US Secretary of State , Heads to Africa , on Four-Nation Tour.br Al Jazeera reports that United States Secretary of br State Antony Blinken has opened a four-country tour br of Africa meant to deepen relations with the continent. .br Al Jazeera reports that United States Secretary of br State Antony Blinken has opened a four-country tour br of Africa meant to deepen relations with the continent. .br Blinken will visit four Atlantic br Coast democracies: Cape Verde, br Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Angola. .br The visit comes amid deteriorating security conditions br in the Sahel and growing doubts regarding a U.S. br base in Niger, where a coup is underway.br The visit comes amid deteriorating security conditions br in the Sahel and growing doubts regarding a U.S. br base in Niger, where a coup is underway.br Blinken stressed the Biden administration's br commitment to the continent, saying, "We are all in when it comes to Africa.".br Our futures are linked, br our prosperity is linked, br and African voices increasingly br are shaping, animating and br leading the global conversation, Antony Blinken, United States br Secretary of State, via Al Jazeera.br The United States is committed br to deepening, strengthening br and broadening partnerships br across Africa, Antony Blinken, United States br Secretary of State, via Al Jazeera.br Blinken will next head to Ivory Coast where he will br attend the Africa Cup of Nations to watch the br host country compete against Equatorial Guinea. .br Blinken will next head to Ivory Coast where he will br attend the Africa Cup of Nations to watch the br host country compete against Equatorial Guinea. .br Al Jazeera reports that Russia and br China have also looked to rapidly expandbr their influence across Africa recently. .br In recent years, China has contributed br massive loans for infrastructure projects br across various parts of the African continent.br At the same time, Russia's Wagner Group of br mercenaries have allegedly been deployed in Mali, br the Central African Republic and Burkina Faso.