US Secretary of State Blinken Visits South Africa... Countering Russia in Africa

[Asia Economy Reporter Changhwan Lee] U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken visited South Africa on the 7th (local time) as the first stop of his tour of three African countries.

According to local media, Secretary Blinken's first schedule in South Africa was a visit to Soweto, the stronghold of the anti-apartheid (black discrimination policy) struggle.

More than 170 people died in the Soweto student uprising, which became a turning point for the international community to turn its back on the minority white regime in South Africa at the time.

On the 8th, Secretary Blinken is scheduled to hold talks with Naledi Pandor, South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, and deliver a policy speech on the U.S.'s new Africa strategy at the University of Pretoria.

His visit, which took place just weeks after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's tour of Africa, is interpreted as an effort to counter Russia's expanding influence in Africa.

Since the invasion of Ukraine, among the 54 African countries, 25?including South Africa?either abstained or did not vote in favor of the UN statement condemning Russia in March. Many African countries have also maintained a neutral stance by not participating in Western-led sanctions against Russia.