Blinken to visit Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels to Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal next week, where he will discuss ending the Covid-19 pandemic and battling climate change, his spokesman said Thursday.

Blinken will meet with the president of each country to "advance US-Africa collaboration on shared global priorities," state department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

Other topics of conversation on the agenda for the Monday to Saturday trip include revitalizing democracies, advancing peace and security, and a more inclusive global economy, Price said.

Blinken travels first to Nairobi, where he will meet with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and other government officials, and underscore US support for peaceful 2022 elections.

Next, he travels to Abuja, to meet with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and deliver a speech on US-Africa policy.

He will end his trip in Dakar where he will meet with Senegalese President Macky Sall and other officials.