the Congo today, where he met with that nation's president and foreign
minister. Secretary of State. Antony Blinken is trip as part of a
five day tour across sub Saharan Africa to unveil the administration's
new strategy for the region as Nick Schifrin reports at the culmination
of a diplomatic and humanitarian push at a time when Russia is trying
to enhance its own influence in Africa.
Three weeks in Africa. Three Cabinet secretaries in Kenya suffering
from drought, US aid administrator Samantha Power providing $1.6
billion
In
Financial support to our partners in Ghana, US Ambassador to the
UN Linda Thomas Greenfield Africans have the right to decide their
foreign policy positions.
Free of pressure and manipulation. And in South Africa Secretary
of State Antony Blinken sub Saharan Africa is a major geopolitical
force
Americans. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently launched
its own charm offensive across four African countries ending in Egypt.
Russia provides much of the continent's food is Africa's largest
arms supplier.
Earlier this year at the UN nearly half of African countries did
not condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The new U. S strategy promotes
democracy and presents African countries as partners. One of the
focuses on what we will do with African nations and peoples, not
for
African nations and peoples and to discuss US and Russian as well
as Chinese efforts to gain stronger sway in Africa were joined by
Hollywood Hair, the founding director of confluence Advisory, a think
tank in Sudan, and Cameron Hudson, a senior associate at the Center
for Strategic and International Studies, and the former African affairs
director on the National Security Council staff for the George W.
Bush administration. Welcome to the news hour tuba colored hair.
Let me start with you. Let's lay out the U. S strategy that Secretary
The state blinking laid out first of all, promoting openness and
implicit counter to Chinese influence advocates for democracy, which
he said counters Russian influence, fights, covid and to lead a clean
energy transition. What's your response to that strategy?
I think on paper, it sounds like it's what the doctor ordered. Um,
but I think that the U. S strategy seems, um sort of unimplemented
ble, given that there doesn't seem to be much funding around it.
What we've seen from the U. S. So far. Even with this recent surge
of high level officials coming to the continent is still very much
the same tone. I think of, you know, charity first and partnerships.
Second. My worry is that this strategy will just reproduce the same.
An old dynamics rather than bring about genuine partnership between
the US and various African nations.
Cameron Hudson secretary. Blinken specifically uses the words partnership
and tries to make a point that the US will be seen Africa as an important
player on every single major aspect facing the world today, that's
at least what he says. Well, right, But the problem is, of course,
that saying it doesn't make it so and I think that we have to look
at
Where decisions are being made, and whether or not African voices
are being included in those decision rooms. Whether it's the chamber
of the U. N. Security Council, or the executive boardroom of the
World Bank, or, frankly, behind closed doors at a G seven summit
were just this. Last June, G seven leaders decided on the devastating
and crippling sanctions campaign against Russia, which is severely
impacted Africans ability to purchase and import grain and further
Allies, ER from Russia, So we're seeing already in this administration
Africans not being included where those decisions are being made.
So I, of course, like the idea that we are going to give greater
voice to the 54 countries of Africa. 1.4 billion people, But right
now we're not seeing the Biden administration live up to the promise
it made just yesterday.
Little hair. Let's look at Russia's influence. How have you seen
Russia focus its influence, especially on the African Union, and
also in particular African leaders. I think this is where Russia's
strategy on Africa, um seems to vary slightly from the from the US.
Russia is not interested in engaging on any domestic policies in
this country if they don't directly impact Russia's interests. So,
for example, Russia's influence in across the Sahel in country
She's like Sudan and Central African Republic and Molly and you know,
going westwards into Burkina Faso linked to their ability to extract
gold.
Um and other commodities, which will help its fuel its war against
Ukraine. So it's you know, Russia is not invested in the inner workings
of those countries in, um you know anything beyond how it will impact
those, um, extractive. It's sort of cherry. Picking the country's
it feels are going to be important does not looking for a broader
level of interest related to, for example, rule of law or even, um,
changing some of the trading elements that Africa has
With other partners. It is actually aiming for a lot less, and by
that token, it can actually achieve a lot more aiming for a lot less
Cameron Hudson, but also aiming for military or at least a paramilitary
relationship. How has Russia used the Wagner group? This is a paramilitary
group largely controlled by the Kremlin to expand its influence,
and many of those countries that include her just mentioned
Right? Well, what we see about Russia's involvement here is really
a kind of inside outside approach. So of course it's it's approaching
through visits like Foreign Minister Lavrov, But then it uses the
Wagner group and kind of unofficial capacities working with beleaguered
leaders on the continent. Warlord leaders, militia leaders, uh, looking
for a way in, um oftentimes these these sort of side deals that they
cut our self financed because Wagner earns rights too many
Toral extraction in the country. And so what? What Russia has been
able to do with Wagner is really prop up leaders.
In their orbit and to keep Western interests Western values at bay
for just a little bit longer
hair. It's not, of course, just the U. S. And Russia. China has spent
billions and billions of dollars, especially on African infrastructure.
How successful have Chinese efforts to increase its influence in
Africa? Been
China things in terms of 1000 year strategies. It does not think
in terms of 4 to 5 year administrations or at a maximum 10 years
so they can afford to be a lot more patient than we've seen the U.
S. And even to some extent, Russia being particularly after the invasion
of Ukraine for China, it's such a broad range of, um investments
and interests across the continent. But they've always been quite
pragmatic in terms of who they support and who they don't and this
really sets China and to some extent, Russia apart from the U. S.
In terms of
They don't necessarily have favorites that they stick by you through
thick and thin. They are much more able to
navigate the changes within the continent and, more importantly than
a went to step back, Um, particularly China at times of fraud, tensions
and camera, Hansen finally, let's take us back to
Uh, Anthony Blink INS speech. He has made a specific point repeatedly
that the U. S. Is not forcing African countries to choose between
the US and China, the US and Russia. But rather providing a choice
is that with the U. S is doing well. I think they're providing a
choice so long as the choices the United States What we saw in Secretary
Blinken speech wasn't just the providing of a choice. It was the
making of an argument as to why choosing a relationship with water.
Ringtone was going to be beneficial to the people to the leadership
and to the continent as a whole. I think that what's interesting
is that we have seen in recent months and years.
The Chinese and the Russians adopting the same sort of language of
partnership of treating Africans as equals. Russia and China both
kind of painting the United States and the European countries as
what it calls this golden billion. This idea that the developed north
and industrialized north of wealthy countries is somehow controlling
90% of the world's resources and assets and so really pitting. I
think Africa against Washington
In the West as this sort of have and have not and continuing that
that dynamic even with the release of this strategy today,