions, notably in Cote d’Ivoire?  The coup-imposed – the junta-imposed authorities, that they had a delegation in Moscow this week – how involved are you about that?

After which if I may additionally ask particularly about DRC.  The assembly is in Angola, and of the course the Secretary simply met Kagame in Davos.  How optimistic are you now in DRC and the east?  Do you assume that there could possibly be some lasting – extra stability there?  Thanks.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY PHEE:  Certain.  Properly, my job title requires me to be optimistic.  So, we’re at all times attempting to drive in the direction of higher outcomes.  In Niger, I believe there’s a transparent alternative for the junta.  And I made that case after I was there in early December, following what I believe was a really profitable ECOWAS summit assembly on tips on how to reset relations between ECOWAS and Niger.  Now we have a confirmed observe document of serving to them and their companions within the area get after the terrorist menace.  And we even have – occur to have a really sturdy financial document with essential Millennium Problem Company accounts which have been contributing meaningfully to the event of Niger.

And there was numerous dialogue about attaining a timeline, a reputable, swift timeline for elections.  The Nigeriens have their very own historical past of fairly swiftly handing energy again to civilians.  And naturally, the discharge of President Bazoum – and also you noticed earlier this month, the junta launched his son, who had been unjustly detained.

So we don’t have any objection with nations diversifying partnerships.  You heard the Secretary speak about that.  Clearly, in the event that they selected to have a partnership with nations like Russia, that might be very sophisticated.  I believe if they only look west to Mali and see the rise in civilian casualties and the rise in safety assaults for the reason that junta authorities in Mali invited within the Wagner Group, and kicked out the French – that isn’t a mannequin that I’d wish to comply with or I believe most individuals would wish to comply with, in the event you had been governing a rustic.

So, I had good discussions in December.  Let’s see the place issues find yourself.  I believe, once more, we’ve a demonstrated observe document there that they’re nicely conscious of.  And we hope they make the best resolution.

And then you definitely requested me about Angola and Angola’s function within the japanese DRC.  So, I believe you all will recall that in November, shortly earlier than Thanksgiving, I and Judd Devermont traveled with Avril Haines and her top-notch advisor Chris Ringenbach to each Kinshasa and Kigali as a result of we had been involved concerning the spike in tensions between the Rwandans and the Congolese, in addition to the function of neighboring nations.  We had been capable of institute a strategy of weekly check-ins that we undertook via the top of calendar yr 2023.

One in every of our targets was to ensure that the withdrawal of the East African Neighborhood Regional troop presence was not overly disruptive, and to make sure that the DRC was capable of maintain its elections on the finish of December with minimal disruption.  These elections had been large and messy as you noticed, however there was no main violence, which we had been involved about.  So, we wish to see and help the regional processes which have been underway for about two years now, a little bit bit over two years.  One is known as the Luanda Course of, which is led by the Angolans, and that’s one thing the Secretary will wish to discuss to the president and the overseas minister about.  And the separate observe is the Nairobi Course of.

So, it is a three-year battle.  It’s very troublesome, however the events have been very attentive to our engagement.  They’re very engaged with their neighbors in Southern Africa and the South African improvement cooperation area in addition to, as I discussed, within the EAC.  So we’re going to hopefully assist consolidate among the intense discussions we’ve had over the previous six weeks or so, and see if we may also help the Africans set issues heading in the right direction.

MR TEK:  Thanks.  Can we please go the road of Daphne Psaledakis from Reuters?

QUESTION:  Hello.  Thanks a lot for doing this.  I simply needed to comply with up a little bit bit on Shaun’s query on Niger.  Might you give a way of how a lot this shall be a spotlight of Secretary Blinken’s conversations on the journey?  And – or sorry – on the journey and what his message shall be when he’s talking to those nations?  Thanks.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY PHEE:  Certain.  So, Daphne, you guys are bumming me out since you’re not speaking about any of the actually enjoyable and constructive, forward-looking issues we’ll be doing.  So, there’s numerous that in Cote d’Ivoire, however – yeah, so after all the Ivorians are fairly nervous given their border with Burkina Faso, and there’s numerous terrorist exercise within the tri-border space between Burkina, Niger, and Mali, which we’ve been very useful in addressing.  So, I’m sure it will likely be a subject of dialog, however we additionally wish to encourage the constructive steps the president has taken to develop and deepen democratization in Cote d’Ivoire and the way they’re utilizing their sources we’ve supplied them underneath the GFA.

And simply to notice, you guys, we’ve named it this horrible, clunky identify of technique to advertise stability and stop battle – no, I stated it backwards – to – Technique to Stop Battle and Promote Stability, as a result of nobody likes to be described as a fragile state.  So, I do anticipate that shall be a subject of dialogue – however one in all many.  I wish to additionally point out that the African Improvement Financial institution is in Cote d’Ivoire, so we’re excited to go discuss to them the place we’ve main investments, and I believe we’ll give attention to meals safety.

These of you who’ve heard the Secretary speak about it, you already know that’s an actual ardour undertaking of his, drawing on the experience of the agronomist Dr. Cary Fowler who works right here on the division.  I hope we’d be capable to get him to a soccer pitch – the soccer stadium.  And I believe Cote d’Ivoire has additionally been a extremely good accomplice to us in worldwide fora, so he’s wanting ahead to discussing all these forms of issues.

Nathan, is there a delay or did I lose you?

