Blinken's Diplomatic Efforts in Africa and US Aid to Ethiopia

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is making a historic visit to Niger, becoming the first US Secretary of State to visit the country. Niger has become an increasingly significant partner to the US and its European allies in the Sahel region, following successive coups in Mali and Burkina Faso and the growing influence of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group. Blinken's visit comes at a critical juncture for the Sahel as its internal power structures have shifted, with France and a European Union task force under its command ultimately withdrawing from Mali in 2022.