In his four-nation tour to rally African democracies amidst regional crises, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised the Ivory Coast for its less militarized approach to security. During his visit to the capital city of Abidjan, Blinken commended the country's efforts to combat rebel violence in northern areas bordering Mali and Burkina Faso by investing economically and "building security together."

Speaking alongside Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara, Blinken applauded the country's stand against last year's coup in Niger and highlighted the importance of working with communities to understand their needs and concerns. He described the Ivory Coast's approach as a powerful model for other countries to follow.

Despite being bordered by Sahel countries plagued by insecurity, the Ivory Coast has not experienced a major armed attack in two years. Blinken expressed his commitment to further enhance cooperation with the country, particularly through the training of security forces. As part of the effort to battle instability, the US pledged an additional $45 million to West African nations, bringing the total funding under the year-old program to nearly $300 million.

President Ouattara, who has received praise for consolidating democracy in the Ivory Coast, expressed appreciation for US assistance and voiced concern over recent coups in West Africa. He affirmed his government's commitment to improving the day-to-day lives of the people.

After the meeting, Blinken headed to Abuja to meet with Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was elected last year on a platform of economic reforms. Both the Ivory Coast and Nigeria have been steadfast partners of the United States, despite regional unease over Western focus on Ukraine and US support for Israel's conflict with Hamas.

Unlike South Africa, which has faced criticism from the US for alleged arms shipments to Russia and for bringing a genocide case against Israel before the International Court of Justice, the Ivory Coast and Nigeria have maintained a cooperative relationship with the United States.

Blinken's visit to sub-Saharan Africa is his first in 10 months, with his last visit to the region focused on bolstering Niger's elected President Mohamed Bazoum, who was later deposed by the military. The Secretary of State is also scheduled to visit Angola, which is playing a significant role in mediating unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Prior to his visit to the Ivory Coast, Blinken stopped in Cape Verde, a long-standing partner of the US.

Amidst his busy schedule, Blinken took time to attend a football match between the Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations. The hosts presented him with an Ivorian orange jersey bearing his name as a gesture of friendship and cooperation.

As Blinken continues his African tour, his focus on strengthening alliances with African democracies and addressing regional crises remains at the forefront of US foreign policy in sub-Saharan Africa.