OPERATOR:  Hello, I’m getting – that is AT&T.  I get notices that persons are shedding connection.  Now we have had reviews of community points in the present day, so which may be a difficulty.  I can strive going to the subsequent particular person within the queue in the event you like.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY PHEE:  That’s high quality with me.

OPERATOR:  All proper.  We’ll go to the road of Nick Turse with The Intercept.

QUESTION:  Thanks for taking the time to speak to me, Secretary Phee.  Final month, the Nigerian army bombed a non secular celebration that killed 85 civilians, and it’s the newest in a sequence of Nigerian airstrikes which have killed civilians, together with a 2017 assault on a displaced individuals camp that killed 160 individuals.  Is Secretary Blinken going to lift the difficulty of those assaults with the Nigerian authorities?  Will he demand accountability and transparency?  And can the U.S. take every other measures to halt these repeated assaults?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY PHEE:  So, in the event you’re referring to the assault in – I wouldn’t name it an assault.  The Nigerians have admitted it was an operational error that tragically killed individuals in Kaduna State.  I believe the Secretary will certainly speak about that with the president.  The president and the management of Nigeria went to Kaduna State.  They acted with transparency, instantly acknowledged the horrific accident.  They arrange a reparation course of and a clear investigation.  So, they’ve, I believe, responded to that tragedy in a constructive approach that may contribute to rebuilding confidence of the Nigerian individuals and the safety companies.

And these problems with tips on how to defend civilians when doing complicated operations in a fraught safety setting, which Nigeria is coping with, the significance of selling and defending human rights, together with non secular freedom, and, once more, kind of the very best practices of accountability and transparency, are a part of our ongoing dialogue with the federal government and with the safety companies.  We host – we’re internet hosting this week a Nigerian delegation led by the nationwide safety adviser, and we hosted about 4 hours of discussions right here on the State Division yesterday and that was a operating theme all through the day.  So, I’m sure the Secretary will speak about it when he sees the president and the overseas minister.

QUESTION:  Thanks.

STAFF:  AT&T, can we go to – Mr. Tek is coming again onto the road, however I imagine we’ve a – one in all our African retailers on-line.  I simply acquired kicked out of convention monitor.  Are you able to name on them, please?

OPERATOR:  I’m sorry.  Which particular person specifically, or I can go to the subsequent in queue?  I’m not understanding the particular person you’re wanting me to go to.

STAFF:  Sorry, let’s go to the Washington Put up, I imagine, is within the queue.

OPERATOR:  I don’t present them in queue on my finish.

STAFF:  All proper.  Let’s go to the subsequent particular person then.

OPERATOR:  Okay.  We’ll go to Keni Osukoya from Africa Bazaar Journal.

QUESTION:  Hey.  Are you able to hear me?  Hey.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY PHEE:  Hey.  Hello.

QUESTION:  Hello, hello, yeah, thanks.  Thanks for taking my questions.  So, I needed to – I do know this journey appeared sudden, and I’m questioning why is the Secretary touring to those nations or East Africa (inaudible) on condition that President Biden was – stated he’ll journey to Africa final yr.  That was the promise he made in the course of the U.S.-African Leaders Summit.  And now we didn’t hear something as to the rationale why he didn’t journey final yr.  So, in the event you can speak about that facet of it.

And I additionally needed to – I do know you talked about South Africa briefly – a difficulty that’s ongoing proper now with the South Africa and the Israel-Gaza deal.  And I’m questioning if Secretary Blinken, throughout his assembly with the – with Nigeria and different African chief, whether or not that’s one thing that he will even talk about with them on that difficulty.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY PHEE:  So, thanks in your questions.  The road is fairly unhealthy, however I believe I heard you characterize this journey as sudden, and I’d not characterize it that approach in any respect.  If you happen to take a look at the Secretary’s observe document, he’s been deeply engaged in Africa, very occupied with working with our African companions.  And this shall be his fourth journey to the continent.  This follows final yr, the place we had 17 Cupboard-level officers go to the continent as a follow-up to the Africa Leaders Summit.  So, there’s nothing new right here in American curiosity in Africa or Secretary Blinken’s curiosity in Africa.

And with regard to the President, I don’t, after all, converse for the White Home, however I do know he stays critical about his need to journey to Africa.  And once more, whereas I don’t have something to announce on that at the moment, I believe in the event you look throughout his administration and the several types of efforts, actions, exchanges which have been undertaken over the previous yr or so, you’ll see demonstrable dedication by the US to Africa.

And I actually count on the Secretary to temporary authorities leaders he wants who is likely to be occupied with his intense efforts to resolve the disaster between Israel and Hamas.  Thanks.

QUESTION:  And if I can simply —

MR TEK:  Thanks.  We simply – I’m sorry, we – hello, that is Nathan.  I’m again on the road once more, apologies.  I had technical points.  We sadly don’t have time for follow-up questions.  So Wealthy, in the event you don’t thoughts, if we may please go to Cindy Saine from Voice of America.

QUESTION:  Sure.  Thanks a lot for doing this.  I used to be questioning in the event you may discuss concerning the go to to Cabo Verde and the principle points there.  Thanks.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY PHEE:  Oh, certain.  So, we’re so excited to go to Cabo Verde.  It’s like a literal metaphor, if that is smart.  Now we have had two Millennium Problem Compacts which have contributed to Cabo Verde’s improvement, together with the port in Praia.  And in reality, they’ve simply been deemed eligible for discussions for a 3rd regional compact.