Antony Blinken - The African Mirror

Mar

2024

Gaza marks Ramadan in despair as Blinken holds truce talks in Cairo

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Egypt's president for talks on securing a Gaza ceasefire, as Gaza's Palestinians despaired at observing Ramadan without relatives who had been killed or adequate food for their children. In Gaza, Israel's offensive focused on the Al Shifa hospital, the only partially working medical facility in the north of the Strip, for a fourth day, and local residents said they had seen buildings inside the complex in flames. With hunger spreading in the densely populated enclave, where five months of war have created critical food shortages, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said…

Feb

2024

By HUMEYRA PAMUK

Blinken to meet Egypt’s Sisi on Gaza hostage deal

NEWS

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Cairo for his meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi as the United States works to advance a Gaza truce and hostage deal mediated by the Egyptians and Qataris. The top U.S. diplomat departed Riyadh shortly after sunrise for what is set to be a marathon day visiting Egypt and Qatar before flying to Israel to discuss hostage negotiations, post-war Gaza plans and the prospect of Arab countries and Israel normalizing ties. Blinken's fifth trip to the region since October comes as the United States presses ahead with its retaliatory campaign against…

Jan

2024

By The African Mirror

US determined to remain strong security partner for Nigeria

NEWS

SECRETARY of State Antony Blinken said the United States is determined to remain a strong security partner for Nigeria, whose military is backed by the U.S., Britain and other allies in a long war against Islamist insurgents. Blinken also discussed challenges to democracy and security in the region during his meeting on Tuesday with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu in a visit that comes after last year's coup in neighbouring Niger, one of a series of coups or attempted power grabs over the past few years in West and Central Africa. "The United States is determined to be and remain a…

Jan

2024

By DAPHNE PSALEDAKIS and HUMEYRA PAMUK

Top US diplomat Blinken to discuss security challenges during West Africa trip next week

NEWS

SECURITY challenges in West Africa following the coup in Niger last year will be among key topics U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will discuss with African leaders next week during his trip to the region, the State Department's top Africa diplomat said. Blinken will travel to Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Angola from January 21 through January 26, the department said in a statement, where he will discuss U.S.-African partnerships over trade, climate, infrastructure, health and other issues. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee told reporters the U.S. has a known record and hopes the…

Dec

2023

By DAPHNE PSALEDAKIS, HUMEYRA PAMUK and NAFISA ELTAHIR

US declares warring parties in Sudan committed war crimes

NEWS

THE United States formally determined that warring parties in Sudan committed war crimes, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, as Washington increases pressure on the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to end fighting that has caused a humanitarian crisis. Washington also determined that the RSF and allied militias committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing, Blinken said in a statement. The fighting, which broke out in mid-April, has displaced more than 6.5 million inside and outside Sudan, killed more than 10,000 and decimated the economy. "The expansion of the needless conflict between RSF and the SAF has caused grievous human…

Dec

2023

By HUMEYRA PAMUK, JONATHAN SAUL and MAGGIE FICK

Despite Gaza death toll soaring, U.S. unlikely to rethink weapons supplies to Israel

WORLD

FACING a soaring death toll from Israel's renewed offensive in southern Gaza, the Biden administration is trying to pressure its ally to minimize civilian deaths while stopping well short of the kind of measures that might force it to listen, such as threatening to restrict military aid. Top U.S. officials, including Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, have urged Israel publicly to conduct a more surgical offensive in the south to avoid the heavy civilian casualties inflicted by its attacks in the north. About 900 people in Gaza were killed in Israeli airstrikes between Friday when a truce…

Dec

2023

By KANISHKA SINGH

US restricts visas for Uganda, Zimbabwe officials, citing repression

NEWS

THE United States expanded a visa restriction policy on Ugandan officials to include those it believes are responsible for undermining democracy and repressing marginalized groups in Uganda, while also announcing a new visa restriction policy for officials in Zimbabwe. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the visa restrictions and mentioned, among others, the marginalization of groups like the LGBT community in Uganda and civil society advocates in Zimbabwe. Blinken's statements did not name any official. Uganda's anti-LGBTQ law, considered one of the harshest in the world, was enacted in May and carries the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality," an offence…

Nov

2023

By NIDAL AL-MUGHRABI

Gaza officials say Israeli strikes kill 27 amid US unease at death toll

WORLD

ISRAELI air strikes hit three Gaza hospitals and a school killing at least 27 people, and a ground battle was underway at another hospital, Palestinian officials said, as the U.S. voiced fresh disquiet at the war's mounting death toll. In his strongest comments to date on civilian suffering, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken denounced the number of Palestinians killed - put by Gaza authorities at more than 11,000. Blinken welcomed the four-hour humanitarian Israeli pauses that the White House announced on Thursday but told reporters more action was needed to protect Gaza's civilians. "Far too many Palestinians have been killed; far too…

Nov

2023

By The African Mirror

Blinken urges Congo and Rwanda to de-escalate

NEWS

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke separately with Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame and urged both to de-escalate tensions, the State Department said. Blinken discussed the volatile situation and worsening humanitarian crisis along the border between the two nations and urged both sides to withdraw troops, the State Department said.

Nov

2023

By NIDAL AL-MUGHRABI, ALI SAWAFTA and SIMON LEWIS

Gaza evacuations suspended as Palestinian president presses US for ceasefire

WORLD

EFFORTS were underway to resume evacuations of foreign nationals and injured Gazans through the Rafah crossing to Egypt, suspended since Saturday after a deadly attack on an ambulance, Egyptian, U.S. and Qatari officials said. Palestinian telecommunications company Paltel said that all communications and internet services had once again been cut in the Gaza Strip amid continued bombardment while Gaza's health ministry said dozens died in a strike on a refugee camp overnight. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas demanded an immediate Israeli ceasefire at a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Ramallah. Blinken, who has dismissed the idea of a ceasefire by…