Blinken eyes African crises, says continent must reform
BY MATTHEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is calling on African nations to heed warnings posed by crises in Ethiopia and Sudan, take seriously popular demands for better governance and enact reforms. Blinken said growing extremism, increasing authoritarianism and exploding corruption in Africa are imperiling democracy, human rights and the future of a massive portion of the world’s population. Blinken spoke Friday in Nigeria’s capital of Abuja, a day after telling Nigerian leaders that the U.S. is looking to them for results, including setting examples for their Ethiopian and Sudanese counterparts. Blinken said the Biden administration is awaiting the findings of recently concluded probes into allegations of brutality by Nigerian police as it seeks Abuja’s leadership more broadly.