In move to counter China and Russia, US says it has alternative for African nations

‘The right to make these choices belongs to Africans, and Africans alone,’ Antony Blinken says while launching new strategy for sub-Saharan Africa

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is greeted by South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor as he arrives for a meeting in Pretoria on Monday. Photo: Reuters

Published: 5:00pm, 9 Aug 2022

The US will not force African countries to choose between it and its rivals, particularly China and Russia, but will offer a more constructive alternative, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

“The United States will not dictate Africa’s choices. Neither should anyone else,” Blinken said during a speech launching Washington’s new strategy for sub-Saharan Africa at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, on Monday.

“The right to make these choices belongs to Africans, and Africans alone,” he said.

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In a move seen as a counterbalance to Chinese and Russian influence in Africa, Blinken said the US would push for projects focused on health, digital infrastructure, empowering women and girls, energy and climate.

Through the approach, Washington hopes its offerings will be more appealing than what China and Russia provide in Africa.

Blinken said the US Development Finance Corporation was putting US$300 million in financing towards developing, building and operating data centres across Africa. Further, the US has recently awarded a US$600 million contract to build an undersea telecommunications cable that will stretch more than 17,000km (10,500 miles) – from Southeast Asia through the Middle East and the Horn of Africa to Europe – delivering high-speed connections across the continents.

“After all, we’ve seen the consequences when international infrastructure deals are corrupt and coercive, when they’re poorly built or environmentally destructive, when they import or abuse workers or burden countries with crushing debts,” Blinken said in an apparent swipe at Beijing.